Congratulations! It has been a month now. By now most of you definitely know that you are pregnant. I still did not know that. I guess that happens when you stop listening to your body. While my body kept sending me messages, I was busy ignoring them. But this would be a good time to start listening to your body, because the next few months is all about treating yourself!!!
Let us see how things are in 5 weeks pregnant phase of yours.
Pregnancy symptoms:
The tell-tale signs that you are pregnant has slowly started cropping up by now. Let us look at some of the common symptoms most mommies experience in the 5th week.
- Missed Periods
Like I said earlier most moms to be realize that they are pregnant at this time because their friend who comes calling every month is suddenly AWOL. Yes that’s right, you realize that you have missed your periods.
- Sore breasts
Yet another common symptom is soreness in breasts. You may feel that your bras aren’t fitting you anymore. Blame it on the hormones.
- Nausea
Some of your favorite food items might start inducing a strong urge to rush to the washroom.
In my case it was a dish of dried prawns with raw mango and coconut. For the first time in my life, seeing this dish didn’t make me excited. But I thought that it was due to a long day in the sun.
Fortunately that phase didn’t last. Ladies, if you suddenly start hating your favorite food, you know what to do, blame it on the hormones!!
- Fatigue
You spend a day lazing on the couch but you feel drained! Sounds impossible? No, on the contrary, with all that is happening inside your body, it is not surprising at all. That is why fatigue is one of the most common complaints of an expecting mother.
- Cravings
For some of you, the cravings would have started to kick in. It is not as scary as the over dramatized cravings that the heroine has in movies. It is nothing to be worried about! As long as you are craving food that is healthy for you and your baby, binge on! If it is not, try to find healthy alternatives and satisfy that craving.
Some cravings can be quite weird, ever heard of these 10 weird pregnancy cravings? Read on.
- Frequent urge to use the toilet
No, your bladder hasn’t shrunk. But at 5 weeks some mommies are heard complaining about how they feel that practically have started living in the toilet. That is courtesy of hCG causing more blood flow to the pelvic area which in turn causes your kidneys to work more efficiently and thus frequent urge to urinate.
- Headaches
Some moms to be experience a lot of headaches. My migraine returned with a vengeance and haunted me for days and nights altogether. You may want to lay off the over the counter pain killers and opt for natural methods to soothe your throbbing head or ask your doctor for a remedy that is safe to consume during pregnancy.
These are the most common symptoms, but at times, they might not be so severe and may escape attention.
5 Weeks pregnant – All you need to know about:
Now you know the common symptoms that awaits you in the 5th week of pregnancy. Apart from that, there is yet another interesting thing in store for you.
You may be feeling calm one minute and totally flying off your handle in the next instance. Yes, mood swings! All your emotions would be doing a sort of ramp walk and you feel over whelmed with emotions. With all the pregnancy hormones surging through your body that is normal. But if it seems to linger for than two weeks, consult your doctor.
Some ladies notice a bit of spotting at this time. If you don’t know you are pregnant yet, you may confuse this as the onset of your periods. You can’t be blamed, the symptoms can be quite similar. So how much bleeding is ok? Is spotting normal?
- Read – Spotting during pregnancy – What is normal and what is not, to find out more.
Changes in body
At week 5, you know you are pregnant. But to the outside world you still look the same. Your belly hasn’t started showing yet. So apart from the other symptoms mentioned above, you do not have any physical changes. The best part? You still fit into all your favorite clothes!!!
During the first trimester you would gain 1-2 kg. So this week you can look at gaining about ½ a kg. Morning sickness can cause a slight decrease in some cases but as long as you can catch up it is fine.
Some of you may be worried that piling on all those pounds might make you look less attractive, but that is not quite the case. Your skin, hair and nails will look like a million bucks during pregnancy! I am sure you may have heard of the famous pregnancy glow. And to everybody who asks, you can modestly tell them, “Oh, I don’t use any products! It is natural!”
Pregnancy brings with it the lovely glow but the downside is a bad case of acne and skin pigmentation for some of you. Don’t worry mommas it is just a passing phase.
Stretch marks, those annoying spidery lines that everybody hates. Stretch marks occur because the skin is stretching to accommodate your baby. You can get them on your tummy, breasts and thighs. The best way to control this is to ensure that your weight gain happens gradually. If you plan to use creams, then you should start early.
You can also read the review of Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Massage Cream for stretch marks.
What is happening inside you?
Inside you, quite a lot is happening at this stage though on the outside nothing is visible. That is like a secret between you and your body. By now your body secretes enough of the hormone called Human Chorionic Gonadotropin or hCG to give you a positive result. This hormone is secreted by the placenta following implantation. HCG is required for the healthy development of the baby.
If you have a strong feeling that you are pregnant but haven’t confirmed it yet, get a home pregnancy test from a pharmacy and check. These tests detect the presence of hCG present in the urine. Don’t worry they are quite easy to use and come with clear and simple instructions. If you follow the instructions correctly you get accurate results as well which makes this a favorite.
- Must read – Home pregnancy test – A simple guide and FAQs
Foetus size during 5 weeks of pregnancy:
Do you remember how you had to learn about the various stages of pregnancy in school with diagrams? I used to think that we looked pretty weird early on during pregnancy.
