w 1 w 2 w 3 w 4 w 5 w 6 w 7 w 8 w 9 w 10 w 11 w 12 w 13 w 14 w 15 w 16 w 17 w 18 w 19 w 20 w 21 w 22 w 23 w 24 w 25 w 26 w 27 w 28 w 29 w 30 w 31 w 32 w 33 w 34 w 35 w 36 w 37 w 38 w 39 w 40 GO TO Baby calendar

W 1 W 2 W 3 W 4 W 5 W 6 W 7 W 8 W 9 W 10 W 11 W 12 W 13 W 14 W 15 W 16 W 17 W 18 W 19 W 20 W 21 W 22 W 23 W 24 W 25 W 26 W 27 W 28 W 29 W 30 W 31 W 32 W 33 W 34 W 35 W 36 W 37 W 38 W 39 W 40

6 Weeks Pregnant: Limb Buds Form & Morning Sickness Begins

Medically reviewed by

Maryum Sohail, MD Jul 24, 2026

Your baby is the size of a

Pea

Weight difficult to asses

~6 mm / ~0.24 in

Key Takeaways

Your baby is an embryo around 6mm long — about the size and shape of a pea, according to the NHS — with limb buds for the arms and legs just starting to form.

Morning sickness, tiredness and sore breasts are common this week; the SOGC's PregnancyInfo.ca notes you can feel nauseous at any time of day, and that mild nausea and vomiting usually eases up by the 12th week.

Now is the time to arrange your first prenatal visit — in Canada, obstetricians, family doctors, midwives and nurse practitioners are all qualified to provide prenatal care, according to the SOGC. Reach out to a provider to get your care started.

Your Baby at 6 Weeks: Development & Growth

At 6 weeks pregnant, your baby is an embryo around 6mm long — about the size and shape of a pea, according to the NHS.

Six millimetres. That's your baby this week — the NHS describes it as "around 6mm long, which is about the size and shape of a pea," with some people thinking it resembles a tadpole with a little tail. Small enough to sit on your fingertip. Already changing by the day.

The arms and legs are starting to form. The NHS calls these early structures limb buds, and there are tiny dents where the ears will be. It's the beginning of a body — buds now, hands and feet later.

Inside, the work is fast. The NHS says the liver, brain and musculoskeletal system are all developing at 6 weeks, and there's a bump where the heart is forming. On a heartbeat: the NHS says it "can sometimes be picked up by a vaginal ultrasound scan, but you are unlikely to be offered one unless you've had IVF." So most mothers won't see or hear it yet — and that's expected, not a worry.

Your Body at 6 Weeks: Symptoms & Changes

At 6 weeks pregnant, common symptoms include morning sickness, tiredness and sore breasts, according to the SOGC's PregnancyInfo.ca — with a metallic taste in your mouth another sign the NHS notes.

Morning sickness is the headline symptom this week. Despite the name, it isn't confined to mornings: the SOGC's PregnancyInfo.ca notes that "even though it is called 'Morning' sickness, you may vomit or feel nauseous at any time of the day," and that nausea can be triggered by the taste or smell of food. It usually starts around the sixth week of pregnancy, and is thought to be driven by the hormonal changes of the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, according to the NHS.

Beyond nausea, the SOGC's PregnancyInfo.ca lists other common early signs: fatigue, tender or swollen breasts, needing to pee more often, headaches and mood swings, with leg cramps common too. The NHS adds a few more that can show up around now — a metallic taste, a heightened sense of smell, new food likes and dislikes, mild cramping like period pains, and a white milky discharge. You won't feel all of them. Some weeks you'll barely feel pregnant at all — also normal.

The reassurance worth holding onto: the SOGC's PregnancyInfo.ca says mild nausea and vomiting "is not harmful to you or your unborn child," and that it "usually starts around the sixth week of pregnancy and eases up by the 12th week." If you're finding these early weeks heavy, talk to your health care provider about anything that's worrying you. That's exactly what they're there for. When worry creeps in this week, plain and specific beats breathless — the reason My Organic Formula keeps its answers grounded.

What to Do at 6 Weeks Pregnant

NUTRITION AT 6 WEEKS PREGNANT

There’s no need to eat more this trimester — the SOGC’s PregnancyInfo.ca notes that during the first trimester you likely don’t need any extra calories, so focus on quality over quantity.
Eat small, frequent meals to manage nausea — the SOGC’s PregnancyInfo.ca suggests eating small meals or snacks often so your stomach doesn’t get empty, resting when you can, and trying a few dry crackers first.
Include folate-rich foods like lentils, beans, spinach and broccoli — the Public Health Agency of Canada lists these among the foods that supply folate, though it stresses "dietary sources on their own are not enough" without a supplement.

