The browser you are using is too old for our website. Please visit www.aptaclub.ie from Chrome and you will be able to browse normally.

Pregnancy

      5 Weeks Pregnant: Pregnancy Symptoms & Baby Development

      Cheese

      5 Weeks Pregnant: Pregnancy Symptoms & Baby Development

      Read time: 4 minutes

       

      5 weeks pregnant is how many months?

      sc-behind-temperature.jpg

      Month 2 (Trimester 1)

      foetus-icon.svg

      Baby development at 5 weeks

      Your baby’s vital organs are developing fast, including their heart.

      notes-icon.png

      Vitamin A

      Discover the role Vitamin A plays in your baby’s development.

      carrot-icon.png

      Keeping healthy

      Learn how to stay active safely throughout your pregnancy.

      Baby development at 5 weeks

      Foetus Pregnancy Week 8

       

      What does my baby look like? And, what size is my baby?

      In week 5 of pregnancy, your baby, technically called an embryo, measures a little over 1mm long – that’s roughly the size of a sesame seed. But already their brain, spinal cord and blood vessels are beginning to develop, albeit on a microscopic scale. Their circulatory system is also developing and it’s at around the end of week 5 that your baby’s heart starts to beat.

      Meanwhile, the umbilical cord, which will deliver nutrients to your baby, is beginning to form. The amniotic sac, soon to be filled with a clear, pale fluid to cushion your baby, starts to take shape too.

      Pregnancy at 5 weeks (first trimester)

      What’s happening in my body?

      This may be the week that you find out for certain that you’re pregnant. If you’re not convinced by the absence of your period or other symptoms such as tender breasts and tiredness, at 5 weeks your hormone levels should be high enough to confirm the news on a home pregnancy test.

      Early pregnancy symptoms at 5 weeks

      Tired young woman sleeping on soft sofa

      Early pregnancy symptoms vary from person to person. At 5 weeks, you may experience any of the following signs of pregnancy, or no symptoms at all:

      Your breasts may become larger and feel sore. You may also find your nipples stick out more than usual and darken in colour as your body begins to prepare for breastfeeding. 

      During the first 12 weeks, hormonal changes can leave you feeling tired or exhausted. 

      Morning sickness affects up to 80% of mums-to-be in the first trimester. It can strike at any time of the day or night and varies from mild nausea to sickness throughout the day.

      The pregnancy hormone progesterone slows down your digestion which can lead to bloating and excess gas.

      Light cramping and spotting are common in the early stages of pregnancy. If the pain becomes severe (stronger than period cramps) or if bleeding becomes heavy, you should talk to your GP.

      Frequent trips to the bathroom are one of the most common symptoms of early pregnancy, as your growing uterus begins to put pressure on your bladder.

      Pregnancy hormones, oestrogen and progesterone, soar during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, affecting how you’re feeling emotionally. Get plenty of rest and light exercise to keep you feeling like yourself.

       

      Focus on vitamin A

      A healthy, balanced diet should provide all the vitamin A your baby needs. 

      What you need to be more aware of is not getting too much of this vital but potent nutrient, which in large amounts may cause development problems in your unborn baby.

      Yoghurt With Fruit And Berries

      It’s best to eat a balanced diet that includes the following sources of vitamin A:

      • Cheese
      • Some yogurts (those with a higher fat content)
      • Eggs
      • Fortified low-fat spreads
      • Green, leafy vegetables, such as kale and spinach
      • Cantaloupe melon, mangoes and apricots
      • Orange and yellow vegetables, including carrots, peppers, sweet potatoes, butternut squash and pumpkin

      The richest sources of vitamin A, including liver, liver pâté and non-pregnancy supplements that contain it, should be avoided. If you’re taking a multivitamin, switch to a prenatal multivitamin that’s tailored to the needs of you and your baby.

      THE
      SCIENCE
      BEHIND

      VITAMIN A

      Powered by Nutricia

      Vitamin A is essential to the development of cells, skin, healthy vision the immune system and fetal growth. It’s available in two forms: as retinol from animal products, and from carotenoids, a group of substances found in brightly coloured fruit and vegetables that the body can convert into vitamin A.

      chicken-icon.svg

      How much weight should I gain during pregnancy?
       

      Weight gain during pregnancy depends on your pre-pregnancy weight, and varies a great deal from mother to mother. Most women gain between 10kg and 12.5kg (22–28lb) while pregnant, some of which is the weight of the growing baby. Learn everything you need to know about weight gain in pregnancy.

      LEARN MORE

      If you haven’t been to see your GP yet, you should make an appointment so they can start planning your antenatal care, including your first ultrasound scan.

      personal-pregnancy-journey-icon-circle.png

      Your baby, this week

      Discover the science behind your baby's developments, week-by-week

      Join now for free

      Read next:

       

      Your baby's future health begins here

      Your baby's future health begins here

      At Aptaclub, we believe that experience helps to build resilience; that
      each new encounter, whether in pregnancy or after birth, can shape your
      baby’s future development. With our scientific expertise and one-to-one
      round the clock support, we can help you and your baby embrace tomorrow.

      Join Aptaclub

      Questions about feeding and nutrition?

      Our nutritionists and feeding advisors are always on hand to talk about feeding your baby. So if you have a question, just get in touch.

      Your baby, this week

      Discover the science behind your baby's developments, week-by-week

      Join now for free

      Your privacy is important to us and therefore we would like to explain how we use cookies on this website. With your consent, we will use cookies to measure and analyse how our website is used (analytical cookies), to tailor it to your interests (personalisation cookies), and to show you relevant advertising and information (targeting cookies) we think you will like. For more information please read the cookie statement.

      Privacy Settings

      You can choose your preferences anytime for cookies and tracking. For more information please read our cookie policy.

      • Strictly necessary

        They are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services (setting your privacy preferences, logging in, filling in forms, etc.). You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.

      • Analytical cookies

        They allow us to count visits and traffic sources, to measure and improve the performance of our site. They show us which pages are the most and least popular and how visitors move around the site. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance.

      • Personalisation cookies

        They enable website’s enhanced functionality and personalization. They may be set by us or by third parties whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies, some or all of these services may not function properly.

      • Targeting cookies

        They may be set through our site by our advertising partners, to build a profile of your interests and to show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.