This week, your baby is starting to look more like, well, a baby — your little one’s head is taking shape, while the cheeks, chin and jaws are also beginning to form.

In week 6 of pregnancy, you may be feeling well and truly pregnant too, thanks to symptoms like heartburn, nausea and frequent urination.

Your Baby at Week 6

At a Glance

Smile!
Smile!
Your little one’s face is taking shape this week, with cheeks, chin and jaws beginning to form.
Baby's heart is gearing up!
Baby's heart is gearing up!
The cluster of cells that will become your baby's heart starts to pulse sometime after week 5. From week 6 of pregnancy or later, you may be able to see (and/or hear) cardiac activity for the first time on an ultrasound, though the exact timing of when it can be detected varies a little.
Fetal position
Fetal position
It’s not called the fetal position for nothing: Your baby-to-be, who looks like a tiny tadpole complete with teeny "tail," is curled up with the leg buds tucked in toward the torso. No plans to move soon!

6 weeks pregnant is how many months?

If you're 6 weeks pregnant, you're in month 2 of your pregnancy. Only 7 months left to go! Still have questions? Here's some more information on how weeks, months and trimesters are broken down in pregnancy.

How big is my baby at 6 weeks?

When you're 6 weeks pregnant, your baby's crown-to-rump measurement (more on this below) is anywhere from a fifth to a quarter of an inch and growing — making it the size of a nailhead or a sweet pea (your little sweet pea!).

Baby's head takes shape

You might be coping with full-blown pregnancy symptoms, but there's plenty of good news too. The folds of tissue in the prominent bump on top — the head — are developing into your baby's jaw, cheeks and chin, which will eventually become one adorable face.

And are those little indentations on both sides of the head the sweet dimples you always hoped your baby would inherit from your mom's side of the family? No, they're ear canals in the making. Small dots on the face will form the eyes and button nose in a few weeks.

Also taking shape this week: your baby's kidneys, liver and lungs, along with his little heart. See your baby's development each week on the What to Expect app.

Measuring your embryo

During embryo and fetal development, practitioners measure babies as small as yours from precious little crown to cute little rump. That's because as your baby grows, her legs will be bent, making it hard to get an accurate read on the full length of the body.

Your Body at Week 6

6 weeks pregnant woman

Frequent urination

Your body may not yet have changed on the outside, but you'll be reminded you're 6 weeks pregnant every time you feel queasy or bloated or dive head-first into your sixth grapefruit of the day — funny, because you never craved grapefruit before.

Another clue? You're in the bathroom more than you're out of it. Frequent urination is a symptom no pregnant woman enjoys, especially when it breaks up the sleep you really need right now, but it's one of the most common symptoms of pregnancy, especially early on.

Why? For one thing, the pregnancy hormone hCG is causing an increase of blood flow to your pelvic area — good for increased sexual pleasure, not so good when you're one hour into a two-hour movie at the theater.

What's more, your kidneys are becoming more efficient at ridding your body of waste. Add to that the fact that your growing uterus is beginning to push down on your bladder, leaving less storage space for urine, and you've got a perfect (pee) storm. Luckily, this pressure is often relieved once the uterus rises into the abdominal cavity in the second trimester.

Here's a quick tip: Lean forward when you pee to ensure that your bladder is completely emptied each time. Then, when you think you’re done, pee again. This way, you might need fewer trips to the bathroom. But don't be tempted to cut back on liquids — your body needs a steady supply of fluids.

Heartburn and indigestion

Here’s the not-so-great news — the chances of getting through the next nine months heartburn-free are nearly zero. That’s because the band of muscle at the top of the stomach that usually prevents digestive juices from backing up relaxes.

