Health & Pregnancy

Your Pregnancy Week by Week: Weeks 5-8

Week 5

Baby: Your baby is still tiny, but its heart, brain, spinal cord, muscle, and bones are beginning to develop. The placenta, which nourishes your baby, and the amniotic sac, which provides a warm and safe environment where your baby can move easily, are still forming, too. The umbilical cord forms and connects your baby to your blood supply.

Mom-to-be: You might suspect by now that you're pregnant. You may also notice some early symptoms of pregnancy:

• Feeling nauseous (called morning sickness, although it can happen at any time of day or night)
• Tingling or soreness in your breasts and darkening of your nipples
• Needing to pee more often
• Feeling more tired than usual

Tip of the Week: You'll want to schedule a visit to your ob-gyn as soon as you suspect you're pregnant. Starting prenatal care early and keeping up with your appointments is a large step toward having a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.

Week 6

Baby: Your baby is shaped like a tadpole, and it's about the size of a BB pellet. The eyes and limb buds are forming. During an ultrasound, your doctor may be able to hear a heartbeat. Between days 17 and 56 is a vulnerable time, because that's when the baby is most susceptible to anything that can affect normal growth.

Mom-to-be: You may have gained a few pounds by now. Or if you're having morning sickness you may have lost weight -- that's normal, too. You may start noticing some changes in your body: clothes getting a little tighter around your waist, fuller legs and breasts. With a pelvic exam, your doctor will notice a change in the size of your uterus.

Tip of the Week: Follow good prenatal habits each day, like eating healthfully and taking prenatal vitamins. If you haven't already, stop smoking and drinking alcohol.

Week 7

Baby: Your baby is growing. Limb buds appear that will grow into hands and feet. Many parts continue to develop: heart, lungs, intestines, appendix, brain, spinal cord, nostrils, mouth, and eyes.

Mom-to-be: You're still not "showing," but by now you're really feeling the changes in your body. You may still have morning sickness, and your breasts probably still feel tingly and tender.

Tip of the Week: Never let your stomach get completely empty -- that will help you from feeling queasy. Keep snacks on hand around the clock, and eat lots of little meals rather than three big ones. To prevent a drop in blood sugar, eat some protein, like adding cheese to crackers.

Week 8

Baby: Your baby is now about in its sixth week of development. It's a big week for growth. Eyelid folds and ears are forming. Your baby develops little webbed fingers and toes and can even swim around in your womb.

Mom-to-be: Your blood volume is increasing, and your heart is pumping 50% more blood per minute for your baby. Common symptoms for this week are moodiness and queasiness from certain smells.

Tip of the Week: Wear a supportive bra. Good breast support during pregnancy will help you feel more comfortable and prevent future sagging. Exercises to keep your chest muscles toned can be useful, too.

What's Happening Inside You?

Your baby's facial features continue to develop. Each ear begins as a little fold of skin at the side of the head. Tiny buds that eventually grow into arms and legs are forming. So are fingers and toes.

The neural tube (brain, spinal cord, and other nerve tissue) is well formed. The digestive tract and sensory organs begin to develop. Bone starts to replace cartilage.