By the time you are 5 weeks pregnant, you may be getting very suspicious there is something going on. Your period hasn t come when you expected it and you are at least a week overdue. You may even be starting to feel distinctly different, but could be passing this off as your imagination.
If you haven t already confirmed you are pregnant with a urine test, week 5 is the time to do it. Remember, the best time to check is with your first wee in the morning, when your levels of pregnancy hormone (HCG) will be at their highest. Home pregnancy tests are up to 97 % accurate if they're followed exactly as per recommendations.
Should I go to the Doctor at 5 weeks pregnant?
Many women don t have their first ante-natal appointment until the end of the first trimester. If you do go to your doctor or midwife now, they will be able to work out your baby's due date. Alternately, check with one of the on-line calculators which will ask you to type in the first day of your last period and then estimate your EDD (Estimated Date of Delivery). The countdown has officially begun!
Although early pregnancy symptoms are fairly classic, e.g. nausea, wanting to wee a lot more frequently, many women just describe just a sensation of feeling strange, as if they are not quite "with it". Even your partner may have noticed you being a bit more sensitive and moody than normal. Although you don t look any different, you are officially in your 2nd month of pregnancy, with only 7 more to go!
5 weeks pregnant symptoms
- You may be feeling very similar to how you did last week with no changes at all. Don t worry. Every woman is different and will have her own unique experience of pregnancy.
- You could be feeling some morning sickness, especially when you first wake up in the morning or when it's been a while since you've eaten. You may even get to the point of vomiting or feeling on the verge of it at various times through the day.
- You may be feeling faint or lightheaded and need to sit down more. This may be worse if your blood sugar level is low and it has been some time since you have had a meal.
- Your sense of smell may be very sensitive and odours you're not even usually aware of, have a powerful effect on your nostrils. Perfumes, food, car fumes, someone else's body odour can really be enough to make you feel physically ill.
- You may feel a heavy, full sensation in your uterus, similar to the week when your period is due. This is because of the pelvic engorgement and increased blood supply to your uterus.
- The placenta and amniotic sac are still forming when you are 5 weeks pregnant. They will help to protect the baby, feed and nourish it as well as provide all the essential factors which help support it to term. This is all going on in your uterus and will account for the sensation of fullness you could be feeling.
- You may be feeling a bit teary and prone to emotional meltdowns this week. You could be feeling a whole range of emotions, many of them at the same time. Excitement, joy, worry, guilt. This is a big week emotionally, especially if you have been planning to conceive and you find out you are.
- Conversely, you may not be feeling all that joyful at all. Not every woman is delighted to find out she is pregnant and this may be a week of disappointment for you. It can be very confronting for lot of women to have a pregnancy confirmed and it can take a while to come to terms with a positive result.
- You may start to worry that everything is alright with the baby and with your own health. This is a confronting time because much of what you are going through may be new and unfamiliar. You may even be worried about how your partner is feeling or how your pregnancy may affect your relationship.
5 week pregnant baby changes
- This week your little embryo is the size of an orange seed or a nail head and can just be seen on an ultrasound.
- The baby looks like a tadpole and has a primitive heart which has already started beating and circulating blood around its little body. It is sometimes possible to see the heartbeat on an ultrasound when you are 5 weeks pregnant. Vaginal ultrasounds pick up more detail than abdominal ones at this stage.
- Although the heart doesn t look like it eventually will with its 4 chambers, the tube like channels which are present now are doing a perfect job.
- Your baby's brain and spinal cord are forming but are still open. They are yet to close.
Tips for 5 weeks pregnant
Remember to take your pre-natal vitamins with folic acid every day. Week 5 is when your baby's neural tube (brain and spinal cord) are open but by next week will be closed.
Avoid taking any medication unless they are absolutely necessary and your doctor or pharmacist has given you the ok. Some drugs are harmful to embryonic development.
Try to rest when you can. You may be feeling extremely tired and the best way to deal with this is to sleep and take it easy if possible.
FAQ
Is it too early to tell people I m pregnant?
It's really up to you whether to tell your family and friends you are pregnant. The first 12 weeks of pregnancy can be a risky time and not all pregnancies continue to term. It is a very personal decision for couples when to share the news with others, they are expecting a baby. Many wait until after the 12th week when the risk of miscarrying is reduced.
The only symptom I have is my breasts are sore, is that normal?
It's normal at 5 week pregnant for breasts to feel heavier and more sensitive. You might not be able to lie on your tummy like you usually do to go to sleep because your breasts are so tender.
Written and reviewed by Jane Barry, midwife and child health nurse on 12/01/20
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If you are in week 5 of your pregnancy...
Your baby's due date: April 27 - May 09, 2022
Baby's star sign: Taurus
Chinese year: Tiger
Famous people born around your baby's birth date:
- Sigmund Freud
- Duke Ellington
- Billy Joel
Last Published* December, 2022
*Please note that the published date may not be the same as the date that the content was created and that information above may have changed since.
