Week 5

What’s happening this week

You...

may feel pregnant, your period is now about a week late
could take a pregnancy test, which will confirm your pregnancy for the first time
you probably feel on top of the world - but if you do feel tired or sick, don’t worry - it won’t last

Your baby...

is about 2mm long, the size of an apple seed
is developing the neural tube, which will form your baby’s brain, spine and nerves
has begun to form a heart, which will soon begin to beat.

Hormone changes in your body as the baby begins to develop may cause side effects, such as sickness or tiredness. There’s plenty you can do to keep yourself comfortable...

Feeling sick

Queasiness can start before you even realise you’re pregnant and go on for several weeks. It may strike at any time of day. It may be mild queasiness, or you can’t eat because you feel so sick. Either way, it’s miserable… and to make things worse, no-one really knows why it happens. It’s probably due to a rise in hormone levels and once this settles down, at around 12–14 weeks, the sickness usually disappears. See Week 8 for ways to feel better if sickness affects you.

Tender breasts

If your breasts experience ‘pins and needles’ or feel heavy and tender, wear a good supportive bra.

Tired all the time

Pregnancy is exhausting. You may feel a fraud when you’ve got nothing to show for it, but your body is working hard, putting energy into nourishing your growing baby. Eat regularly to keep up your energy levels, get plenty of sleep, and rest whenever you can.

Feeling faint?

You could feel light-headed, or actually faint especially when you stand up suddenly. This is due to the direct effect of the hormones of pregnancy. Your body is using up extra energy, too, and this can also cause the faintness. Don’t go for too long without eating. Try a cheese sandwich, a piece of fruit, or a glass of milk, but steer clear of sugary foods which could make the problem worse.

Bleeding

Some slight bleeding is not unusual in the early weeks of pregnancy… but it is very frightening. You may see a slight staining of a pink or brown colour, and feel some cramps. This is sometimes caused by the embryo implanting in the uterus. You might also see some spotting around the time you expect your period. If the bleeding is painless, that’s a good sign. If the bleeding is accompanied by cramps, that’s not so good.

Call your LMC straight away, even if the bleeding stops. Usually light spotting or dark brown bleeding is not considered a major problem.

You may need a check to rule out any complications and to make sure you and your baby are fine. But if there’s bright red blood or fresh bleeding, especially if it’s accompanied by pain, you will need immediate attention. It may be the sign of a miscarriage, or an ectopic pregnancy.

Get some support from a sympathetic friend or relative. Stay calm and rest.

Bending and lifting

Try not to do any heavy lifting while you are pregnant. As the pregnancy hormone relaxing makes your ligaments more pliable, they are more prone to strains. If you have to lift something:

keep your back straight
bend your hips and knees.
When you go shopping, divide what you buy into two equal loads and carry one bag in each hand.

Just a lemonade

It’s sometimes hard being the odd one out. If you don’t want to tell you are pregnant, but friends ask why you’re not drinking, try these ready-made excuses...

you don’t want to drink
tell people you’re on antibiotics
say you’re on a diet

Don’t let friends pressure you into drinking if you don’t want to.

Sex in pregnancy

Many women worry that sex could harm their baby or cause a miscarriage. If you have any bleeding in early pregnancy, your GP may advise you not to have sex until you reach 12–14 weeks. Otherwise, put your mind at rest. There is no physical reason why you and your partner cannot make love throughout your pregnancy. During intercourse, your partner’s penis cannot damage the baby in any way.

But you may go off sex. That’s normal, especially if you’re feeling sick, tired and low. This feeling may lift as pregnancy progresses and the discomforts ease. Then you may feel like making love again. Meanwhile you can still be close with kissing and cuddling.