But here's better news: You can minimize the symptoms if you avoid foods like citruses and tomatoes — and yes, that includes pizza and pasta sauce — steer clear of greasy and spicy foods, don't rush through your meals and avoid clothes that constrict your belly. It's also a good idea to finish dinner at least four hours before going to bed and keeping your head elevated on a pillow while you sleep.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 6

Breast tenderness and changes
Breast tenderness and changes
Fatigue
Fatigue
Nausea and vomiting
Nausea and vomiting
Bloating and gas
Bloating and gas

Tips for You This Week

Choose the right pregnancy doctor for you

There’s more than one type of pregnancy practitioner, but only you can decide which one is the best fit for your situation. 

While more than 90 percent of women choose an OB/GYN, a physician with a medical degree and training in women’s reproductive and general health, you can also opt for a midwife, a family practice doctor, or a maternal fetal medicine specialist (MFM).

To narrow down your decision, ask yourself if you’re at risk for any complications, where you would like to deliver or whether you’d like a natural birth. The answers will help you find the right fit.

Go bland for morning sickness

Suffering from morning sickness? Sadly, it isn't limited to the mornings at all — unless you count mornings in every time zone.

If you feel like screaming whenever you look at a saltine, don't panic. You have more options than you might think.

Dry and bland are still the key here, but that describes more than a cracker. Dry cereal, pretzels, rice cakes, well-toasted bread and bread sticks are all suitable for stashing in your purse or keeping on the bedside table.

Prepare for your first prenatal visit

Sure, you already got the news from your home pregnancy test — but it doesn't hurt to hear it confirmed by a doctor, which is one reason you're probably looking forward to your very first prenatal doctor's appointment. Expect this checkup to be exciting … and long.

Once you arrive, you'll have a thorough physical, including a pelvic exam, Pap smear and initial blood tests to determine your blood type, Rh factor, whether you're iron-deficient and whether your baby is at risk for chromosomal abnormalities.

You'll also be tested for sexually transmitted infections, immunity to rubella (German measles), and ethnic-specific genetic diseases. And you'll need to pee into a cup so your urine can be tested for glucose, protein, red and white blood cells, and bacteria.

Be prepared to answer lots of questions — health histories can take a while — but more importantly, bring a list of some of your own.

Wondering whether you and Joe (aka your beloved extra-foamy mocha cappuccino) will have to part ways now that you're expecting? Why your skin suddenly resembles a map of an interstate highway? If having sex can hurt your baby? Just ask!

Start a pregnancy journal

Pregnancy can be a wild ride — a 40-week journey that, for many women, is over before they know it.

To keep track of all the special memories you made along the way — like the moment you first learned you were pregnant to the time you learned your baby’s sex — use the My Journal feature in our app.

My Journal lets you record your pregnancy experiences, as well as your symptoms, weight, medications, baby kick counts, and more. Best of all, you’ll have a keepsake of all the memories you made throughout your pregnancy journey — and something to share with your little one for years to come.

Learn about the different kinds of twins

Contrary to popular belief, twins aren’t born exactly alike. Fraternal twins develop when two sperm fertilize two eggs separately, and as a result, don’t share identical DNA. That’s why they can be opposite sexes and look much different from each other.

Even identical twins, who develop from a single fertilized egg, can look slightly different from each other, thanks to environmental factors like their placement in the womb (their heads may not be shaped in the same way, for example).

Hold off on hair coloring

When it comes to hair coloring, experts agree that safe is better than sorry. So wait until your second trimester (i.e. after week 14 of pregnancy) before getting a touch-up.

When you do go back to the salon, stick to highlights instead of root lightening or root-to-tip color changes (this way, the chemicals won't touch your scalp) and request a gentler coloring option, like an ammonia-free base.

And be aware that hormonal changes can make your hair react differently, so you might not get exactly what you expect, even from your regular formula. Before you do your whole head, see about trying a test strand to be sure.

Be aware of UTI symptoms

If it hurts to pee or if you gotta go but nothing comes, you may have a urinary tract infection (UTI). Talk to your doctor to find out for sure.

