Mum, it must be such mixed feelings of joy and managing the symptoms that have hit you, right?! We promise to be there with you in your entire journey. At week 6, your baby is about the size of a pomegranate seed or grain of rice. Teensy-weensy! He looks like a tadpole, with a small tail that will become a spinal column. Tiny buds on the torso are working on becoming arms, legs, and ears. It’s hard to believe given the tiny size, but the baby's brain and nervous system are developing quickly. Optic vesicles, which later form the eyes, begin to develop on the sides of the head, as do the passageways that will make up the inner ear.

Garbha Vriddhi

सौम्यंशुक्रमार्तवमाग्नेयमितरेषामप्यत्र भूतानां सान्निध्यमस्त्यणुना विशेषेण , परस्परोपकारात् परस्परानुप्रवेशाच्च ॥ (सुश्रुत शारीरस्थान)

Ayurveda says saumya shukra (sperm) and aagneya artava (ovum)along with other mahabhutas combine together and merge into one another producing the garbha (embryo).

Your Baby's Development

Heartbeat

The little heart has started beating and it's really fast: almost twice as fast as yours. You can see it on a vaginal ultrasound, or hear it with a Doppler instrument at 10 to 12 weeks. You will love the ‘thump thump’ sound when you hear it for the first time. It will be beating between 160 and 180 times a minute. Do record this precious sound!

Arms and legs

The baby's arms and legs don’t look like limbs yet, They are still like little buds. The baby is curled up and her backbone ends like a small tail. It will disappear in a few weeks.

Smile, please!

Though hardly noticeable, a face is really and truly forming! There is a definite jawline and the cheeks and chin are taking shape. Getting ready to smile!

Curly baby

The baby is in the ‘foetal position’ which means that he is curled up with the leg buds tucked in toward the torso. The little tail, too.

A little tongue inside

Right inside the baby’s little mouth, the tongue and vocal cords are taking shape.Small dark spots are appearing where your baby's eyes and nostrils will form. A tiny dent on the sides of the head denotes where the ears will form.

Your Pregnancy Symptoms

Prenatal vitamins

Prenatal vitamins are so essential for your and baby’s health, do take them as per doctor’s advice. Although studies on the effectiveness of vitamin B6 for relieving morning sickness are inconclusive, most doctors recommend taking vitamin B6 supplements. Do check with your doctor.

Constipation

Your vitamins and hormones may give you constipation. Do drink plenty of fluids.  10 cups of fluid each day is ideal. If your urine is dark yellow, you may be dehydrated, so keep a watch.Increase your fiber intake by eating lots of fruit, vegetables, whole-grain breads and cereals, beans, nuts, and bran.Exercise is good for the body and mind, but also helps prevent constipation. Don’t take any medication for this without asking your doctor.

Yoga Asanas like Ardha-Matsyendrasana (Sitting Half Spinal Twist Pose) , Baddha Konasana (Butterfly Pose) help to release gas, improve colon function, aid digestion and relieve constipation.

Morning sickness

Experts say that this is caused by low blood sugar or the rise in pregnancy hormones, such as human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) or estrogen. It can get worse if you are anxious, stressed or overworked. Even  eating certain foods or travelling (motion sickness) can compound it. Try eating small meals throughout the day.

Starting a day with a piece of jaggery helps to regulate blood sugar levels. Avoid pitta vardhak aahar like bakery products, fried stuff, packaged food like farsan, sev, chips and biscuits.

Mood swings

Being cranky and moody between 6 to 10 weeks is quite common These waves are caused by stress, fatigue, and hormonal changes. In addition, the feelings about being a mother can feel stressful. We understand your helplessness, mum and will be working with you all these coming weeks. The iMumz ‘Ask Me Anything’ sessions on the App provide doctor’s answers to all your concerns..

Tender, swollen breasts

In early pregnancy, it is common for breasts to get tender. It is because of hormone levels that have increased blood flow to the breasts. Feeling swollen, sore, tingly, and sensitive to touch up there is common. Try to wear loose clothes and soft cotton bras.

Fatigue

For many women, exhaustion is among the first signs of pregnancy. But other women hardly seem to slow down at all. No one knows for sure what causes fatigue in early pregnancy, but it's possible that hormonal changes – like the huge rise in progesterone – are at least partly responsible.

