Welcome to the Pregged pregnancy week-by-week series. Each week-by-week post is separated into three handy sections.
1. Mom – Section one covers the changes mom will experience and the things she may need to consider health-wise.
2. Baby – Section two looks at the development of the fetus and what’s going on with baby inside the womb.
3. Nutrition – Section three covers nutrition for each week of pregnancy so that you know what foods are important to include in your diet at each stage.
6 WEEKS PREGNANT – MOM
Finally, the baby’s eyes and ears are in the correct locations—eyes on either side of the nose and the ears more lateral. Before this time, they do kind of look like little aliens. The bones are starting to get hardened, not cartilage anymore. The baby is moving but you may not feel anything until 20 weeks if this is your first baby. And if you do, it feels like a little flutter or gas-like sensations. It’s totally a date to write down in your baby book, along with adding the ultrasound pictures. You may notice people looking at you a bit funny now—time to smile and nod that you know what they are thinking. You’re showing! Baby Bump has arrived and it’s time to start a wardrobe overhaul—but don’t go crazy. Even though you can sell them after pregnancy, maternity clothes cost more than their high-fashion equivalents. If you plan on more than one baby-hang on to them for sure.
Baby Development
Time for finding out baby’s gender! Week 15-18 are good weeks to have another ultrasound and ultrasounds are excellent tools for doctors to look for signs of healthy organs, both in size, and shape. Ever heard the term hamburger sign or turtle sign? Well, if the doctor sees a turtle between the baby’s legs, you’re having a boy! A hamburger means a girl, but sometimes the umbilical cord or legs get in the way, and you can’t tell exactly. Doctors also look for a banana sign and a lemon sign to evaluate the brain structures, but that is rarely found except in rare congenital disabilities. Bones are measured such as the femur—upper leg bone, and skull size is beneficial to determine the due date or EDC if an ultrasound has not been done yet. The bones look greyish-white on ultrasounds at this point and signify early hardening or ossification. No worries though, the bone growth plates do not fuse until well into early adolescence, and teenage years once full height is obtained. Same for the skull bones—actually, there are multiple ones in the womb. They are separated by spaces and are soft enough to result in the classic cone-head after the birthing process. Baby is a bit less than a half of a foot and over 2 ounces now, getting ready for a growth spurt that lasts for the duration of pregnancy.
Pregnancy Nutrition Week 6
Good nutrition is hard work and helps your body cope with whatever symptom pregnancy is throwing your way. Your nausea is gone so now you should be in the habit of eating 5-6 times per day. Eating slowly and chewing your food well are the key to feeling full. Frequent meals keep your blood sugar steady and don’t overtax your system. Not hungry that often? Then eat less with each snack and put a sticker up ‘have you fed your baby lately’? Make it your screen saver on your phone or laptop.