Yay! You've reached week 6 of pregnancy.

Your baby's heart beats 150 times per minute, his hands still resemble paddles, and his ears are nothing but depressions on either side of his head. As for you, you may be feeling lethargic; welcome this as a sign that your rapidly-developing baby's growth is right on track.

Your Baby’s Development

In this week by week pregnancy guide for week 6, you'll be happy to learn that:

• Your baby's heart is beating with a regular rhythm of about 150 times a minute. This heart rate, which is double that of an average adult will continue until birth. Just imagine all that your little baby is doing inside your womb!
• Not only is the heart pumping a lot more blood; your baby’s blood circulatory system is also growing more sophisticated.
• The baby is also getting ready to look less tadpole like; his facial feature are evolving and there are dark spots where the eyes and the nostrils will eventually be. His ears at the moment are nothing more than small depressions on the side of the head.
• Although the limbs are still paddle-like, your baby might be doing some wiggling.

Week 6 Pregnancy Symptoms

• You are probably just coming to terms with the realisation that you are indeed pregnant. There might be emotional moments that you have not anticipated. It is okay to feel a bit overwhelmed all of a sudden.
• You might begin to develop Dr Jekyll / Mr Hyde personas with the mood swings brought about by the hormone fluctuations.
• You are feeling exhausted and lethargic--this is completely alright. This is because your body is doing a lot of work to make sure that your baby’s development is on track.
• Another surprise you'll learn from this week by week pregnancy guide is that after morning sickness sets in, you will realise that it is not restricted to mornings alone. You may be one of the unlucky ones who ends up spending the entire day in the toilet.
• Your breasts are getting ready for breastfeeding (yep, already!) and the inceased blood flow to them means that they are beginning to feel quite sore.

Pregnancy Care

• You need to watch out for any spotting. Although this is common enough in early stages of pregnancy, it can also be an early sign of miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy.
• You need to begin improving your muscle control by doing Kegel exercises several times a day.
• Although now is not the time to be worrying about weight again, it might help to change your diet a bit and split your meals into smaller portions to be eaten throughout the day.

Your Checklist

• If you already have an exercise routine, think about how you can modify it to accommodate your pregnancy. Discuss your routine with your doctor as well to ensure that you are not doing activities that may be harmful to your pregnancy.
• Remember to note down all questions that you may have. Your first gynecologist appointment would be the time to ask them.