If you're five weeks pregnant, chances are you only recently found out you're pregnant. If so, congratulations! If you're reading this while still trying to get pregnant, then good for you for being informed ahead of time. Either way, read on to find out all the things you need to know about this stage of pregnancy.
Key Points
- Your body is working extra hard at this stage, so don't be surprised if you're extra tired or irritable.
- Every person experiences pregnancy differently. You might not experience the same symptoms as someone else, or even as you did during a previous pregnancy.
- It's important to take care of yourself, and to keep all prenatal appointments.
Body Changes at Five Weeks Pregnant
Your body is creating a new life, and at five weeks pregnant you may be feeling exhausted and unusually irritable or emotional. Your increased metabolism and growing uterus may be causing more frequent urination. Your breasts may be particularly tender now and you may find that sleeping in a sports bra helps. Support early will help you avoid pain and tenderness throughout your pregnancy.
During this trimester, your body is working extra hard so you may be feeling extra tired. You may be feeling tenderness in your breasts as the milk glands multiply. Morning sickness could make its debut (if it hasn't already), however some women never experience it after implantation. Going to the bathroom more frequently is normal, as are headaches due to the rise in hormones. You may have all of these pregnancy symptoms, some of them, or none at all. Each woman's pregnancy is different from another woman's and even different from first pregnancy on to additional pregnancies in the same woman.
Make sure you get plenty of rest to help your body do its job. Exercising can also help. Keeping your muscles strong and your body moving is important all throughout your pregnancy! Make sure you're keeping up with all of your prenatal appointments, as well.
Your Baby's Development at Week Five
Your baby's heart and neural tube are continuing to form! The neural tube will one day become their nervous system. Your baby is now about the size of an apple seed. It might be hard to imagine them that small!
Until now, the embryo has been a mass of cells, but starting at about week 5 of pregnancy, a distinct shape begins to form. A front, back, top, and bottom are now apparent. Also, a bulge in the center of the embryo develops into your baby's heart. The nervous system, muscles, and bones begin to develop. Your placenta and the amniotic sac will also begin to develop, so many developments are happening all at once!
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What Is Coming Next?
It's completely understandable that you'll be looking ahead to the coming weeks. Your baby is going to go through a lot of changes throughout your pregnancy! There's a long ways to go before they're ready to emerge as a fully-formed human.
By week six, you should notice that your period has stopped completely. For some women who are not aware of their pregnancy yet, this is when they take notice of the changes in their body. Over the next several weeks, your baby's spine, eyes, mouth, and tongue will begin to form. They'll start to grow larger, with their head being disproportionately large for some time.
As your pregnancy continues, it's very important that you continue to take care of yourself. Try to keep your stress levels as low as possible. Avoid any unnecessary or particularly straining tasks. Set boundaries in your relationships, and don't be afraid to cut anyone out who isn't supportive. Healthy friends and family should understand your need for boundaries at this time.
Low-impact exercise is important for the health of you and your baby, but it's important that you don't overdo it. Your body is going through a lot of changes, and isn't in a position to do a lot more than walking and other basic exercises right now. Make sure to keep up with a healthy diet, in coordination with your doctor. You'll need to eat more to provide enough nutrients for your baby. It's important, however, that you don't overeat. Overeating will cause you to gain too much weight, which could cause issues both during and after pregnancy.
Finally, make sure to attend all prenatal appointments. You'll form a close relationship with your doctor at this time, as the two of you work towards a common goal of having a healthy baby. Follow all of the instructions your doctor tells you, and do what you need to remain healthy. Avoid any alcohol or recreational drugs, and talk to your doctor about any prescription medications you might be taking. You'll likely have to stop or alter your prescriptions while you're pregnant; many prescription meds can cause major complications with the baby.
- 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
- Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
- Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
Conclusion
Congratulations again on your coming baby! This is a very exciting time for you. You're probably beginning to plan a nursery, and you might be thinking about how you're going to eventually tell friends and family. Maybe you're already dreaming of what it'll be like to hold your baby! If you want any further information about parenting and pregnancy, we've got tons of articles on our site for you to go through. From birth to college, we've got you covered!
If you're still trying for a baby, then there's nothing wrong with informing yourself ahead of time! Being informed will make the process of pregnancy and having a baby a lot smoother for you and your partner. Getting pregnant can be tough for some; if you're finding it especially hard, check out some of the resources we have here on fertility and fertility treatments. Good luck!
The information in this article should not be taken as professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of a doctor for any medical questions or concerns. Moms Who Think is not responsible for any outcomes that may arise as a result of actions taken based on information we provide. It is your responsibility to do your own research and to take the appropriate measures to protect your health.