Five Weeks Pregnant
Week 5 is the first of your second month of pregnancy! There is no doubt about it now: You've passed any at-home pregnancy test thrown your way, and your symptoms have begun to affect your life. Fatigue and nausea are two of the most common symptoms and can have a real impact on your mood, productivity, and ability to focus. For these reasons, it is important to eat a healthy diet and commit to some daily exercises (doctor approved).
Not only can a healthy diet improve your symptoms, but this period of development requires essential nutrients--especially folic acid--to ensure baby's wellness and survival. By week 6, the neural tube (think brain and spinal cord) will begin to close, and this process requires folic acid intake. Spina bifida and other neural tube defects can cause serious complications and even death. Although folic acid intake is not a guarantee for neural tube closure, women who plan to get pregnant should make sure to supplement their diets.
You may be feeling as if you have an "I'm pregnant!" sign on your forehead, even if you haven't told many people. Although you don't look pregnant yet, your symptoms won't let you forget. Baby is making life interesting with frequent trips to the bathroom, changes in appetite, and a constant desire to nap. In these early weeks, pregnancy can be challenging, but it does get better.