At 5 weeks, your baby is the size of an orange pip, measuring about 1-5 mm and looks more like a tadpole. Despite the size the little one now has the base laid out for the formation of his heart. The key players of the central nervous system – the brain and spinal cord have also started to form. Tiny stumps which will develop into their limps have also appeared at this stage. Pretty impressive huh?
Diet:
I hope you have shed all your unhealthy eating practices by now. It is imperative that you do so. Apart from ensuring that you stay healthy, you have the additional responsibility of ensuring that your baby’s nutritional needs are met. If you don’t eat healthy, you can’t expect your child to do so later in life. After all, you would be his/ her first role model.
The nutrients you need to consume for your baby are as mentioned below.
- Folate – a B vitamin, which is found in dark green leafy vegetables, beans
- Protein – Can be found in lean meat, eggs, soy products, legumes and pulses
- Calcium – dairy products are a good source of this
- Iron – Eat meat, spinach, pomegranate, nuts, pulses for iron
- Zinc – Found in meat, seafood, nuts, whole grains and legumes
- Vitamin C – Citrus fruits, grapes are good sources
Sodium is good but in moderate quantities. You can also read the amazing benefits of moringa leaves during pregnancy.
The calorie intake differs from person to person depending on the age, BMI, metabolism rate.
Supplements
You would have started on prenatal vitamins and supplements by now. These supplements will ensure that all nutritional needs of yours and the baby’s are met. If you haven’t started taking any, please consult your gynecologist who will prescribe them to you.
Avoid any over the counter supplements as you may end up taking more/ less than the required dosage. Both of this can prove to be dangerous.
- Must read – Trying to conceive- 14 Must do things beforehand
Morning sickness
Morning sickness, is one of the most famous symptoms of pregnancy and the most dreaded one. But despite the name, it can come calling any time of the day. But this is just a small bump, keep telling yourself that! The severity of the morning sickness varies from person to person and so does the duration. Morning sickness will not affect the health of your baby as long as you don’t swear off food.
Tips:
- Try taking smaller meals at regular intervals to keep energy levels up, this will also minimize your urge to throw up.
- Crackers can be your new best friends as they help to keep you satisfied when you have a case of the munchies.
- Having water boiled with ginger can also provide relief from morning sickness.
Exercises
Pregnancy is no excuse to stop exercising. In fact, if you exercise regularly it will definitely help you at the time of delivery. If you are a fitness junkie and love to work out ask your trainer about the exercises you can continue to do and which ones to avoid.
If your idea of workout is dragging yourself up from the bed every morning, then, you need help and work. But that doesn’t mean you start off with lifting weights. Ask your doctor about the exercises that you can do. It is important that you do just enough to stay fit and not overdo it. In fact regular moderate amount of exercises can help you from feeling tired and exhausted. If you believe me, I suggest you start exercising now to discover for yourself.
An example of a safe exercise is walking. Try going for walks with your partner, it will be good for your health and a great way to bond.
Travelling during 5th week of pregnancy:
This is one of the most common queries expectant moms have.
Can I travel? So can you? If you don’t have any complications and if your doctor has cleared you, it is a YES.
Things to carry with you in case you need to travel:
- Prenatal supplements
- Medical records
- A bag (in case you have an urge to throw up)
- Lemon to help with nausea
- Ginger or water boiled with ginger (it helps in quelling nausea too)
Other tips for travelling moms to be are as follows.
- Avoid heavy meals before travel
- Use the seat belt
- Stay hydrated
- If you are travelling for longer duration take frequent breaks
5 Weeks pregnant – Dos n don’ts
Let us look at the dos and don’ts for this week
- Do schedule an appointment with your gynecologist
Once you confirm your pregnancy make sure you schedule an appointment with your gynecologist.
- Do write down all your doubts and queries
Write down all your queries so you can address them when you meet your gynecologist so that you don’t forget any and don’t fret about anything after your visit is over. Remember no question is silly or stupid.
- Do invest in a good supportive bra
It is time to say bye to fancy bras. Get something that is comfortable.
- Don’t avoid liquids
“Ugh, I am so tired of these trips to the loo. So let me cut down on water” – Seems like the ideal way out, but no! Do not do this.
Ensure your body is sufficiently hydrated. Trust me a urinary tract infection is the last thing you want now.
- Don’t stress yourself
Having a baby is no small feat and it can cause moms to feel stressed out wondering they are doing everything right. You will, if you stop stressing about it!
On the funny side, think of it as the last few months where you can enjoy some quiet and can actually hear your thoughts. So relax and stop worrying too much.
Sex during 5th week of pregnancy:
With all the changes happening your body and the surge of hormones making you feel miserable, many women do not feel like having sex at all during the first trimester. But it is completely safe should you choose to. You should talk to your partner to discuss positions that are comfortable for you.
Scans during the 5th week of pregnancy:
Sorry to disappoint you but there are no scans required in the 5th week of pregnancy. I know you might be really eager to see your little one. But you will have to wait for a little while longer before that can happen.
Hope this guide on 5 weeks pregnant – what to expect was helpful. How was your 5th week of pregnancy? Do share your stories and queries with us. We would love to hear from you.
Stay safe and enjoy your pregnancy!
