PREGNANCY WEEKLY Pregnancy weekly will take you through this journey of nine months to make you aware of all the changes taking place in you, your baby and your life. It is a journey full of experiences.

Pregnancy Weekly | Week 5

Fetal development - 5 weeks pregnant/3 weeks fetus

• How is my baby developing at 5 weeks?
• What will my baby look like?
• What will be the changes in me?
• What should I eat at this time?
• What are the things that I should do?
• What is ectopic pregnancy?

What is actually happening to your baby in these weeks? 

• Pregnancy is not showing at this time but
• Your tiny embryo has a head end and a tail end.

  Note: Experts say every baby grows differently. This information gives you a general idea about fetus growth

• It is taking oxygen from the developing placenta and the bag of membranes (amniotic sac) is also developing.
• The baby’s heart is formed and has begun to beat and pump blood. The heart is already divided into chambers and will find a regular rhythm soon.
• The embryo itself is about a quarter of an inch/ half a centimeter long and looks more like a tadpole. It will undergo a growth spurt this week. Right now it is no bigger than a rice seed.
• The embryo has a curved back like the letter ‘C’ .
• The central nervous system, muscles and skeletal system are also taking form.
• The embryo's upper and lower limb buds begin to form -- these will form your baby's arms and legs which will grow slowly over next 2-3 weeks to reach the midline.
• Major organs, including the kidneys and liver, begin to grow.
• You can also notice a small opening on the face area. This will be your baby’s mouth and below this are forming two small folds that will form the neck and the lower jaw finally. So the features of your baby are already falling in place.
• As early as this week, facial features are already forming. Nostrils are becoming distinct and the earliest version of the eyes retinas are forming.

APPEARANCE

Here the embryo looks no bigger than a grain of rice. At this stage the head can be distinguished clearly from the body. The embryo has a curved back, like the letter ‘C’ with a stripe down it.

Medications

Avoid using over-the-counter cough and cold medicines. Many contain alchohol – some as much as 25%

Nutrition

Be careful on nutrition. Take our tips for morning sickness, and eat whatever you can judiciously. Do not worry about the weight gain but eat healthy.