So you’re six weeks pregnant…

pregnancy week 6 webbed hands square

The hormones are increasing, so you may be noticing an uptick in the severity of early pregnancy symptoms or the presence of new ones. For example, the pregnancy hormone progesterone may cause you some issues with feeling gassy and bloated.

Be sure to rest when you’re able if fatigue is an issue—you’re growing a human, after all, so give your body some grace as it adjusts to these big changes. And know that more frequent trips to the bathroom are also common, as the pregnancy hormone hCG is routing extra blood flow to your pelvis.

Baby’s Development

week6pomegranateseedIn your sixth week of pregnancy, baby is the size of a pomegranate seed! Baby’s growth is continuing to double and now measures .25 inches, and that doubling rate will continue during this week.

Baby is beginning to develop facial features already, including depressions where the nostrils and ears will be, darker spots where the eyes will be formed, and the tongue, jaws and neck are also being created.

Baby may even start some wiggling of the arm and leg buds, which are now growing some muscle and bone tissue. And baby is also covered in such a thin layer of skin that it’s translucent.

By the beginning of this week the heart should have begun beating and would be visible with a transvaginal ultrasound. The heart will be pumping at roughly 100 beats per minute. But if you have an ultrasound and don’t see a heartbeat yet, don’t panic. You may be earlier in your pregnancy than you anticipated and may just need a follow-up appointment to measure for growth.