Week 6
At 6 weeks, your baby is still only around 4mm (3⁄8 inch) long, measured from the top of the baby's head to the baby's bottom. Despite that tiny size, your baby has already done a lot of growing - the foundations of all the major organs are already in place. Eyes and ears are developing fast - and your baby's tiny heart begins to beat (at about twice the rate of an adult heart)
Pregnancy symptoms
Every woman experiences pregnancy differently. Even though you have no visible signs, you might be experiencing any of the following symptoms:
- Tender, tingling or enlarged breasts
- Sickness or nausea
- A metallic taste in your mouth
- Tastes may change, e.g. you may 'go off' coffee or tea
- A need to urinate more frequently
- Overwhelming tiredness
- Mood swings
- Light 'spotting'
Reducing your caffeine intake
Many pregnant women 'go off' coffee or tea, and perhaps this is nature's way of encouraging them to cut down on caffeine. The latest research suggests limiting your caffeine intake to no more than 200mg per day.
How much caffeine is in your coffee or tea?
Other foods that are best avoided during pregnancy
A healthy diet in pregnancy, having foods that are nutritious and safe to eat, is important for the wellbeing of you and your baby also.
Keeping fit
It's fine to keep up with your usual exercise in early pregnancy, although you may want to avoid anything too extreme, such as high-impact aerobics or hard contact sports. And if you don't usually exercise, now might be the perfect time to start! Walking and swimming are good, gentle ways of keeping fit.
Exercise helps you feel great as well as improving your muscle tone and strength; this can help your body cope with weight gain and the demands of labour. If you're feeling exhausted, it might not seem like a great idea to go for a walk, but give it a go; getting out in the fresh air is one of the best ways to replenish your energy.
The NHS website has more information and advice on exercise during pregnancy.
Top tips
If you don’t regularly wear a bra, you should now always wear one as it will help reduce breast soreness.
Make sure you eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, they will help you get most of the vitamins and minerals you need. Read more about vitamins and supplements in pregnancy.
Aromatherapy can be very helpful if you feel tired and nauseous – find out which fragrances will help you the most.
Make sure you get sufficient exercise, which will help avoid fatigue.
