Welcome to the Pregged pregnancy week-by-week series. Each week-by-week post is separated into three handy sections.
1. Mom – Section one covers the changes mom will experience and the things she may need to consider health-wise.
2. Baby – Section two looks at the development of the fetus and what’s going on with baby inside the womb.
3. Nutrition – Section three covers nutrition for each week of pregnancy so that you know what foods are important to include in your diet at each stage.
6 WEEKS PREGNANT – MOM
You’re 30 weeks pregnant — with only 7-10 more to go!
Many of the early pregnancy symptoms you thought were finished start coming back to aggravate you, like the need to pee all the time especially if the baby’s head is head-down is now pressing on your bladder, along with tender breasts (as they gear up for milk production), fatigue and pregnancy heartburn.
Pregnancy hormones cause your body’s muscles to relax so you can deliver your baby, and they also affect the muscle in the esophagus. The result: heartburn and indigestion with the large uterus adding to the problem.
The solution? Avoid foods that can cause digestive discomfort (spicy foods, fatty or fried foods, chocolate), eat smaller meals and don’t lie down while eating or right after eating. You can take antacids but talk to your doctor about your options. Birth is the only solution for most mothers.
Breathless? Your growing baby is pressing against your diaphragm. Try sleeping in a semi-seated position, with pillows propping up your back, and talk slower.
Put away the heels! Your shifting sense of gravity and loosening joints leave you clutzier than usual. Prevent falls by wearing flats and watching your step.
Baby Development
Thirty weeks down, 10 to go. Baby is about 3 pounds now—and you are sure to be as ready as ever to see this process over. But wait, the baby needs you now as much as ever. He or she needs fuel. The eyes can follow light from inside the baby sac, but babies do not have perfect vision when they are first born. It’s getting crowded in there so make sure to keep drinking beverages to keep the amniotic fluid at a reasonable level. The brain is still actively growing to make more and more connections. Skin is less wrinkly, and the lanugo hair is disappearing, but some full-term babies come out with hair on their backs and arms.
Pregnancy Nutrition Week 6
What happened to my feet and where are my ankles? Swelling or edema is to blame for the shoes that don’t fit. Besides your expanding belly, that isn’t the only thing that’s swelling right now – you may notice puffiness in the face and hands, too. Excessive swelling can be one sign of preeclampsia – but when it is, it’s accompanied by a variety of other symptoms (such as elevated blood pressure, headache, rapid weight gain and protein in the urine). Your urine and blood pressure are checked at each prenatal visit along with your weight, and if there is no protein in your urine, there’s nothing to be concerned about. To strike edema, drink up! It may seem strange, but drinking often will keep your sodium levels normal and flush toxins away and minimizes swelling. And put that salt shaker in the pantry.