This week, your baby is starting to look more like, well, a baby — your little one’s head is taking shape, while the cheeks, chin and jaws are also beginning to form.
In week 6 of pregnancy, you may be feeling well and truly pregnant too, thanks to symptoms like heartburn, nausea and frequent urination. If you're 6 weeks pregnant, you're in month 2 of your pregnancy. Only 7 months left to go! Still have questions? Here's some more information on how weeks, months and trimesters are broken down in pregnancy. When you're 6 weeks pregnant, your baby's crown-to-rump measurement (more on this below) is anywhere from a fifth to a quarter of an inch and growing — making it the size of a nailhead or a sweet pea (your little sweet pea!). You might be coping with full-blown pregnancy symptoms, but there's plenty of good news too. The folds of tissue in the prominent bump on top — the head — are developing into your baby's jaw, cheeks and chin, which will eventually become one adorable face. And are those little indentations on both sides of the head the sweet dimples you always hoped your baby would inherit from your mom's side of the family? No, they're ear canals in the making. Small dots on the face will form the eyes and button nose in a few weeks. Also taking shape this week: your baby's kidneys, liver and lungs, along with his little heart. See your baby's development each week on the What to Expect app. During embryo and fetal development, practitioners measure babies as small as yours from precious little crown to cute little rump. That's because as your baby grows, her legs will be bent, making it hard to get an accurate read on the full length of the body. Your body may not yet have changed on the outside, but you'll be reminded you're 6 weeks pregnant every time you feel queasy or bloated or dive head-first into your sixth grapefruit of the day — funny, because you never craved grapefruit before. Another clue? You're in the bathroom more than you're out of it. Frequent urination is a symptom no pregnant woman enjoys, especially when it breaks up the sleep you really need right now, but it's one of the most common symptoms of pregnancy, especially early on. Why? For one thing, the pregnancy hormone hCG is causing an increase of blood flow to your pelvic area — good for increased sexual pleasure, not so good when you're one hour into a two-hour movie at the theater. What's more, your kidneys are becoming more efficient at ridding your body of waste. Add to that the fact that your growing uterus is beginning to push down on your bladder, leaving less storage space for urine, and you've got a perfect (pee) storm. Luckily, this pressure is often relieved once the uterus rises into the abdominal cavity in the second trimester. Here's a quick tip: Lean forward when you pee to ensure that your bladder is completely emptied each time. Then, when you think you’re done, pee again. This way, you might need fewer trips to the bathroom. But don't be tempted to cut back on liquids — your body needs a steady supply of fluids. Here’s the not-so-great news — the chances of getting through the next nine months heartburn-free are nearly zero. That’s because the band of muscle at the top of the stomach that usually prevents digestive juices from backing up relaxes. But here's better news: You can minimize the symptoms if you avoid foods like citruses and tomatoes — and yes, that includes pizza and pasta sauce — steer clear of greasy and spicy foods, don't rush through your meals and avoid clothes that constrict your belly. It's also a good idea to finish dinner at least four hours before going to bed and keeping your head elevated on a pillow while you sleep. There’s more than one type of pregnancy practitioner, but only you can decide which one is the best fit for your situation. While more than 90 percent of women choose an OB/GYN, a physician with a medical degree and training in women’s reproductive and general health, you can also opt for a midwife, a family practice doctor, or a maternal fetal medicine specialist (MFM). To narrow down your decision, ask yourself if you’re at risk for any complications, where you would like to deliver or whether you’d like a natural birth. The answers will help you find the right fit. Suffering from morning sickness? Sadly, it isn't limited to the mornings at all — unless you count mornings in every time zone. If you feel like screaming whenever you look at a saltine, don't panic. You have more options than you might think. Dry and bland are still the key here, but that describes more than a cracker. Dry cereal, pretzels, rice cakes, well-toasted bread and bread sticks are all suitable for stashing in your purse or keeping on the bedside table. Sure, you already got the news from your home pregnancy test — but it doesn't hurt to hear it confirmed by a doctor, which is one reason you're probably looking forward to your very first prenatal doctor's appointment. Expect this checkup to be exciting … and long. Once you arrive, you'll have a thorough physical, including a pelvic exam, Pap smear and initial blood tests to determine your blood type, Rh factor, whether you're iron-deficient and whether your baby is at risk for chromosomal abnormalities. You'll also be tested for sexually transmitted infections, immunity to rubella (German measles), and ethnic-specific genetic diseases. And you'll need to pee into a cup so your urine can be tested for glucose, protein, red and white blood cells, and bacteria. Be prepared to answer lots of questions — health histories can take a while — but more importantly, bring a list of some of your own. Wondering whether you and Joe (aka your beloved extra-foamy mocha cappuccino) will have to part ways now that you're expecting? Why your skin suddenly resembles a map of an interstate highway? If having sex can hurt your baby? Just ask! Pregnancy can be a wild ride — a 40-week journey that, for many women, is over before they know it. To keep track of all the special memories you made along the way — like the moment you first learned you were pregnant to the time you learned your baby’s sex — use the My Journal feature in our app. My Journal lets you record your pregnancy experiences, as well as your symptoms, weight, medications, baby kick counts, and more. Best of all, you’ll have a keepsake of all the memories you made throughout your pregnancy journey — and something to share with your little one for years to come. Contrary to popular belief, twins aren’t born exactly alike. Fraternal twins develop when two sperm fertilize two eggs separately, and as a result, don’t share identical DNA. That’s why they can be opposite sexes and look much different from each other. Even identical twins, who develop from a single fertilized egg, can look slightly different from each other, thanks to environmental factors like their placement in the womb (their heads may not be shaped in the same way, for example). When it comes to hair coloring, experts agree that safe is better than sorry. So wait until your second trimester (i.e. after week 14 of pregnancy) before getting a touch-up. When you do go back to the salon, stick to highlights instead of root lightening or root-to-tip color changes (this way, the chemicals won't touch your scalp) and request a gentler coloring option, like an ammonia-free base. And be aware that hormonal changes can make your hair react differently, so you might not get exactly what you expect, even from your regular formula. Before you do your whole head, see about trying a test strand to be sure. If it hurts to pee or if you gotta go but nothing comes, you may have a urinary tract infection (UTI). Talk to your doctor to find out for sure. If you do have a UTI, you'll likely be prescribed a baby-safe antibiotic. You're at a higher risk of getting this kind of infection after week 6 of pregnancy.Your Baby at Week 6
At a Glance
6 weeks pregnant is how many months?
How big is my baby at 6 weeks?
Baby's head takes shape
Measuring your embryo
Your Body at Week 6
Frequent urination
Heartburn and indigestion
Pregnancy Symptoms Week 6
Tips for You This Week
Reviewed September 3, 2024 From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.
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