by Chess Thomas |
How your baby’s growing at five weeks of pregnancy
Although you don’t look pregnant yet, inside your womb, your baby is developing rapidly. The embryo has changed from a disc shape to look more like a tadpole. Their heart is one of the first organs to form and start working. It will start to beat around now.
The neural tube, which connects your baby's spinal cord to their brain, has formed and begins to close at each end. Other organs and tissues are also in the early stages of development.
See what your baby looks like now, and read more about their development at five weeks.
Pregnancy symptoms at five weeks
It's still early days, so you may not feel pregnant at all yet. This is perfectly normal. Some pregnancy symptoms, such as morning sickness, won't kick in for another week or so.
On the other hand, you may already have started noticing some tell-tale signs that you’re expecting. Your body is working hard to grow a new life so it's understandable if you're overwhelmed by tiredness at this stage. If all you're able to do is collapse onto the sofa at the end of the day, you're not alone.
The urge to wee more often is another sign that pregnancy hormones are surging through your body. You may get more headaches in the first trimester too. If this is the case for you, there are certain over-the-counter medicines you can take, and plenty of natural remedies that may help.
What you need to know at five weeks of pregnancy
Try to get into the habit of eating well. It'll help to keep your energy levels up, and your baby will benefit if your meals include a variety of nutrients. Small, regular meals and frequent drinks can also prevent you from getting indigestion, a common side effect of pregnancy.
You'll need plenty of vitamin C every day to help your baby grow and develop. Good sources of vitamin C include oranges, red or green peppers, strawberries, blackcurrants and potatoes. And don't forget to take your daily supplements of folic acid and vitamin D.
"I have a terrible memory, so I keep my pregnancy multivitamins next to my toothbrush. It means I never forget to take it!"
Nicola
Your pregnancy to-do list at five weeks
- Find advice and frequently asked questions on early pregnancy, from common side effects to diet and exercise.
- Book your first antenatal appointment, which will usually be with your midwife, and check out ourantenatal appointment scheduler. Your GP surgery or a children's centre can put you in touch with your nearest midwifery service.
- Want a guided tour of the womb during the first nine weeks of pregnancy? Check out our video.
- Find out whether it's safe to drink coffee during pregnancy.
Check out the BabyCentre podcast!
The Parent Pod is BabyCentre’s brilliantly entertaining and informative podcast series. Join hosts Claire and Lucy as they walk your exciting journey with you each week from early pregnancy until your baby is 12 weeks old. Subscribe now on the usual channels. Learn more
Week 4 – your 1st trimester
What's happening in my body?
You probably don't look pregnant yet. If it's your first pregnancy you might not start showing until at least week 12. However, if this isn't your first baby, you may start showing sooner, as the muscles in your uterus (womb) and belly may have been stretched from your last pregnancy.
Pregnancy is dated from the first day of your last period. Read about you and your pregnancy at 1 to 3 weeks on the NHS website.
Am I pregnant?
Wondering when to take a pregnancy test? Some of the home tests can tell you if you're pregnant after about 3 and a half weeks – and are 99% accurate.
Early pregnancy symptoms (at 4 weeks)
To start with, you may not have any symptoms at all. When the pregnancy hormone “human chorionic gonadotrophin” starts to kick in, you may experience early pregnancy symptoms.
During your 1st trimester, which is up until week 12, you may experience:
- a missed period (often one of the first signs of pregnancy)
- a metallic taste in your mouth
- sore breasts
- nausea - also known as morning sickness, although you can experience it at any time (read about morning sickness in week 6)
- tiredness
- new food likes and dislikes
- a heightened sense of smell
- needing to pee more frequently
- a milky white pregnancy discharge from your vagina
- light spotting as the fertilised egg burrows into your uterus (see your doctor if you get bleeding during pregnancy)
- cramping, a bit like period pains
- darkened skin on your face or brown patches – this is known as chloasma faciei or the “mask of pregnancy”
- thicker and shinier hair
- bloating (read about dealing with bloating in week 10)
If you think you could be pregnant but haven't noticed any symptoms, you still might be. Everyone's different and nobody else will have a pregnancy just like yours.