Pregnancy Week 5

The heart starts beating now, and the four chambers of the heart are functioning. Blood has begun pumping, thus the baby's heart is now beating.

The umbilical cord develops, providing a means of nourishment and care for the growing
baby. The umbilical cord contains three blood vessels and carries blood between placenta and fetus. Most organ development is underway, including the lungs and brain which are beginning to form.

Arm and leg buds appear, although at this point you may not be able to recognize them
as such. However, before long they will be busily kicking and waving about.

The placenta begins to form. The placenta is attached to the inside of the uterus to the baby
by the umbilical cord. It is the transfer point between mother and baby’s blood supply.

The embryo is ¼ inch long at end of this week, close to the size of a grain of rice. It's hard to imagine all the minute detailed development that is proceeding in such a small little being.

The precursors of the eyes and ears are forming, although they are primitive forms at present. The eyes are extremely complex organs and take much time to fully develop.

Symptoms You May Feel During Week 5

Particularly those who’ve given birth before may feel bloated, but might think they are
just experiencing PMS bloating. In fact a number of early pregnancy symptoms can be mistaken for signs of an impending period.

Nausea generally starts at week six, but that doesn’t mean you might not begin feeling queasy already. One of the best remedies is to prevent it by eating frequently. An empty
stomach quickly becomes a sick stomach in early pregnancy. Keep a stash of saltine crackers on your nightstand and nibble on them as soon as you wake up. Some people swear by peppermint candies, or certain teas.

Breasts sensations are usually the initial symptom of pregnancy. Some women experience extreme breast tenderness, similar to what they might feel during PMS, or even worse while others might feel odd and tingly sensations throughout their breast at intermittent periods.

Frequent urination may be starting already, although don’t necessarily expect it. This symptom comes and goes throughout different phases of the pregnancy.

Fatigue is most likely the most problematic symptom a woman will deal with in early
pregnancy. It might be mild and not last all day every day, or you might feel completely
knocked out all day, every day for several weeks. It’s one of the most difficult of the symptoms to cope with, as life rarely just pauses for your fatigue. Look at your calendar and cancel anything too trying or overwhelming that you possibly can. Enlist help from friends and family members. Simplify household chores as much as you can. Remember to let someone else care for the cat’s litter box, due to the risk of toxoplasmosis, a blood infection. Also, always wash your hands after touching cats, and keep cats off counters.

While you shouldn’t become the pregnant hypochondriac, you should know the
symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy, as this is a serious condition and you should respond quickly to any signs of this occurrence. An ectopic pregnancy is when a fertilized egg attaches somewhere besides the uterus, typically in the fallopian tube.

Symptoms of an ectopic, or “tubal pregnancy” include sharp abdominal pain, bleeding,
gastrointestinal symptoms, or weakness or fainting. This can be a potentially life threatening event, so seek medical attention immediately when experiencing sharp pains with or without bleeding.

Visit With the Obstetrician

If you haven’t made one already, schedule your first prenatal visit with your doctor. If
you are interviewing prospective care providers, keep in mind a number of factors when
making your decision:

• How convenient is the location?
• Where do they have hospital privileges and is your hospital of choice included?
• Will you see the same provider at each visit or other members of the practice?
• Do you know others who have used the same provider and had a birth experience that you are hoping for?

You can always switch physicians later if you feel it’s just a bad connection, but doing your homework ahead of time can lessen the chance of that happening.

Preparing for Baby

Deciding when and how to tell about your blessed news is something everyone struggles with a bit. Some people chose to wait until the 12 week mark of pregnancy when the risk of miscarriage has plummeted. However, others can’t wait to share their joy. Others may decide to let in a small circle of people on their good news. Whenever you decide to share the happy news, go ahead and celebrate this most special life event!

Pregnancy Lifestyle

Dealing with fatigue and nausea is no small task, and if you have other children and or a
job, it’s even harder to deal with. Try to simplify your life as much as possible. If you usually cook from scratch, consider buying some healthy easy box or frozen meals, keep that pizza delivery number on speed dial.

Are you a compulsive cleaner? Can’t stand to skimp on the cleaning schedule?
Consider hiring some help on occasion at least during these tough early weeks, when
getting off the couch seems like a work out in itself.

The easier your schedule and chores, the easier pregnancy will be for you.

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