Pregnancy Week 6

Baby’s head is really starting to take shape, with the jaw, nose including nostrils, and palate forming. The eyes are becoming more defined with the lenses appearing now. The brain continues to become more detailed and complex. Other organs taking shape include the kidneys and liver. The hands and feet have webbed structures that will become the fingers and toes eventually. The intestines are starting to grow, however they are not located inside the baby yet, but rather are growing inside the umbilical cord at this point. Your baby is now ½ inch long!

Symptoms You May Feel During Week 6

Some symptoms that might be making an appearance this week include heartburn. Ask your physician what you can take to relieve these bothersome side effects. Also try to eat frequent smaller meals. Overindulging will exacerbate heartburn. Also, try elevating your head and chest at night to avoid the symptoms.

Another regular side effect to expect this week is more breast tenderness. Also your areolas might be darkening, and the breasts may start swelling now.

One symptom that could be worsening is frequent urination. That’s because the enlarging uterus is pressing against the bladder. It is most problematic at night when you are awakened with the urge to go. Do not avoid drinking plenty of liquids in order to avoid having to visit the bathroom so often. Adequate hydration is essential for a healthy pregnancy. Later in pregnancy, the uterus will lift up into the abdomen and the necessity to go to the bathroom so often will lessen so hang in there! Often in early pregnancy, you can experience some light bleeding or spotting. Don’t panic, as this is often nothing to worry about. Your doctor will tell you when you should call, but if ever you are concerned about something you should go ahead and call your doctor to be sure. However, bleeding that is continuous or becomes heavier, and is accompanied by persistent cramping, or sharp pain indicates a real need to get to the doctor just to rule out a more serious problem.

Visit With the Obstetrician

Your first doctor’s appointment will be a longer one than normal. You will answer lots of questions about your personal and family medical history, including information about your menstrual cycles, previous pregnancies and any history of congenital or genetic conditions in the family. Your doctor will also talk to you about lifestyle issues, such as nutrition, exercise and any unhealthy habits like smoking. Be honest with your doctor about any concerns you may have.

Your physician will give you your due date at this visit, and a thorough physical. Your weight, height and blood pressure will be checked.

You will get a pelvic examination, and the doctor will check for symptoms of pregnancy, as well as any structural abnormalities, infections and will do a Pap smear.

You will also give a urine sample, as you will do most often at every visit from here on, to check for infection, sugar or protein.

You will probably also have blood work done to determine if you are Rh negative or positive. Your blood will also be checked for anemia, syphilis, Hepatitis B, HIV, and to check for exposure to rubella, measles, or mumps.

You will probably be given a prescription for prenatal vitamins at this visit, also. If you haven't already, be sure to take these vitamins every day.

Sometimes your doctor will want to do an early ultrasound to confirm the due date and look for any possible problems.

Preparing for Baby

Something you might want to consider starting now is a special journal to record the progression of your pregnancy. You can find a prepared journal, already for you to fill in with details of your pregnancy journey, or you can just buy a nice attractive journal and keep details of how you were feeling, record doctor appointments and special moments like when you first hear the heartbeat, or felt the baby move, or when you first saw the baby on the ultrasound screen. One journal we receommend is The Pregnancy Journal: A Day-to-Day Guide to a Healthy and Happy Pregnancy. It will be a cherished possession someday to both you and your child. And keeping the journal up to date will help you to appreciate the progress you are making during the sometimes long days of waiting for your new little bundle.

Pregnancy Lifestyle

At your first appointment, you should discuss with your doctor your current fitness level and how you exercise. Find out how you should continue with your exercise regimen.

• Do you need to cut back or try a new exercise routine entirely?
• Is kickboxing OK?
• Should you curtail that weekly run at the park and make it a quick paced walk instead?

Related to exercise, discuss with your doctor your current diet and how you might enrich it for baby. Do you have a healthy BMI (Body Mass Index) now? How much weight does your doctor believe is appropriate for you? Don’t rely on prenatal vitamins to address all your nutritional needs.

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