5 weeks pregnant

What to expect this week

What's happening in week five

Five weeks in, and you might now be feeling quite a few of the signs of pregnancy!

Your baby at five weeks

How annoying is it when unborn babies' growth is described in terms of fruit or vegetables? Very, but sorry, your little one is currently rocking an apple pip vibe in terms of size – but not for long!

At five weeks gestation, they will be around 5mm long, and their heart, brain and spine will be developing at a pace. Soon, your baby's heart will actually start beating, and if you have an early scan in the coming weeks, you would see it flickering on the monitor.

Your baby’s head is also seeing signs of development with the neural tube developing (the start of the connection between their spinal cord and brain) which will help to regulate your baby’s vital functions along with heart rate and blood supply.

Whilst your baby might currently resemble a tiny tadpole, their limbs are also starting to develop with nubs starting to turn into small limp flippers, the precursor to arms and legs forming.

You at five weeks pregnant

The signs of early pregnancy might have kicked in by now, but some women with an irregular cycle might still be in the dark as to what is causing the sickness, nausea, overwhelming tiredness and uncomfortable boobs! It will get better, so hang on in there!
If you know you are pregnant, you might be feeling a bit worried or anxious about how your pregnancy is progressing, particularly as you will not have had a scan or ante-natal checks at this stage. Try and relax, eat healthily and get plenty of rest, but do have a chat with your GP if you have any worries.
Some mums-to-be will spot or bleed early in pregnancy – have a read of our early pregnancy pages if you are concerned about this. Rarely, it could be a sign of ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage, so it is always best to get it checked out.

What to think about in week five

If you now know you are pregnant, you might be wondering if you can still safely exercise and continue to do all your usual activities. Keeping fit and active is really important in pregnancy, both for you and your baby's health, and potentially for an easier labour and delivery, too. If you currently regularly work out, unless it is something very high risk or a contact sport, you will be fine to continue at your own pace, but do have a look at our page on exercise in pregnancy for more information and advice. It would also be wise to speak to your trainer or gym staff about how you should adapt your work out regime now you are expecting, just to be on the safe side.