Your Pregnancy at Week 6

This week, you may discover you've been bamboozled by this "morning sickness" business, which does not adhere to the morning hours. Many pregnant individuals discover their morning sickness is replaced by an afternoon or evening sickness. But if you find yourself growing more and more conversant with a forevermore sickness, a second cousin of morning sickness (thrice removed), there's a chance you might be pregnant with twins and experiencing twice the fun.

To help you manage the morning sickness, try eating something bland, drinking ginger tea, or taking certain doctor-approved medicines. Experienced parents say it may help if you snack on high-protein snacks throughout your day because an empty stomach often triggers nausea.

Are you craving a specific type of food? Are new foods, or odd combinations of foods, suddenly calling out to you? This is normal, as are any newfangled aversions to the taste or scent of certain foods. Your partner's various smells can set off a bout of dry heaving unexpectedly.

At six weeks pregnant, and sometimes throughout early pregnancy, it can be normal to experience light spotting or cramping. Do not worry about complications, like miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy, unless you're experiencing brutal abdominal pain or cramping with it or if you discover the spotting has turned into more of a heavy period, as both are legitimate reasons to contact your midwife or doctor immediately.

If you're still waiting for your body to give you some of the telltale signs of pregnancy, try to relax, because you won't be waiting much longer. By week six, your body is likely experiencing any or all of the symptoms:

Positive home pregnancy test result: the pregnancy hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), is responsible for setting your pregnancy in motion and will be present in both your urine and blood. 

Morning sickness, nausea, or vomiting: this notorious pregnancy symptom can vary drastically from pregnancy to pregnancy and despite the name may not be limited to the morning hours. Nausea may or may not be accompanied by vomiting and can be triggered by hunger, strong smells… or at times seemingly nothing at all. 

Food cravings: while food aversions may have been making your life miserable, the (sometimes) upside is food cravings! You may find things tasting better than ever before, including strange combinations such as the famous ice cream and pickle number. If you find yourself craving non-nutritional items such as chalk, dirt, ice, or raw flour this could be a sign of a condition called pica. Be sure to let your doctor know right away.

Tender, swollen breasts: you may experience some sensitivity in your breasts and nipples as your body makes preparations for eventually producing breast milk. This process happens whether or not you decide to breastfeed and is just one example of how our amazing bodies are designed to care for our babies. 

Mood Swings: hormone fluctuations may leave you feeling extreme emotions from joy to irritation; sometimes switching without warning. If your reactions seem to be irrational, know that your growing baby may be the explanation.

Increased need to urinate: eventually the pressure of your growing baby may press on your bladder, but for now your little one is too small to press against your organs so you can thank hormones for this symptom.

Metallic taste in mouth: this symptom is called dysgeusia. While generally not a concern during pregnancy it is worth noting to your medical care provider as it could signal an underlying health condition. Most likely though, it only means that some of your favorite foods may taste a little funky for a while. 

Strange dreams: vivid dreams can be some of the more interesting pregnancy symptoms. While the cause is unknown it may have something to do with hormones or the fact that nausea or frequent urination means you are not sleeping as deeply and can remember your dreams more easily. 

Heartburn or indigestion: hormones are once again the culprit here. Progesterone causes your digestive system to slow down so nutrients can be more easily absorbed, but this can result in digestive discomfort including heartburn and indigestion.

Fatigue: Treat yourself to a nap! Making a baby is hard work. Even in the early weeks, you may find yourself exhausted. Be sure to listen to your body and get some rest whenever you can.

Headaches: common in early pregnancy, headaches are a painful, although generally harmless, symptom. Hormones are usually to blame for first-trimester headaches, but factors could also include being hungry, dehydrated, tired, or having low blood sugar. Take care to rest, drink plenty of water, and eat small frequent meals when you can.

Have you heard that pregnant individuals should not change cat litter? It may sound strange, but it's true. Changing cat litter may put you at risk for a parasitic disease called toxoplasmosis, which can cause pregnancy problems and serious birth defects.

The solution isn't to get rid of your cat! The most important thing to do is get someone else to change the litter box (we know how much you'll miss the daily scooping). If there isn't anyone else to do it for you, wear rubber gloves while you scoop and change it. And when you are done... wash your hands.

Another thing to pay particular attention to is eating uncooked meat and unwashed vegetables, because these can cause toxoplasmosis, too. To ensure you and your baby avoid toxoplasmosis, cook all meats thoroughly, wash every cutting board and utensils that come in contact with the raw meat, and scrub your vegetables well before eating them.

Preparing For Your First Appointment

It's time to prepare for your first prenatal doctor visit.