If you do have a UTI, you'll likely be prescribed a baby-safe antibiotic. You're at a higher risk of getting this kind of infection after week 6 of pregnancy.

From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

  1. What to Expect When You're Expecting, 5th edition, Heidi Murkoff.
  2. WhatToExpect.com, What to Do If You Get a UTI During Pregnancy, December 2022.
  3. WhatToExpect.com, Pap Smears During Pregnancy, December 2022.
  4. WhatToExpect.com, Rh Factor Testing and Pregnancy, December 2022.
  5. WhatToExpect.com, Noninvasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT), April 2022.
  6. Cleveland Clinic, Fetal Development: Stages of Growth, March 2023.
  7. Mayo Clinic, Fetal Development: The 1st Trimester, June 2022.
  8. National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, Fetal Development, June 2021.
  9. KidsHealth From Nemours, Week 6, 2022.
  10. March of Dimes, Common Discomforts of Pregnancy, March 2022.
  11. Stanford Children's Health, Pregnancy and Heartburn.
  12. National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, Prenatal Care in Your First Trimester, April 2022.
  13. Mayo Clinic, Prenatal Care: 1st Trimester Visits, August 2022.
  14. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Routine Tests During Pregnancy, 2023.
  15. National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, Genetics Home Reference, What Is Noninvasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) and What Disorders Can It Screen For?, July 2021.
  16. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Cell-Free DNA Prenatal Screening Test, May 2019.
  17. Johns Hopkins Medicine, Normal Breast Development and Changes, July 2020.
  18. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Morning Sickness: Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy, December 2021.
  19. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Urinary Tract Infections, July 2022.
  20. WhatToExpect.com, Heartburn During Pregnancy, October 2022.
  21. WhatToExpect.com, Frequent Urination During Pregnancy, September 2022.
  22. WhatToExpect.com, Fatigue During Pregnancy, November 2022.
  23. WhatToExpect.com, How Many Weeks, Months and Trimesters in a Pregnancy?, May 2022.
  24. WhatToExpect.com, Pregnancy Symptoms: 14 Early Signs of Pregnancy, May 2023.
  25. WhatToExpect.com, Morning Sickness and Nausea During Pregnancy, December 2022.
  26. WhatToExpect.com, How to Relieve Breast Pain and Sore Nipples During Pregnancy, March 2023.
  27. WhatToExpect.com, What Type of Pregnancy Doctor Is Right for You?, February 2023.
  28. WhatToExpect.com, Pregnancy Tests, August 2022.
  29. WhatToExpect.com, Your First Prenatal Appointment, November 2022.
  30. WhatToExpect.com, What Are the Different Types of Twins?, June 2021.
  31. WhatToExpect.com, Hair Dye and Highlights During Pregnancy, January 2022.
  32. WhatToExpect.com, What to Do About Bloating During Pregnancy, February 2021.

Recommended Products

What to Expect selects products based on real-life testing conducted by staff, contributors and members our user community, as well as independent research and expert feedback; learn more about our review process. Prices and details are accurate as of the published date. We may earn commissions from shopping links.

Best Products for Pregnancy Nausea and Morning Sickness
View All
Pink Stork Sweet Peppermint Nausea Sweets
See Now Opens a new window
Pink Stork Sweet Peppermint Nausea Sweets
Vitafusion Prenatal Supplement
See Now Opens a new window
Best Products for Pregnancy Nausea - Vitafusion Prenatal Gummy Vitamins
Solgar Vitamin B6 25-Milligram Tablets
See Now Opens a new window
Solgar Vitamin B6 25-Milligram Tablets
Sea-Band Mama Acupressure Wrist Bands
See Now Opens a new window
Best Products to Help With Pregnancy Nausea and Morning Sickness - Sea-Band Mama Acupressure Wrist Bands

What Other June 2025 Moms Are Talking About

join
There are 1,333 active discussions happening now with other June 2025 parents-to-be.
Join in