5 Weeks Pregnant Guide – Baby Development, Precaution and Symptoms
Week 5 of pregnancy is a time when most of the to-be-moms are aware of their pregnancy. 5 Weeks pregnant women realise that they have missed their menstrual period date and are anxious to take the pregnancy test.
5 Weeks Pregnant Guide
In this Article, You will find the answer to the below questions
- What are the symptoms of 5th-week pregnancy?
- What are the common problems you will experience in the 5th week of pregnancy?
- What precautions should you take during week 5 of pregnancy?
- How is your baby growing and developing during the 5th week of pregnancy?
- What is the baby size in the 5th week of pregnancy?
- What parental care needed during the 5th week of pregnancy?
- How will you feel during the 5th week of pregnancy, What changes will you experience during week 5 of pregnancy?
- What changes will you experience during week 5 of pregnancy?
- How will you look like during 5th week of pregnancy?
- What should you eat during the 5th week of pregnancy, Which food should you avoid during the 5th week of pregnancy?
- Is it safe to have sex during the 5th week of pregnancy?
- Do I need to visit a doctor in the 5th week of pregnancy, What should you discuss with the doctor in 5th Week of pregnancy?
- What are the tests or procedures you should have in the 5th week of pregnancy?
- Do you need to take supplements during the 5th week of pregnancy?
- What is important to know during the 5th week of pregnancy?
- How should you start preparing for the baby’s birth in 5th week pregnancy?
Plus at this time the hormones stir up your system and you face pregnancy symptoms which can’t be ignored. E.g. Nausea, Tiredness, frequent urination, tender breasts etc. The embryo has become 0.3 cm long by now and develops a brain, heart and spinal cord. The placenta will also develop by now. The placenta is the lifeline through which nourishment is provided to the embryo from the mother’s body.
1) 5 weeks pregnant symptoms
What are the symptoms of 5th-week pregnancy?
For many women, the first trimester of pregnancy is the toughest. This is because of the dreadful early pregnancy symptoms which make life difficult for women. However, you don’t have to get stressed about this as these symptoms will slowly subside. It is very important to eat well, take enough rest and take good care of yourself.
[Check: Online Pregnancy Test]
Some of the early pregnancy symptoms are mentioned below –
• Sore breasts – The boobs feel very tender and sore at this time of pregnancy.
• Morning sickness – Though there is morning in the name, morning sickness can occur at any time of the day. Some women feel nauseous throughout the day. To minimise the symptoms eat small meals frequently.
Keep some crackers and bland snacks to munch on. Avoid spicy foods to deal with the queasiness you are going through. You can also try ginger capsules, nausea reducing lollipops, vitamin B6 to reduce the morning sickness symptoms.
• Tiredness – You feel tired and exhausted all the time of the day. You will often find yourself dozing off in the middle of a meeting at work. This is completely normal. Your hormones are to be blamed for this and there is nothing much you can do about it.
Just try to get some extra rest, do mild exercises, eat small portions of food so that you can maintain your energy.
• Frequent urination – You will feel the urge to urinate repeatedly. This is because your uterus is expanding and exerting pressure on your bladder. This causes you to urinate again and again.
• Vaginal Spotting – May seem scary when you are in the 5th week of pregnancy. But remember that a few spots of blood through your vagina means implantation. There can be spotting observed after a sex session as well. This is because your cervix has become sensitive. But if you notice bleeding more than just spotting, rush to the doctor.
• Cramps – cramping is as a result of implantation or because your uterus is getting stretched thereby also stretching the ligaments. This causes a slight pain. However, if you feel severe pain than you must consult the doctor.
However, a few expecting moms in their 5th month of pregnancy feel no symptoms. This just means you are lucky. You don’t have to worry that there is something not correct in your pregnancy because there are no symptoms.
2) Common problems during 5th-week pregnancy
What are the common problems you will experience in the 5th week of pregnancy?
During the 5th week of pregnancy, baby’s organ development begins. This time is very sensitive. If the baby has been exposed to substances like tobacco, alcohol, certain medications or drugs than that can be harmful and cause developmental problems.
If you are taking enough care of yourself than you don’t have to worry about anything. If you have any doubts, queries than it is always advisable to talk to your doctor.
[Read: First Month Pregnancy Care]
3) Precautions/ Warning during week 5 of pregnancy
What precautions should you take during week 5 of pregnancy?
Week 5 of pregnancy is a very early phase of pregnancy. At this time you start feeling early pregnancy symptoms such as fatigue, tender breasts, nausea, frequent urination etc. This is totally normal and doesn’t indicate any problems.
However, if you notice continuous vaginal bleeding for a couple of days after a positive pregnancy test than it does indicate some problem. Talk to your gynaecologist. You should
• Exercise every day. Do mild activities which will help in the functioning of your system. Walking is a very good exercise which doesn’t cause any physical stress on your body.
You can also join a yoga class during pregnancy. Make sure you have informed your yoga trainer about your pregnancy.
• Having a nutritious, balanced and healthy diet is very important. See that you are not stuffing yourself with food. Eat small portions of meals throughout the day which will help you to stay full.