WHAT SUPPLEMENTS TO TAKE AT 6 WEEKS PREGNANT

Take 400 micrograms (0.4 mg) of folic acid every day — the Public Health Agency of Canada recommends a daily multivitamin with this amount for anyone who could become pregnant, because it helps reduce the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida, and advises continuing throughout your pregnancy.
Consider a daily 10 microgram vitamin D supplement — the NHS recommends this between October and March, when we can’t make enough from sunlight.
Avoid supplements containing vitamin A (retinol) — the NHS warns too much can harm your baby’s development, and says to skip liver and liver products too.

LIFESTYLE TIPS AT 6 WEEKS PREGNANT

Arrange your first prenatal visit — in Canada, obstetricians, family doctors, midwives and nurse practitioners are all qualified to provide prenatal care, according to the SOGC’s PregnancyInfo.ca, so contact a provider now to get your pregnancy care started.
Keep moving gently — the SOGC’s PregnancyInfo.ca says pregnant women should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week, spread over at least 3 days, with walking a good option.
Rest when you can — the SOGC’s PregnancyInfo.ca notes nausea "is worse when you are tired," so early nights are doing double duty right now.
If you’re feeling anxious or low, talk to your health care provider — the SOGC’s PregnancyInfo.ca notes that while mood swings are common, "depression or disruptive mood swings are not normal and it is important to seek help for these more serious concerns."

When to Contact Your Doctor or Midwife

Contact your health care provider if you experience:

Any vaginal bleeding — the SOGC's PregnancyInfo.ca says to take any vaginal bleeding seriously and to "contact your health care provider as soon as you notice any bleeding."
Nausea and vomiting so severe that you're missing meals, struggling to get through normal activities, or losing weight — the SOGC's PregnancyInfo.ca says this "is not normal" and to see your health care provider.
Signs of dehydration, such as very dark urine or not having had a pee in more than 8 hours — per the NHS.
Feeling very weak, dizzy or faint when standing up, or tummy (abdominal) pain, according to the NHS.
Signs of infection like fever, or heavy bleeding — the SOGC's PregnancyInfo.ca says to see your care provider right away; the NHS also flags vomiting blood as a reason to seek advice.
Any concern that's worrying you — your health care provider is there for exactly this.

Questions fréquemment posées

How big is my baby at 6 weeks pregnant?

At 6 weeks pregnant, your baby is an embryo around 6mm long — about the size and shape of a pea, according to the NHS. The arms and legs are starting to form as limb buds, with tiny dents where the ears will be. The embryo is covered in a thin layer of transparent skin, and the NHS notes some people think it resembles a tadpole with a little tail.

What symptoms are normal at 6 weeks pregnant?

At 6 weeks pregnant, morning sickness, tiredness, sore breasts, frequent urination, headaches and mood swings are all normal, according to the SOGC’s PregnancyInfo.ca; the NHS adds a metallic taste, a heightened sense of smell, mild cramping like period pains and a white milky discharge. The SOGC’s PregnancyInfo.ca advises contacting your health care provider as soon as you notice any bleeding, and says nausea and vomiting severe enough to make you miss meals or lose weight is not normal and warrants a call to your provider.

Can you hear the baby’s heartbeat at 6 weeks pregnant?

At 6 weeks pregnant, the heartbeat can sometimes be picked up by a vaginal ultrasound scan, according to the NHS — but you’re unlikely to be offered one unless you’ve had IVF. The NHS describes a bump where the heart is forming this week. Most mothers won’t see or hear the heartbeat yet, which is completely expected at this stage.

Is spotting normal at 6 weeks pregnant?

Light spotting can happen in early pregnancy, but bleeding should never be brushed off. The SOGC’s PregnancyInfo.ca is clear: take any vaginal bleeding seriously and contact your health care provider as soon as you notice any bleeding. It notes that about one-third of pregnancies have some bleeding before the 20th week, and about half of these continue without further issues — so bleeding is often not the worst news, but it always warrants a check so your provider can reassure you or act quickly if needed.

When is my first pregnancy appointment and scan?

Your first prenatal visit is worth arranging now, at 6 weeks. In Canada, obstetricians, family doctors, midwives and nurse practitioners are all qualified to provide prenatal care, according to the SOGC’s PregnancyInfo.ca — so contact a provider to get your care started. As for scans, the SOGC’s PregnancyInfo.ca says the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada recommends two ultrasounds: a "dating" ultrasound at 11 to 14 weeks and an "anatomic" ultrasound between 18 and 20 weeks.

Week 5 Week 7