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Being 6 weeks pregnant with twins seems like you’re unlocking a new milestone of sorts. The journey has officially begun, although few women might just be discovering and confirming their pregnancy around this time. This could also be one of those key moments where you find out that there isn’t just one, but two or even more babies in your womb. The news can make you ecstatic as well as worry about taking care of them altogether. It is important to be calm about it and let yourself know that you will figure things out on the way without any worries.
The Growth of Babies At 6 Weeks
The marker of 6 weeks holds great importance in the entire journey of pregnancy. This is primarily due to the fact that the bodies of the babies start its progress towards looking more human-like. Facial features begin to make their presence felt leading to the formation of the ears and noses, along with a slight semblance of the lips. The lungs are pretty much one of the last organs to form in the growth of a foetus, but its initial tissues do coalesce together at this point itself. The intestines begin to find their place within the child and tiny projections start appearing, which will ultimately grow into the arms and legs. The growth of the pituitary gland, along with the rest of the brain, chugs ahead speedily, combined with the supporting bone structure and muscles. This rapid development also makes the babies’ heart to start beating almost double the speed of the mother.
What is the Size of the Babies?
Even with all these major developments taking place in the child, the babies are no larger than a pea, around half a centimetre in length.
Common Bodily Changes
As the babies inside you start developing and growing at a decent pace, the body begins to realize this and responds accordingly to the growth as well.
- A variety of hormonal fluctuations will not only cause your moods to swing about but can result in a bunch of changes that will manifest physically, too. Fatigue, nausea, bloating, cramping, and a lot of discomforts may be present.
- A few mothers tend to spot some drops of blood from the vagina even at this stage. Most of the times this is normal, but it could also indicate the presence of a pregnancy that hasn’t occurred properly within the uterus. If this stays or worsens, it could indicate the possibility of an incoming miscarriage, too.
Symptoms of Twin Pregnancy At 6 Weeks
The signs of twins at 6 weeks are stronger than before. While most women do experience these symptoms strongly, there’s no reason to fret if you don’t experience them with just as much intensity.
- Nausea tends to worsen around this time. Morning sickness will be present many times throughout the day, given the rapid changes taking place inside your body.
- Bloating in the stomach and a feeling of fullness in the abdomen is also a usual symptom experienced by women pregnant with multiple babies.
- The increased circulation of blood will make the breasts tense up a bit, as well as feel sore. Wearing improper or tight clothes could get them irritated too.
- The hormone hCG begins to increase substantially within the body, which ultimately has the result of increased pressure on your bladder and the necessity of peeing quite often. On the other hand, constipation could be a possible condition that usually is faced by women who don’t have a proper intake of water and fibrous food items during this stage.
- All of these changes combined with a load of growing multiple babies simultaneously can leave you quite fatigued and exhausted even after the simplest activities.
Twin Pregnancy at 6 Weeks – The Belly
At 6 weeks of pregnancy, your baby bump may not really be extremely visible. It’s still to early for the belly to be projecting out – after all, your baby is the size of a pea!
Twin Pregnancy at 6 Weeks – Ultrasound
For mothers who haven’t yet been able to confirm whether they are pregnant with multiple babies or not, the 6-week mark tends to be quite fruitful in providing a conclusive answer. Although the presence of multiple sacs in gestation can be established at around 4 weeks, most women tend to get a good look at it once they complete 6 weeks. This also helps in deriving more information about the babies, their growth and dimensions, and so on. Heartbeats of the babies are usually around 90-110 beats per minute, even though many babies might not have their hearts fully formed at this stage. The scans at this stage can show the babies barely as two large spots in your womb, but that first sight itself can make you quite happy.
What to Eat
One of the biggest surprises for women who are pregnant with twins and multiples is the sudden change in their appetite and the intense hunger pangs that result from it. The amount of nutrition that the babies draw from the mother to support their intensive developmental cycles can very well cause the mother-to-be to feel hungry throughout the day. Supporting your diet with healthy foods and having them in good quantities is essential, while also keeping a check of not overeating.
Furthermore, the expansion of the uterus with the multiple babies growing and making space for themselves can affect the stomach as well, leading to increased instances of heartburn and acidity. Combined with constipation, this can be absolutely irritating for a pregnant lady. Opting for proper fluid intake throughout the day and including fibrous fruits and food items can keep this in check.
Pregnancy Care Tips
Taking care of your body as it goes through a bunch of changes should be your main priority once you are pregnant. Keeping a few tips in mind that can help you take care of yourself will be helpful to you in the long run.
Dos
- Go for your first prenatal checkup if you haven’t already. This stage is the perfect point to conduct all the numerous tests that a doctor would have to, ensuring that your pregnancy won’t hit any unforeseen roadblocks and counter any complications if possible.
- Stick to a light exercise regimen that helps you maintain your physical movement capacity to a good level. Try to do this after having a meal, since it would reduce the chances of feeling a heartburn and even stimulate the digestion process.
- Have smaller meals instead of the usual 3-large-meals structure. The increased frequency of meals can keep your hunger in check, and the small quantities can reduce the chances of you feeling bloated or even the propensity for acidity.
Donts
- Stress and anxiety are the enemies of the little ones growing inside you. It is natural and biological for you to feel like that since the hormone levels are all over the place as a result of these changes. Take any measures, be it meditation, exercise, listening to music, and so on, in an effort to keep yourself calm and relaxed.
- Delaying the consumption of any nutritional supplements or prenatal vitamins can be quite disastrous for the growth and development of the babies. The requirements of various elements, right from folic acid to numerous vitamins, is essential and highly needed, especially around this time where the neural development of the babies is at its peak. Any lack of nutrients at this stage could lead to a child being born with developmental disorders or even serious birth defects.
What You Need to Shop For
The increasing size of your body and belly can make it necessary to purchase large and comfortable clothes that can be used outside or at any events or functions. Maintaining a balance between fashion and comfort is easily possible, with the large variety of flowing dresses or pro-maternity gowns that are available in the market.
Your breasts will begin to increase in size, and get fuller and more tender than before. Therefore, investing in a good bra that can support your breasts and keep them safe wouldn’t be a bad idea. When going for walks, do use shoes that provide proper grip and have a soft sole to avoid unnecessary sharp jerks.
Observing twins at 6 weeks on the ultrasound scan is what makes most couples feel like parents for the first time. Those tiny pea pods that are barely a centimetre in size will grow up to be full-formed babies within no time. Their development and safety can be ensured by everyone, once the mother finds herself in a calm and safe place, supported by a healthy diet and the love from her family.
