This is the fifth week of pregnancy. You have now officially entered the second month. However, you may have learned that you are pregnant only now. The fifth week is when most women find out they are pregnant after noticing the delay in their menstruation. You are probably very excited and perhaps also a little overwhelmed. We share your excitement. Reading about pregnancy may help you cope with all those feelings. In this article, you will learn all the details about what awaits you and your baby in the fifth week.
Your Baby at Five Weeks
In the past weeks, your egg cell was fertilised, started dividing, and attached to the uterus. At five weeks, the placenta further takes shape, and the little embryo in your womb starts developing organs. Here’s what you need to know about your little one during the fifth week of pregnancy:
How Big is My Baby at Five Weeks?
You may already look forward to holding your little one in your arms, but at the moment, he is just the size of a sesame seed. Your baby is so small that you will not be able to see it on ultrasound. You’ll have to wait a few more weeks to see him.
Your Baby’s Development at Week Five
Your baby, who entered the embryonic period last week, is rapidly growing. He will develop tissues and organs soon and currently consists of three layers: the endoderm, ectoderm and mesoderm.
- The Ectoderm
The ectoderm, or outer layer, will soon form your baby’s nervous system, including his brain and spinal cord. In addition, this layer will give rise to your baby’s soft skin, silky hair, and tiny nails before long.
- The Mesoderm
The middle layer, the mesoderm, will develop into the heart and circulatory system, the muscle tissue, and the tissues under the skin.
- The Endoderm
The inner layer, the endoderm, will form different organs and systems, such as the respiratory system, the urinary tract, the liver, and the pancreas.
The most exciting thing is that your baby’s circulatory system and heart are being developed! The heart is not a fully developed organ yet and consists of two small channels. Nevertheless, your it will soon start to beat, even if still irregularly. If you are having an ultrasound at the end of this week or the beginning of the next, you may be able to hear your baby’s heartbeat for the first time. Also, the placenta and umbilical cord begin to function, providing the embryo with oxygen and nutrients.
How Many Months Is Your Baby at Five Weeks?
When you enter the fifth week of pregnancy, you can say hello to the second month. There are exactly 35 weeks left until birth. You are still at the beginning of your journey and have plenty of time to enjoy your pregnancy. However, time flies, so make the best of it!
Your Body at Five Weeks of Pregnancy
Your baby’s nervous system, brain and spinal cord are developing, and the tiny heart has started to form. Even if you cannot feel these developments, your body is giving off many signals of pregnancy. You may have been experiencing fatigue, nausea, breast tenderness, etc., for a while already. If these symptoms were still a bit vague, chances are high that you will feel them more intensely in the fifth week.
How to Take a Home Pregnancy Test?
If you are unsure about whether you are pregnant, but are reading this article, you have probably noticed that your menstrual cycle is late. Take a pregnancy test now, as delayed menstruation and certain symptoms may also have other causes. Pregnancy test results are quite accurate in the fifth week of pregnancy, thanks to the increased HCG hormone. You can ask your doctor for a blood test. But if you want to know immediately, a home pregnancy test will also likely give you a correct result.
Don’t be afraid. Doing a home pregnancy test is easy if you follow the steps below.
- Buy a pregnancy test at the pharmacy.
- Open the test and carefully read the user instructions, as there are different kinds of tests on the market.
- It is recommended that you do the pregnancy test early in the morning as soon as you wake up.
- The easiest method is to urinate in a sterile container. Then dip the test strip into the urine for 5-10 seconds.
- After a few minutes, the test result will become visible.
- If you see a single line, the test is negative. If you see a double line, hold tight, the result is positive. You are pregnant, congratulations!
- Home pregnancy tests are generally accurate. However, if you have doubts about the result, consult your doctor and have your pregnancy status confirmed with a blood test.
When to Start Your Doctor Check-Ups?
If your home pregnancy test is positive, you should contact your doctor. He will probably ask you to come for a routine check-up between weeks 6 and 8. But if you are impatient to get information about your pregnancy from a specialist, you can also ask for an appointment at week 5.
First, your doctor will confirm the positive result with a blood test. To understand whether you have a healthy pregnancy, he may request a blood test to check for vitamin deficiencies and thyroid function and also take a Pap smear. Having a high-risk pregnancy or undergoing fertility treatment may require having extra tests. You can also have an ultrasound scan this week. Even though your embryo is too small to see, the gestational sac will be visible.
Pregnancy Symptoms at Five Weeks of Pregnancy
Pregnancy symptoms are usually felt more clearly at five weeks. These symptoms indicate all that is going on in your body. Even though it is not obvious that you are pregnant from the outside, the pregnancy hormones cause a peak in physical and emotional changes. You may feel very pregnant already. Let’s examine what happens in detail.
- Period Delay
Often the first sign of pregnancy that leads a woman to take a pregnancy test is that her period is delayed. Increased progesterone production prevents the uterine lining from shedding and helps preserve the pregnancy. However, you may have some spotting during the fifth week of pregnancy. This is likely implantation bleeding, which occurs when the embryo is implanted in the uterus. Implantation bleeding is lighter and has a different colour from menstrual bleeding. If you experience a lot of spotting or it lasts longer than two days, you should contact your doctor immediately.
- Tenderness in the Breasts
You are probably used to your breasts being sensitive during the premenstrual period, but pregnancy hormones also cause breast tenderness. This time, it means that the breasts are getting ready for breastfeeding.
