Pregnancy Week 5

What’s your baby up to? 

Your wee one is now about the size of a sesame seed, measuring about 2mm long; yet the major organs are already starting to form.

The central nervous system is developing as the neural tube has started forming. The neural tube later forms your baby’s brain and spinal cord.

The circulatory system is also developing: the heart is forming, dividing into 4 chambers and starting to pump blood.

Your baby’s placenta now works together with the umbilical cord to provide nourishment and oxygen to your baby.

How are you doing?

You have officially entered the second month of your pregnancy. Your period would have been this week, but you have missed it.

If you haven’t taken a pregnancy test yet, you might very well be suspecting that you are pregnant, because the classic signs are there. Not only have you missed your period; but also increased pregnancy hormones is making you experience the symptoms of pregnancy.

What should you do this week?

If you just found out that you are pregnant, you might want to catch up on weeks 1-3, and week 4 to have a better understanding of all the amazing things that have happened in your body.

If you still haven’t taken the pregnancy test, it’s about time to do so, so you can share your good news with your partner. It’s best to get him involved as early as possible.

Find out your estimated due date (EDD) with the Due Date calculator, or by adding 280 days to the first day of your last menstrual period (LMP). A quick way of getting an estimate is:

• Get the first day of your last menstrual period,
• Add 1 year to it, subtract 3 months from your result, and then add 7 days to the final result. i.e (1 yr-3 months +7 days). The answer you get is your EDD.

Let’s say the first day of Gbemisola’s last period was on the 5th of April, 2016. Add 1 year (5th April 2017), subtract 3 months (5th Jan 2017), add 7 days (12th January 2017). Gbemisola will be due on the 12th of January 2017.

This is known as the Naegele’s rule, and works on two assumptions: that a woman’s cycle is 28 days long, and that a pregnancy lasts for 40 weeks.

Don’t forget to take your folic acid. The importance of taking folic acid cannot be over emphasized. Your baby’s neural tube is forming and folic acid helps to prevent neural tube defects.

Keep doing all the right stuff. Stay off alcohol and smoking. Avoid taking any medicine without your doctor’s approval. Your baby is counting on you for all the right nutrients, so be sure to eat healthy.

Finally, stay informed, healthy and inspired, by reading  Maternity Nest.  Connect with other moms-to-be for emotional support, by joining your Due Date Club in the The Nest.