Including fibrous foods such as sprouts, spinach, legumes, fruits etc will help you in relieving constipation symptoms.
• Drink enough water. You can also infuse the water with your favourite fruits if you are feeling bored with drinking regular plain water. Also, drink freshly squeezed fruit juices to maintain hydration.
• Keep your mind always calm and free of stress and negative thoughts. Never panic and think about the abnormalities in your baby or painful labour.
Your emotions and mood can affect the emotional well being of your mom. You can meditate to stay focused and happy. Stay positive and avoid negativity.
• Take enough rest. Increase your sleeping time. Since your body is undergoing a hormonal turbulence it will affect your body and mood. It is advised to sleep peacefully for long hours.
• Increase the intake of probiotics in your body. Maintain vaginal hygiene since it can result in yeast infection due to increased estrogen levels.
• Avoid smoking, alcohol, tobacco and drugs as this can affect your baby in a bad way. It can affect the development of the baby and be responsible for neural tube defects, less birth weight, birth defects etc.
• Avoid caffeine. It is present in tea, coffee, chocolates and also other food items. Make sure you check labels for ingredient list before eating anything.
• Eating fast food should be stopped completely. It causes you to gain unhealthy weight. Also, it will affect your immunity and affect sugar levels and blood pressure.
• No wearing tight clothes and high heel footwear. Start wearing comfy, loose clothes and sturdy, flat footwear. This will avoid any trip and fall incidences.
• Don’t travel long distance. This time is very sensitive and prone to miscarriage. So it is recommended that you don’t travel long distances because it can lead to pressure on pregnancy.
• Avoid heavy weight. It is recommended not to carry heavy weights and bend suddenly. It can put pressure on the baby inside.
4) Baby Growth and Development in Week 5
How is your baby growing and developing during the 5th week of pregnancy?
In the 5th week of pregnancy, the embryo development is much quicker. The embryo has developed into three layers now. These layers are called ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm.
Baby’s skin, hair and nervous system will develop from ectoderm, mesoderm will form bones, organs like heart and muscles. The endoderm will be forming the intestines, lungs and also other organs.
The embryo in the 5th week of pregnancy looks nothing less than a tadpole. But it has started to develop its major organs like stomach, liver, heart, kidneys as well as nervous, circulatory and digestive systems.
5) Baby Size in the 5th week of pregnancy
What is the baby size in the 5th week of pregnancy?
In the 5th week of pregnancy, the baby is developing very fast. It is the size of a tadpole and will develop into organs in the coming weeks. The embryo has three layers already, ectoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm. Even with so much of complex development, the baby is still very small i.e. 0.3 cm approx. resembling sesame seeds.
6) Parental care during the 5th week of pregnancy
What parental care needed during the 5th week of pregnancy?
Schedule an appointment with your doctor. Check with your gynaecologist if it is safe to take any medicines that you have been taking to treat any pre-existing disease or conditions.
You must start to take a vitamin that contains iron and folic acid. Do mild exercise regularly. Eat well and focus on healthy food. Avoid smoking, alcohol, caffeinated drinks, carbonated beverages etc.
[Check: Search for Gynaecologist in your Area]
7) Changes in feelings in the 5th week of pregnancy
How will you feel during the 5th week of pregnancy?
What changes will you experience in feelings during the 5th week of pregnancy?
During 5th week pregnancy, you will start noticing pregnancy signs and symptoms. Your breast gets sore and becomes tender or you may feel very tired, or experience nausea, vomiting and frequent urination.
8) Changes in the 5th week of pregnancy
What changes will you experience during week 5 of pregnancy?
At this time both you and the baby will start going through many noticeable changes. Baby will start developing its organs.
This week you will also observe the common pregnancy symptoms of fatigue, tender breasts, nausea, vomiting, frequent urination etc.
You must start to makes changes in lifestyle and follow healthy dietary and other habits. Avoid alcohol, smoking, drugs, tobacco etc.
9) Change in look during the 5th week of pregnancy
How will you look like during 5th week of pregnancy?
5th week of pregnancy is still very early in pregnancy so you will look the same. Your breasts may seem tender at this point. Your baby will be still very tiny so there won’t be any drastic changes physically in you.
10) Diet during the 5th week of pregnancy
What should you eat during the 5th week of pregnancy?
Which food should you avoid during the 5th week of pregnancy?
Folic Acid in week 5 – The gynaecologist will prescribe you folic acid supplements, iron, vitamin D supplements etc. However, it is important that you also include folic acid rich foods in your routine.
You will need it to protect your unborn baby from birth defects especially neural tube defects like spina bifida.
Following mentioned are very good sources of folic acid-
• Eat breakfast such as oats, whole wheat bread, whole wheat flakes, whole wheat pasta etc.
• Green leafy vegetables such as radish leaves, fenugreek leaves, spinach leaves, Pudina or coriander.
• Vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, beans, carrot, capsicum, bitter guard etc.
• Dry fruits such as peanuts, walnuts or almonds
• Fruits like muskmelon, orange, guava or pomegranate.
