You are now one month pregnant! Welcome to week 5, the exciting time when all the tests have come in positive and you can’t wait to share the news with your loved ones! On the inside too, activities are going on at a whole new level! Quickly, let’s look at what Week 5 is all about.
What are the signs?
Your hormonal levels have escalated higher than ever, and this means a whole rollercoaster ride of emotions for you – something that you and everyone around you need to stay prepared for.
Although your baby bump won’t be showing just yet, you will feel constantly bloated. There’ll also be a constant urge to pee.
You best get used to the regular symptoms such as fatigue, drowsiness, morning sickness, heightened sense of taste and smell, and soreness by now. You’ll also experience cramps in the abdomen and light spotting, which are a sign of successful implantation. However, if the bleeding is more frequent and constant, visit your obstetrician immediately.
You may feel like taking naps all the time, even when you’re in the middle of something else.
What’s happening to the baby?
Your baby has grown to the size of an apple seed by now. And although they are too little, there’s an intense amount of development going on in there at a very rapid pace. The heart, central nervous system, skeletal structure and circulatory system are at their peak of development. This is the stage where your baby’s heart develops into four chambers and pumps blood to the rest of the organs – something you may just be lucky enough to spot in an ultrasound.
The neural tube, which will later on develop into the brain and spinal cord, is also developing. The placenta develops. The eyes, ears, fingers, toes, mouth, nose are in their early stages of development.
What should I be doing?
Take care of your health in the best way possible! Continue with the no-smoking, no-drinking thing. Include strength and endurance training in your daily workout routine – it’ll help with the soreness, cramps and body-ache, improve your posture and balance and build strength and stamina. All of these things are what you will find most handy in the later months of your pregnancy and when the baby is ready to be delivered. Moreover, regular exercise will help you control your mood swings too!
While you don’t have to eat for two in terms of quantity. You definitely should eat for two from a nutrition perspective. Whatever you eat is the only source of nutrition for your baby. So, make sure you include a lot of fresh green, red and yellow fruits and veggies in your diet. Have prenatal vitamins that’ll help you meet your daily vitamin requirement.
Tell your loved ones. This is a crucial time for you and your partner, and it’s healthy to build a support system and have an emotional backup.