Growth is slow, but this is the most important growth stage of your pregnancy. Early brain formation begins, the eyes begin to develop, and tiny buds that will grow into arms and legs appear. In many babies, the heart begins to contract during this week and actually starts to beat, but it will be a while yet before you can feel that.
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Your Body This Week
Because your hormones are on a roller coaster, you may experience nausea and vomiting. Don't be fooled by the name "morning sickness" because the symptoms can actually happen any time of the day or night! Certain foods may make you especially nauseous (coffee and fried meats are two common ones) and you may vomit several times a day. Many women also report an increased need to urinate during this time, which could last throughout your pregnancy. Additionally, your breasts will feel "tingly" and a bit sore. The area around your nipples (your areolas) may eventually become darker in color. In fact, for many women, sore breasts are often the first sign of pregnancy.
Your pregnancy is 6 weeks old, but your baby is tiny, ranging in size from 0.08 to 0.16 inches (2 to 4 mm) from the top of the head to the bottom of the rump because legs have not yet begun to grow. If you haven't already had your first prenatal doctor visit, this is the time!
Trick Your Morning Sickness
Because 70% of pregnant women experience it, nausea should really come as no surprise. But knowing that fact doesn't help you feel any less nauseous does it? What you want is to know how to quiet the queasiness NOW. Here's one idea: nibble on some fresh ginger. A recent report in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology suggests that ginger helps to sooth the stomach. That's just one nutritious way to break the morning sickness cycle. Read more about what to eat when you're feeling nauseous.
Exercise When You're Feeling Low
When morning sickness strikes, the last thing you might feel like doing is jumping on the treadmill. Often, trying to exercise too quickly or too intensely can just make the feeling worse. Between the nausea and common fatigue, it'd be easy to just throw up your hands, put up your feet and snuggle into a blanket. But you can work your way into exercise without making things worse. If you keep it light, focus on easy stretching and warm-up movements, and avoid strain, you can keep morning sickness from derailing your fitness program. Learn some more exercise tips for fatigue and morning sickness.
