Pregnancy - Week 6

You are 5 weeks pregnant or in your 6th week of pregnancy (counting from the first day of your Last Menstrual Period).

Keep in mind that this information is approximate. Each pregnancy is different and growth rates vary.  For variations and details, please talk to your doctor. 

Week 5

Week 7

What’s happening to the baby?

• The brain is developing rapidly and so is the nervous system.
• The baby's heartbeat maybe detectable by an ultrasound.
• Buds are appearing where the hands and feet are and will soon develop into fingers and toes.
• Early building blocks of eyes and ears are appearing.
• Your baby is about 5 millimetres long.

What’s happening to mom?

• Common pregnancy discomforts may hit in full force this week. You may feel extreme fatigue as your body adjusts to the demands of pregnancy. Your breasts will feel swollen and tender. Try wearing a sports bra and once the baby is born, you might find the same bra convenient for nursing as well.  
• Some women experience bleeding that may not be a sign of any problem. This spotting (finding spots of blood in your underwear or on toilet paper after using the toilet) may be accompanied by light cramping. You should consult your doctor if the bleeding becomes heavy and red (like a normal period) or if the cramps are worse than normal period cramps. This could be a sign of a miscarriage.   
• You will probably feel very hungry, as your body needs more calories for the growing baby.  Many might not feel very hungry because of nausea, which is also normal since the body needs the bulk of the calories for the growing baby in the last trimester when the baby grows the most. In the first trimester, mainly the baby's organs are being formed.
• Your little tadpole is growing to be a baby, right inside your body.  No wonder you are feeling so tired and uncomfortable.

Create your own customized week-by-week pregnancy calendar

Checklist for mom

• Get referrals from friends and family for ObGyns and then start interviewing them, if you have not already. Read Parentree's article on how to select a good doctor or ObGyn.
• Schedule your first pregnancy appointment with your doctor. It is important that you call a doctor immediately and talk to them.
• Get ready for the first appointment.  Start jotting questions. The doctor will do blood and urine tests to confirm your pregnancy.  There will be internal examination (pap smear etc.) and the doctor will talk to you about your diet and other medical conditions. Here is what you can expect in your first prenatal doctor's visit.
• Read up about morning sickness and stock up on ginger, crackers, and lemons for mitigating nausea.
• Read about what is safe and what is not during pregnancy. Clarify with your doctor when in doubt.
• Ask your doctor for which medicines are safe to take for common problems like fever, vomiting, loose motions, headaches etc. This way you will be prepared beforehand and will not panic when problems strike.
• Rest and eat healthy. Read Parentree's articles on healthy foods and meal planning. 10-14 kilograms is the recommended weight gain during pregnancy for Indian mothers, with 1 - 2 kilograms in the first trimester. Remember, the extra energy that is required is only 300 kcal/day and any consumption above this will only add empty calories and weight to the mother.   The usual Indian advice is to eat for you and for the little growing baby and not necessarily for two adults.  Focus on nutrition and not the quantity of food.
• Feel free to continue your regular personal grooming and beauty treatments. But stay away from hair dyes and hair treatments that use strong chemicals especially in the delicate first trimester, when the baby’s organs are being formed. Read about the safety of hair treatments.

Ideas for dad

• Ensure that mom's first prenatal appointment is on your calendar. Go for that.
• Be supportive in the domestic work and in general be patient with mom since she might be very tired and experience early pregnancy woes like nausea etc.
• Along with your wife, read what’s safe and what’s not safe during pregnancy.

Other tidbits

• Join your Parentree due date club and share tips.
• Wondering if it is safe to drive during pregnancy?
  • In a normal pregnancy, it is safe to drive till about the 37th week or so. 
  • But drive carefully and avoid sudden jerks.
  • Put on the seat belt carefully below the belly to avoid the belt from pressing on your belly in case the car stops suddenly. 
  • Make sure that you carry water and some snacks to nibble on in the car.
  • Minimise long distance driving.
  • Avoid doing long distance driving if you are going out of town or something.  It will be uncomfortable and sitting for a long time can cause backaches and you might need to go to the bathroom often. Take the train or fly.
  • If you drive, long distance to work—more than an hour or so—try having someone drive you or take your work shuttle (For example: many far flung IT campuses offer free shuttles to their employees). Remember to ask the driver to drive carefully.
  • You could even try and see if your company will let you work from home a few days in a week.

Useful Parentree articles for this stage of pregnancy

• Calculating expected due date
• Morning Sickness
• Miscarriage
• Is it safe? - Common questions during pregnancy
• Common pregnancy discomforts
• How to select a good doctor (gynaecologist)
• Pregnancy - Visits to the doctor
• Ultrasounds
• Signs of pregnancy
• Folic acid
• Pregnant Indian women - Healthy foods
• Pregnant Indian women - Meal planning
• Importance of prenatal tests
• Parentree's collection of pregnancy articles

Week 5

Week 7