Pregnancy week 6
8 Jan. 2026
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The embryo is now only about 4 millimeters long—but even at this tiny size, incredible things are happening. In week 6, development really takes off, and the foundations for the body’s organs, arms, and legs are established.
It may sound minimal, but an incredible amount is happening in this little embryo during this week.
Now the embryo is 6 weeks old, which means an important time for development. From week 2-8, the embryo grows really big! Did you know that embryo even means “something that grows”?
Sometime around the sixth or seventh week, the heart begins to beat: It usually happens around day 22-25 after fertilization and then the heart rate is between 110-160 beats per minute. That’s about twice as fast as an adult! Now there are also a lot of other changes taking place.
Now all the cells of the embryo begin to divide depending on which organ they will form. The basis for many of the internal functions is created, such as the brain, nervous system and genitals. Small fold-like buds appear on the side of the body wall, which will eventually develop into small arms and legs.
The internal organs such as the stomach and intestines are now forming and also the double layer of amniotic membranes in which the baby will lie, surrounded by water. However, almost no amniotic fluid has yet formed – but that will come with time. What will become the umbilical cord is not finished and has no function yet, but soon the umbilical cord will transport oxygen and nutrition to the foetus from the placenta!
Or have you just found out you are pregnant? No matter what, an exciting time awaits!
Have you noticed any mood swings yet? Or that you need to run to the toilet often? These are common pregnancy symptoms along with nausea, fatigue, sore and tender breasts and a metallic taste in the mouth.
If you feel exactly the same as usual, it is also completely normal, and if you are expecting twins or more children, it is possible that you will notice pregnancy symptoms more than someone who is expecting just one baby. Remember that pregnancy symptoms can be very individual.
Most of the symptoms experienced now are due to the large hormonal surges and the pregnancy-preserving hormone progesterone that is secreted. Progesterone lowers blood pressure and the immune system and makes it harder to maintain a steady blood sugar level.
During pregnancy, the body and cells become more sensitive to insulin, which means that increased amounts of insulin are needed to keep blood sugar at a steady level. These differences can be felt more clearly when a pregnant woman’s blood sugar is sometimes higher than in a non-pregnant woman, something that is usually felt in the form of fatigue or mood swings. Because of this, your midwife will monitor your glucose via a urine dip during most of your visits. In the second and third trimesters, glucose urea may become more apparent – then more tests can be done to see if the blood sugar levels are normal.
Blood pressure often drops in early pregnancy as a result of blood vessels dilating. It can be experienced as dizziness when standing up quickly from sitting or lying down, the pregnant woman may feels dizzy if she has stood up for a while. You may also notice increased pulse or that you breathe faster and feel short of breath by doing things that previously did not cause shortness of breath: these are called circulatory changes, all of these symptoms are completely normal!
Remember to listen to your body, slow down and be kind to yourself. Of course, it is good to stay physically active in many ways, but the most important thing is to feel your mood and accept it. During pregnancy, it is especially important that you take care of yourself! There will come a time when you will be able to handle things that you may not be able to handle right now.
About half of all pregnant women feel sick and vomit and another quarter who feel sick without vomiting. You may have heard of morning sickness, which is especially common due to the low blood sugar one has in the morning after not eating for a few hours. While some people feel this particular morning sickness, others are dragged along with the nausea all day.
The nausea is not a sign that something is wrong with the pregnancy, but the mental state can be affected. Some pregnant women feel so bad that it affects one’s everyday life, such as relationships or the ability to work. Remember that no two pregnancies are the same and only you know what you can handle. Talk to your midwife about dietary advice, other treatment/relief available for nausea or pharmacological relief in the form of medicines.
It is good for both you and the embryo that you get nutritious food. However, for those of you who are nauseous or can only eat certain things at this stage, there is no cause for concern. Nor if, for example, you drank alcohol because you didn’t know you were pregnant. From now on, however, it is important to completely abstain from alcohol, tobacco, drugs and nicotine.
If you find it difficult to eat the portions you are used to because of the nausea, you can try eating small portions often, then you can regulate both energy and blood sugar. Snacks are good to put in between the main dishes. If you are used to eating fruit as a snack, you can try adding nuts, cottage cheese or the like as it makes your blood sugar more stable. If you are unsure of what you can and cannot eat, you can see all the dietary advice for pregnant women at the bottom!
Movement affects our hormones, which have a direct impact on mood. Move when the energy is there, but don’t be too hard on yourself if you can’t take it. Pregnancy is long and everything goes in cycles– feel it and give your body what you think it needs right now. From one week to another it can change, so be attentive and kind to yourself.
That’s why it’s good to talk about all the changes going on in her body, but also about all the thoughts and concerns you have. Maybe you’ve realised that you’re both happy and doing well, or you need some quality time together? You will only know what you need if you communicate with each other.
If your partner is not doing well just now, one idea is to do something a little extra nice for her to cheer her up.
If you or your pregnant partner are worried about having a miscarriage, it’s a good idea to talk to each other to express your concerns. It is also a good to raise concerns with your midwife when it is time for the booking appointment. Try not to think too much about these worries, but take care of each other both physically and mentally.
You will both need to be patient with and understanding of each other during this period. Perhaps you will also feel some anxiety about everything about your relationship and the pregnancy? Talk to each other about any thoughts you have and share your experiences. Then you will most likely find a good flow in your relationship during this big, life-changing period of your life.
Remember that from now on you are building your relationship in the constellation of parents! Nurturing your emotional bond physically, through touch, and mentally increases the release of the love hormone oxytocin. Any kind of closeness will therefore most likely help both of you to feel better during pregnancy, though also after the birth and beyond.
