Pregnancy Guide: Week 5

Your baby’s placenta is now forming. Pretty soon, this organ will be the only thing connecting your baby to the uterine wall, and it will supply oxygen, blood, and nutrients to your baby. Your hCG hormones are now strong enough for a home pregnancy test, and your embryo will start looking like a fetus.

5 weeks pregnant is how many months?

You’re now beginning your second month of pregnancy. You have 35 weeks to go, and you may have just found out you’re pregnant.

Your Baby at 5 Weeks

Your baby now has a tail. It looks a bit like a tadpole, but don’t worry, it won’t turn into a frog. This tail provides the basis for what will eventually be your baby’s spine. 

Your baby will continue to grow, and the tail will eventually disappear.

Your hCG levels are high enough to be recognized on a home pregnancy test, which means you can confirm your pregnancy, make an appointment with your doctor to discuss it, and determine an estimated due date.

Your baby already has a heartbeat, and it may be visible on an ultrasound, but don’t be discouraged if your doctor won’t do an ultrasound at this point. It is still a little too early for some doctors. Your baby’s circulatory system, however, is the first to develop, along with the heart, so it’s all already in place.

Your baby’s heart has two channels that are working hard already. Once they fuse together, they will create a fully-functioning heart. While the brain and spinal cord aren’t fully developed, the neural tube is in progress, which will eventually be these two body parts.

How big is a baby at 5 weeks?

Your baby is about the size of an orange seed. It’s less than half a centimetre long and still looks much like a tadpole. Don’t worry, that will change soon.

Your Body at 5 Weeks

You’ve already missed your period, which may have clued you in to the fact that you’re pregnant. You may already have an increased urge to go to the bathroom, so use one of these frequent trips to take a test and make sure. The elevated hCG hormones in your body will turn out positive by now if you are pregnant. 

With a positive pregnancy test, you can make an appointment to confirm the pregnancy with your doctor.

You’re likely feeling a range of emotions now. Nothing visible is happening on the outside, but on the inside, you may be happy, nervous, scared, anxious, joyful, and all kinds of other things. It’s normal to feel these fluctuating emotions.

You may also feel extremely tired because of all the things your body is going through. You’ll have mood swings because of your elevated hormones, and you’ll likely encounter bouts of nausea during your pregnancy every now and then, if not all the time. Elevated hormones make everything a little bit more difficult and cause painful breasts, cramping, and bloating.

At this point, you may also be trying to think of ways to tell everyone your news. You’re the only one who can determine when the time will be right to tell people. 

Some people wait until the second trimester when the risk of miscarriage is less. If you do have a miscarriage there are lots of healing books to help you as well as support groups. Others share their excitement right away. It doesn’t really matter what you do, as long as you do what feels right to you.

Symptoms

By now, you probably have either cravings for aversions to certain foods. You may suddenly want ice cream and pickles for every meal, or really hate the smell of red meat. Hormones are responsible for this, too. 

It’s ok to indulge in these cravings to a certain extent, as long as you’re healthy and getting the nutrients your body needs for a growing baby. If you are craving chocolate, enjoy a mini-bar instead of a king-sized deity. If you’re having trouble holding down fruit and vegetables, try drinking a V8 or a glass of juice instead of eating a salad.

Nausea may also be to blame for your cravings and aversions. If you are feeling sick to your stomach, it can be even more difficult to eat the things that don’t sound, smell, or look appetising. You’re more likely to give in to the things that you want, rather than the things your body needs (unless, of course, the things your body wants are fruits and vegetables—eat away!).

You’re likely exhausted. A lot happens in the first trimester that you can’t see. Your body is busy focusing on the placenta right now, which will provide the oxygen, blood, and the nutrients your baby needs for the next 8 months. 

Hormone changes (and nausea that comes with it) will also have you feeling drained. By the end of the first trimester, though, the placenta will be fully developed and you’ll have more bursts of energy.

Tips/Things to do

If your nausea leads to vomiting, it’s important to make sure you’re replenishing those fluids. Thanks to a keener sense of smell, your nausea is working overtime and wreaking havoc on how you feel. Get a lot of rest and drink a lot of water.

Avoid changing the cat litter. That’s one less chore you should be responsible for. Being in contact with cat feces can cause an infection that’s harmful to your baby. 

You should also avoid raw or undercooked meat, unpasteurized food, fish with mercury, and deli meats.

It’s a good idea to learn how to ease your stomach upset now. You may only deal with it for the first trimester, but a handful of women will deal with it throughout their pregnancy. Eat protein and complex carbohydrates together, like crackers and cheese or granola and yogurt, to soothe the queasiness. 

If you can’t stomach solids, eat some soup.

You may also need to learn how to combat your bloat. Eat mango instead of broccoli, strawberries instead of lettuce. A bagel is a good alternative to crisps, for example. 

Avoid carbonated drinks, which will only increase the tummy bubbles.

If you want to continue an exercise routine, you’re generally safe to do so unless your doctor says otherwise. Don’t pick up any new exercises right now or do anything that hurts. If you stick to the exercises you’re already used to and don’t experience any pain, then keep up the good work.

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