Ivana Poku Hey mama!
Congratulations, you’re officially 6 weeks pregnant!
At this stage, it’s a mixture of all sorts of conflicting emotions and feelings.
I remember it like it was yesterday.
I didn’t want to believe the baby was actually there!
(Well, in our case it was twins, but that’s not the point lol.)
I simply couldn’t believe they were inside my belly.
I thought that when I went for my first scan, there would be nothing there!
Now I know this feeling is very normal amongst first time mums, so no worries if you are one of them.
It’s pretty understandable actually because how can you wrap your head around the fact that you have a little human growing inside of you?
It surely takes time.
At this stage, you also start to realise full well how much your life is changing.
You may feel scared, excited, worried, angry, over the moon… all at the same time.
You start to feel a special invisible bond with other parents…. like you are entering a whole new world that’s only accessible to those who have been through it.
It’s a very intense time indeed.
And you’re probably wondering what’s actually happening inside your body right now, what symptoms to expect, and whether everything you’re feeling is normal.
In this post, I’ll answer all of this!
But first, hello!
I’m Ivana, the founder of MumsJourney – a blog dedicated to supporting mums through every stage of their motherhood journey. I’m also a PPD survivor, mentor, and author of Motherhood: The Unspoken, on a mission to stop mums struggling and be the mum they truly want to be.
Let’s dive into everything you need to know about being 6 weeks pregnant!
What to expect at 6 weeks pregnant: symptoms
Here are common physical and emotional symptoms you may feel at 6 weeks pregnant:
Physical symptoms:
- Morning sickness (nausea and/or vomiting) – please note it can happen any time of day, not just mornings. I for instance felt nauseous mostly in the evenings.
- Sore, tender or swollen breasts – or all of it at once.
- Extreme fatigue and tiredness – pregnancy tiredness is nothing like normal tiredness. You can practically fall asleep anywhere at any time. I had to take a nap during lunch breaks at work, otherwise I wouldn’t make it through the day. It was extremely difficult to stay awake.
- Frequent urination – personally, I didn’t have this symptom but many women do and it’s normal, even at early stages of pregnancy.
- Bloating and cramping – light cramping is worrying but in most cases is normal. Remember, if you’re unsure about anything, it’s always best to get it checked.
- Food aversions – you may not stand even the thought of some foods you normally like.
- Cravings – I was obsessed with oranges! I could easily eat 10 oranges in one sitting and still crave more.
- Heightened sense of smell – you may be super sensitive to some smells, and it can be anything really, from coffee and food to perfumes, soap, or fumes.
- Headaches – I didn’t have headaches or migraines but I know they are very common in the first trimester.
- Light spotting – also known as implantation bleeding. Again, if it feels off, talk to your GP or midwife.
- Constipation – not nice to have at all, but remember it’s only temporary.
Emotional symptoms:
- Mood and emotions – some people call it “mood swings” but I don’t think this term does it justice. You may feel a variety of strong, often conflicting emotions. You can feel happy one second and the next feel rage, or the urge to slap people you love. (hello, husbands!)
- Worry, especially about miscarriage – the first few weeks are always uncertain in terms of whether the embryo will survive, so it’s completely understandable if you worry about having a miscarriage. This fear usually subsides in the second trimester.
- Unexpected feelings – remember your mind and body are going through the biggest transformation of your life, so you will experience all sorts of thoughts and feelings that feel weird or scary. I assure you though, all of them are normal and more common than you think. Personally, I had moments when I felt like our twins were ruining my relationship with my husband, or ruining my life. All normal.
- Intrusive thoughts – these are unwanted, often disturbing thoughts that pop into your head out of nowhere, and they are extremely common in pregnancy. Interestingly, they are actually your brain’s way of protecting you – by flagging potential dangers so that you stay alert and avoid them.
- Excitement mixed with fear – you are going to have a baby, so of course you are scared! Not only about birth, but also about the future, finances, health, and everything else that every mature parent thinks about.
Please note that some women feel very few or no symptoms at all at 6 weeks – and that is also completely normal and doesn’t mean anything is wrong.
In fact, you are very lucky and most mums probably envy you! 😉
Related posts:
- How to Stop Hating Your Husband During Pregnancy (Even When Hormones Are Wild)
- First Pregnancy Checklist: What You Actually Need (and What You Don’t)
- 9 Things That Surprised Me About Pregnancy (No One Talks About These!)
How to survive week 6 of pregnancy
You’re going through a lot, so looking after yourself is extremely important at this stage.
It’s also what most mums-to-be neglect, and only realise the importance of later.