[Read: First Month Pregnancy Diet]
Iron in Week 5 of Pregnancy – Iron is very important during pregnancy as it is responsible for the formation of red blood cells. As the blood volume will start increasing, you must include foods rich in iron in your meals.
• Eat vegetables like green leafy vegetables, beans, beetroot
• Eat iron-fortified breakfast cereals
• Liver of meat such as chicken, goose, mutton has good sources of iron. But make sure not to overeat it since high dosage of vitamin A is also bad for foetus growth.
• Pumpkin seeds are a good source of iron.
• Include kidney beans, red beans, black beans, white beans in your diet.
• Prune juice is also a source of a good iron.
Vitamin C is a must for absorption of iron within the body. Eat soya, citrus fruits, broccoli, tomato etc.
Vitamin B6 is important during this stage of pregnancy. It helps to prevent the morning sickness symptoms such as vomiting and nausea. This is an issue faced by many women during pregnancy.
• Consuming seeds which are good sources of vitamin B6 helps a lot during pregnancy. Eg. Flaxseeds, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
• Include tuna fish in your diet.
• Hazelnuts and Soybean
Fruits are considered to be rich in fibre, vitamins, minerals and also water content. It helps to prevent constipation symptoms which are a very common pregnancy problem. Eat as much as 3 servings of fruits daily.
Dairy products are a very good source of calcium and folic acid. It provides essential vitamins as well as minerals.
Consume eggs 2-3 times a week since they are a rich source of proteins, folic acid and fats. However, avoid eating half cooked or raw dishes made with eggs.
You must avoid the following foods in week 5 of pregnancy –
1. Avoid eating sweet sugary desserts because they don’t provide anything more than unhealthy calories. The saying that you must eat for two is a big myth because you need only 300 calories extra at this stage. You will gain unnecessary weight due to sugary foods which will be very difficult to lose later.
2. Soft cheese must be avoided as it is not pasteurised. Also, it will enhance the risk of food intoxication.
3. No pineapple or raw papaya should be consumed since it induces contractions.
4. Don’t eat processed ready to eat or cook meals. Also, avoid the cravings of junk food or street foods.
5. Cut down on caffeine intake. You can consume a maximum of 200 mg of caffeine daily which comes to about 1-2 cups.
11) Sex during the 5th week of pregnancy
Is it safe to have sex during the 5th week of pregnancy?
If your doctor has refrained you from sexual intercourse than it is always better to avoid it. Otherwise, having sex is not going to harm the baby. You can also experience less interest in sex during pregnancy.
Even your partner’s libido may deplete. But if both of you are interested equally than go for it! Make sure your partner is not suffering from any kind of sexually transmitted diseases.
12) Doctor consultation in the 5th week of pregnancy
Do I need to visit a doctor in the 5th week of pregnancy?
What should you discuss with the doctor?
In 5th week pregnancy, you must schedule a prenatal appointment with your gynaecologist. Discuss with the doctor about all the doubts and queries that you may be having. E.g. Diet, exercise, medicines etc.
The doctor will physically examine you and also recommend certain lab tests. He will be reviewing your medical history and also family history for any medical conditions. You can also work with your doctor to calculate the due date.
13) Test/ Procedure in the 5th week of pregnancy
What are the tests or procedures you should have in the 5th week of pregnancy?
Schedule your prenatal appointment with the gynaecologist. She will physically examine you and also do a pelvic area examination. You will be asked to do certain lab tests.
Other screenings or tests will also be done based on your medical history and existing medical conditions if any. Discuss with your doctor about any tests or screenings that you think will be good for you and the baby.
14) Supplements in the 5th week of pregnancy
Do you need to take supplements during the 5th week of pregnancy?
When you visit the gynaecologist during your first appointment he will prescribe you to take supplements of folic acid. This is very important to be safe from any kind of birth defects such as spina bifida. It can also save your baby from autism-like disorders.
Doctors may also prescribe calcium, iron, and vitamin D supplements as well based on your requirement.
You must also eat healthy and nutritious food in addition to the medical supplements.
15) Important points to know during the 5th week of pregnancy
What is important to know during the 5th week of pregnancy?
Many important changes will occur during the 5th week of pregnancy. At this point, the baby is at the embryonic stage having 3 layers. This will develop into organs in the coming weeks. You will observe many early pregnancy symptoms such as tender breasts, frequent urination, nausea, fatigue etc.
Focus on maintaining a healthy pregnancy diet chart which will increase your strength for the pregnancy and also improve the growth and development of a baby.
Avoid smoking, tobacco, alcohol, drugs etc which can be very harmful to the development of the foetus.
16) Preparation Guidelines for Baby in week 5
How should you start preparing for the baby’s birth in the 5th week of Pregnancy?
This time is very early in pregnancy so you don’t have to really prepare for anything right now. However, it is important to prepare yourself by eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly and taking prescribed supplements.
If you have any pre-existing medical disorder than you must discuss with your doctor. Pregnancy is a time full of zeal and happiness. It is your responsibility to treat yourself carefully during the 5th week of pregnancy so that you deliver a healthy baby.