- Fatigue
Fatigue is one of the most common pregnancy symptoms. Pregnancy hormones (especially progesterone) make you feel tired. It is natural as your body is active, preparing the ground for your baby’s development.
- Nausea
High levels of Beta HCG and oestrogen can cause nausea and vomiting, usually in the morning. You may have felt this already in the previous weeks. Unfortunately, this symptom may not recede for a while, usually until 12 weeks.
- Frequent Urination
Frequent urination is one of the most common complaints in early pregnancy and during the last weeks before delivery. In the fifth week of pregnancy, this is caused by the pregnancy hormones, which increase the blood flow and fluids in the body. This is good news because your digestive system works much harder to eliminate waste.
- Sudden Mood Changes
Sudden mood changes during pregnancy are very common due to the rapid hormone changes (especially oestrogen and progesterone), the physical discomforts you experience, the worries you have and the realisation that your life is changing forever. Don’t worry if you feel excited and happy one moment and anxious and tearful the next. You are not alone. Most pregnant women experience this in one way or another. This usually gets better by the second trimester.
Ways to Minimise Pregnancy Discomfort
Uncomfortable as they may be, pregnancy symptoms indicate that you are moving forward on this amazing journey. Depending on your baby’s development, different hormones are active and cause changes in your body. Unfortunately, some symptoms may reduce your quality of life. Learning what you can do to minimise the negative effects of these pregnancy-related symptoms can be very useful.
Coping with fatigue
From this week onwards, you may feel very tired. Try listening to your body.
- Go to bed a little earlier so you can rest well.
- Avoid caffeine, as it negatively impacts your sleep and your baby’s health.
- Do daily exercises, and walk, or swim regularly.
- Drink relaxing herbal tea. However, ask your doctor for advice about the herbal tea you can drink during pregnancy. Not all herbs are harmless!
Reducing nausea
There is no way to completely prevent nausea, which becomes more prominent during the fifth week and will last throughout the first trimester. But you can take some measures to ease the symptoms.
- Instead of eating three large meals, try eating more frequently, divided in six smaller meals throughout the day.
- Have a few crackers or dried fruit first thing in the morning, to relieve your hunger and minimise nausea until you have prepared breakfast.
- Avoid closed, hot and stuffy spaces.
- Do not go to sleep immediately after eating.
Coping with frequent urination
If you urinate frequently, that’s actually good news. It means that you are probably consuming enough water. But spending so much time in the bathroom can be frustrating. A few things you can do to minimise the discomfort are:
- If you drink enough fluids during the day, you can limit your water consumption at night.
- Try to completely empty your bladder by leaning forward.
- Don’t hold your pee for a long time.
- Never reduce your fluid consumption to avoid going to the toilet during the day.
Lower your stress level
You are going through an intense period due to the hormone increase of pregnancy. This is completely normal. But it is important to avoid too much stress during pregnancy. The following tips may help:
- You have just learned that you are pregnant and have thousands of questions swirling through your mind. Perhaps you’re even imagining worst-case scenarios and reading up on those on the internet. Ban such ideas as much as possible and discuss your concerns with your doctor.
- Try relaxation techniques such as deep belly breathing, yoga, and pregnancy Pilates.
- You may want to be a perfect mother. But don’t put so much pressure on yourself right now. Reading books and articles about pregnancy and baby care may help you feel prepared and more relaxed.
- This is not a time to overload yourself with tasks and responsibilities. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from the people around you.
- Spend more time with your loved ones and on activities that energise you.
Suggestions for a Healthy Pregnancy
As much as you’re excited, your pregnancy probably also worries you. On the one hand, you want to prepare for your baby. On the other hand, you are feeling unsure about what to expect. Try to remain calm and be very careful during this period. Every step you take, everything you do or don’t do, affects your health, pregnancy, and the development of your baby.
At the very beginning of the road, we have a few suggestions for a healthy and happy pregnancy:
- After testing at home, ask a doctor to confirm the result. Finding a good doctor before your first examination may be one of the most important steps.
- Your doctor will probably recommend taking a folic acid supplement. Folic acid reduces the risk of neural tube defects (NTD). Start supplementing with folic acid immediately, and
consume folic acid-rich foods like leafy greens, legumes, citrus fruits, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, avocados, bananas, and hazelnuts.
- Nutrition during pregnancy is very important. In the fifth week, the placenta and umbilical cord start working, so your baby will start getting its nutrients and oxygen from you. Eating a healthy diet is crucial now. Make sure you eat foods from different food groups to consume sufficient amounts of vitamins, protein, iron, carbohydrates, etc., all vital for your health and that of your baby.
- Stop drinking alcohol and smoking. Both may cause problems in your baby, such as low birth weight and growth retardation. Also, limit your daily caffeine intake.
- Do regular light exercises to regulate your blood circulation, support your immunity and have a healthy pregnancy.
- Do not use over-the-counter medications without consulting your doctor. Also, talk to your doctor about any chronic conditions you may have that require medications.
- When you drink water, you are hydrating yourself and caring for your baby. Be sure to consume enough fluids.
- You’ve probably thought about scheduling your first antenatal appointment. However, you should also stop by your dentist. Pregnancy hormones can cause gingivitis, so a dental check-up is key.
This is a crucial period in your baby’s development, as his organs have started to form. The steps you take now on this exciting pregnancy journey will affect your baby’s growth and the rest of your pregnancy.
Enjoy the good news at five weeks of pregnancy, share your joy with your loved ones, and take the necessary precautions for a healthy pregnancy.
