Welcome to your weekly pregnancy update where we outline the changes you and your baby are experiencing.

Your Baby

That little being growing inside you looks more like a fish or a tadpole than a human baby by week 6.  In the days following conception, that little tadpole has been tightly curled up but this week baby’s trunk and neck start to grow and straighten and the little fish-like tail recedes.

The lining of the placenta begins developing but the placenta will not take over production of the hormones until about week 12.

Baby’s head is oversized and there are dark spots where eyes and nostrils will form plus there are tiny depressions on the side of the head that will emerge as ears. Baby’s heart is starting to divide into the right and left chambers and is beating about 100 to 160 times a minute, almost twice as fast as yours! Baby’s heartbeat can now be seen in an ultrasound.

Your baby’s limbs start to lengthen this week to form arms and then legs, with their hands and feet resembling little paddles, which will eventually become fingers and toes. Their internal organs are also taking shape, with stomach, kidneys and bowel now defined, as well as 2 small buds which will form into lungs. Just like grown-ups, embryos grow and develop at varying rates, but you can assume baby is roughly half a centimetre long and may even start moving her tiny limbs during this week.

Just like adults, all babies are different and develop at varying rates in the womb. This information gives a general idea of your baby’s development and progress.

The Mum Update

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

Although you know you are pregnant it may be quite hard to actually believe, although for some women symptoms are already appearing such as tiredness, tender breasts, frequent peeing and nausea. Some even notice their clothes are starting to get a little tight.

It is important that you get started on choosing your Lead Maternity Caregiver (LMC) as in some areas of New Zealand they get booked up very quickly. Your LMC will look after you during your pregnancy and the first 6 weeks of baby’s life.

Additional week 6 reading

• Early pregnancy symptoms
• Understanding pregnancy weeks, months and trimesters