Metallic taste

A metallic taste lingers in the mouth which could also give you a distaste towards many foods. The rising estrogen is responsible for it. This ‘copper-like-taste’ can be reduced by brushing and gargling with one teaspoon salt or 1/4 teaspoon baking soda in 8 ounces of water.

Weird dreams

Many pregnant women report getting bizarre dreams. This is a common phenomenon. Your body is changing so fast and maybe, your subconscious is trying to pack away all the accompanied anxiety via dreams.

Headaches

First-trimester headaches can be really harsh! . Once you reach the second trimester, they almost vanish. Try to sleep well, mum, and also identify which foods could be the triggers. Drink lots of water and also get into a gentle yoga discipline. If unbearable, taking medication is fine. But, only after a consultation with your doctor.

iMumz Wellness Tip

Hydration

Hydration is very important for tissue building in earlier stages of pregnancy.

Lemon water (vitamin C + hydrating element) is the best drink in initial weeks.

Lemon also works on nausea and vomiting. It reduces acidity and acts as coolant for the body. Lemon water protects from infections like UTI which is very common in early weeks of pregnancy.

Hydration is necessary to maintain electrolyte balance if you have been throwing up a lot. Tender coconut water (electrolytes + hydrating element) is a best friend in this phase.

Pregnancy headaches can be very distressing. Did you know that they are mostly because of  hypoglycemia and lack of hydration? Drink up to solve this problem.

Jaggery water (glucose + hydrating element) is a great choice.

Your Pregnancy check-ups

The first thing to keep in mind is: No question is silly.  Get all your queries answered.

If this is your first visit, the staff will record your medical history:

• Any surgeries that you have had in the past.
• Your weight, heart rate, and blood pressure.
• Your doctor will order routine blood tests and ask for a urine sample.
• A pelvic exam will be done in which ] your doctor will examine your vagina, uterus, pelvis, Fallopian tubes, and ovaries.
• 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.
• Some doctors share pamphlets with instructions with Dos and Dont’s.  
  

If you are a ‘high-risk’ mum, do , talk to your doctor about whether you should get noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) — a screening for chromosomal abnormalities. It is recommended for some at-risk mums as early as week 10 of pregnancy.

What should you eat in this week of pregnancy?

The top-of-the-list requirement in early pregnancy is Folate! It is a B vitamin found in many foods. Folate is also known as folacin and vitamin B9. Of course, you will be taking a supplement for it: known as Folic acid. But, why not add more of it in your diet, too! Taro leaves (Arbi ke patte) are a low calorie green leafy vegetable that’s high in folate, potassium and vitamins C and A.

Steamy Arbi Leaves

Take some large arbi leaves, give them a nice rub of in gram flour paste, steam them (that’s healthy!) and sautéed in spices.

Ingredients  

• 6-8  Arbi leaves
• 1 cup  besan  
• 2 tsp  coriander powder
• 1 tsp  amchoor (dry mango powder)
• 2 tbsp  olive oil
• 1 pinch asafoetida
• ½ tsp  mustard seeds
• ½ tsp  cumin seeds
• ½ tsp  ajwain
• 1 tsp  ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp  turmeric powder
• 1 tsp  chaat masala
• 1 tbsp  fresh coriander leaves , for garnish
• Salt, to taste

Method

• Snap the stem off  and wash the arbi leaves nicely. Don’t break them!
• Make a thick paste of besan, salt, coriander powder (1 tsp) and amchoor. A pinch of red chilli powder, if you really want. But, best avoided since it may make your nausea worse.
• Keeping the leaf facing down, apply a layer of this paste on the back.Then, roll it, so that the paste becomes a stuffing.
• Repeat the same for the rest of arbi leaves.
• Steam these neat rolls for about 15-20 minutes until the stuffing gets cooked.
• After cooling, cut the rolls into bite-sized pieces.
• Heat oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot, add asafoetida, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and ajwain.
• When the seeds start to sputter, add the ginger-garlic paste and the remaining dry spices, except chaat masala.
• Sauté for 2-3 minutes and add the cut arbi leaf rolls.
• Sauté for 5 minutes and remove from heat.
• Sprinkle some chaat masala and fresh coriander leaves.

Have as a snack or even as a dry veg with rotis.