6 Weeks Pregnant - what to expect
Now you're 6 weeks pregnant, this week is all about frequent loo visits, sickness stoppers, what to expect from your first check-up and beef stew!
Watch our video to see what your baby looks like this week
Your baby has (temporarily) developed what looks like a tiny tadpole tail. Nothing fishy, honest; it’s just the spinal cord growing at a faster pace. It won’t ‘outplaice’ the rest of the body for long…
So what's happening to your body this week?
You’ve turned into the Wee Queen: skipping off to the loo loads more than usual – and maybe even having to take a few night trips, too. All a bit of a pain but quite normal – unless you’re actually in pain when you wee, in which case, see your GP.
Blame for the extra loo visits lies partly with the pregnancy hormone hCG for revving up the blood flow to your kidneys (making them super-efficient at wee creation) and partly with your growing uterus for putting pressure on your bladder.
In a few weeks, your uterus will move up to allow your baby room to grow even more and that might ease the wee situation a bit. No promises, mind!
Our MFMer's 6-week bump of the week
Is yours already showing? Check out other MFMers' bumps in our 6 week bump gallery.
Did you know? Your baby's now the length of... a Tic Tac
This week, your baby measures 3mm, the length of a minty fresh Tic Tac.
4 things you might need to know this week
- What to expect from your check ups
- What exercise is safe to do?
- Farewell to fags - but can I switch to e-cigs?
- Our mums share their sickness stoppers
MFMer's tip of the week from our forum
“First day of feeling queasy. I'm drinking peppermint tea and chewing on dry crackers. Eating small portions more often helps: seems like never having an empty stomach is the answer for me.” Bethan2
Want to share your pregnancy with others going through the same as you? There's a birth club for your due date - take a look...
Is it safe... to eat soft cheese?
This one's complicated. Some types of soft cheese are fine, others are not. OK, so the ones you're good to eat are: cottage cheese, ricotta, marscapone, mozzarella, halloumi, feta, Boursin and processed cheese, such as Dairylea.
But the ones you'll want to avoid on the cheese board are: soft cheeses that are mould-ripened – such as Brie and Camembert – plus goats' milk soft cheese that's mould-ripened. Finally, hands off those tangy soft blue cheese, such as Gorgonzola, Roquefort, Cambozola and Danish Blue.
Our preg recipe for week 6 - Beef, pumpkin and ginger stew
Why ginger is great for your growing baby
Beneath its weirdy, knobbly exterior, the ginger root hold the key to every pregnant woman’s heart: a scientific thumbs-up for helping to combat the terrible trio of morning sickness: dizziness, nausea and vomiting. Try peeling off the ‘bark’, cutting a few slithers into a cup and covering with hot water. Add honey and sip, for a properly bleurgh-reducing remedy – with knobs on!
See the full recipe and get cooking...
Baby namer - what do you think of these food-inspired names?
If food's your thing, what about these delicious-sounding baby names?
Olive
Not just a favourite nibble, the olive branch has been a symbol of peace since biblical times. Olive is a name that means passion, compassion, intuition and romance.
Celeb baby-name-check: Drew Barrymore called her 1st daughter Olive.
Kale
The trendiest leafy green has become a baby name in its own right. Kale is a superfood member of the cabbage family – and makes for an unusually super baby name. (Sorry.)
Celeb baby-name-check: a modern update on Gwyneth Paltrow's Apple.
Check out our dedicated Baby Names section for more inspiration.
So that's plenty for this week, want to take a peek at what lies ahead - or look back at last week?
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