So, to help you avoid some pain and struggle down the line, I highly recommend you start doing this right now:
- Talk about your feelings — anything you worry about, feels off, or just needs to come out, talk to someone you trust. It doesn’t have to be a professional — a great friend who will listen without offering advice or trying to fix things is worth their weight in gold.
- Journal — there is something magical about journaling. Writing about how you feel is insanely cathartic and can also help you uncover what is really behind your feelings.
- For physical symptom relief, especially nausea — read my post morning sickness hacks for first time mums.
- Rest and sleep as much as you want – and drop the guilt about it. Your body is literally building a human
- Drink water – especially if you’re suffering from nausea and vomiting – it really helps
- Walk – even 10 minutes of walk out in the fresh air makes a huge difference. It gives you an energy boost, improves your mood, and even bloating.
- Don’t google symptoms – this is a big one. It almost always leads to unnecessary panic, spiralling, and negative comparison. If you absolutely have to, use the NHS website (for UK mums), never forums or discussions in Facebook groups.
- Be kind to yourself – please lower your expectations of what you can get done right now.
- Connect with other pregnant women or mums – having a community of women who go through the same things as you is pure gold!
- Listen to your intuition – people will soon start bombarding your with advice, but your best guide is always your intuition. Listen to it, she’s always right.
- For mood relief – grab my FREE PDF – Pregnancy Mood Survival Toolkit. It’s very detailed and gives you proven tools to calm your mind and feel like YOU again.
Practical things to do at 6 weeks pregnant
- Book your first midwife appointment if you haven’t already
- Start taking prenatal vitamins – folic acid is especially important in the first trimester
- Download a pregnancy tracking app to follow your baby’s development week by week (optional)
- If you work, start thinking about your maternity leave rights and entitlements early – it’s never too soon to know where you stand.
- Reduce alcohol, caffeine and anything else your midwife recommends avoiding – seems obvious, but it’s not for many new mums
- Check any medications you are taking are safe in pregnancy and speak to your GP if you’re unsure
- Start a pregnancy journal or keepsake – you’ll thank yourself later for documenting this time
- If you have a partner, start talking about the big things – finances, childcare, living situation – early conversations now save stress later
- Stock up on snacks – or whatever you can actually stomach right now, and keep them everywhere. Handbag, desk, bedside table… Everywhere.
At sic weeks, there’s no rush to think about nurseries or buggies just yet – focus on one day at the time right now.
You have plenty of time for the fun stuff!
Things nobody tells you about being 6 weeks pregnant
There is sooooo much I wish someone had sat me down and told me when I was 6 weeks pregnant!
Not to scare me, but just so I didn’t feel so alone and blindsided by some of it.
So here are a few things I wish I knew:
- The first trimester is often the hardest – emotionally, not just physically. Everyone talks about the morning sickness and the tiredness, but nobody really warns you about the emotional rollercoaster that comes with it. It can feel very lonely if you’re not aware of and prepared for it.
- You will feel things that make you question yourself as a mother – before you’ve even become one! Thoughts that shock you, and feelings that scare you. I promise you, they are normal and you are not alone feeling the way you do.
- Your relationship with your partner will be tested. Pregnancy changes the dynamic between you in ways you don’t always expect. Again, completely normal, but worth knowing in advance.
- It’s normal to not feel instantly connected to your bump. It takes time for maternal love to develop and grow. Most mums (myself included) don’t feel any special bond with the baby – during pregnancy and in the postpartum period.
- It’s normal to grieve your old life. It’s normal to miss who you were before, even if you’re excited about who you are becoming. You are giving up on so much so it’s only understandable you’ll miss some of it. It doesn’t make you a bad mum, or a human. It makes you… a human.
- Asking for help is smart. Start asking for and accepting help now because you are going to need it.
If you want to discover more secrets about life after baby that no one talks about, I highly suggest you grab my FREE guide with 9 Motherhood Facts I Wish I Knew Before Giving Birth.
It covers everything nobody tells you but every mum-to-be needs to hear – to avoid a lot of unnecessary pain and struggle.
Final word or You’ve got this, mama!
There you go, my lovely!
Six weeks pregnant is just the beginning of the most transformative, challenging, and rewarding journey of your life.
It won’t always be easy, and some days will feel really hard.
But with the right support and tools, it will be much easier and smoother than you think!
Remember: whatever you are feeling right now is valid.
Whether you’re over the moon, terrified, or somewhere in between, it’s all normal and more common than you may think.
Please be kind to yourself – and I don’t mean it as a filler or an overused phrase people toss around like gran to chickens.. I mean it with all my heart and soul.
Talk about how you feel and get help and support now.
I’ll be right here with you every step of the way.
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