In week five, life tends to continue as it did before. You may not feel any different and wish you’d start feeling or looking pregnant, yearning for some symptom as proof of the life growing inside of you. Alternatively, you may be experiencing a few - or all - of the early pregnancy symptoms, mentioned below, yet wish to keep your symptoms and growing belly under wraps for as long as humanly possible.
Increased hCG levels: the pregnancy hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), is responsible for setting your pregnancy in motion and will be present in both your urine and blood. This is what will result in a positive pregnancy test!
Morning Sickness, nausea, or vomiting: this notorious pregnancy symptom can vary drastically from pregnancy to pregnancy and despite the name may not be limited to the morning hours. Nausea may or may not be accompanied by vomiting and can be triggered by hunger, strong smells… or at times seemingly nothing at all.
Food aversions: the evil twin of food cravings, food aversions may have you running from the hills when presented with certain menu items. Common culprits include foods with strong scents or unique textures such as meat, coffee, or eggs.
Tender, swollen, sore, or tingling breasts: you may experience some sensitivity in your breasts and nipples as your body makes preparations for eventually producing breast milk. This process happens whether or not you decide to breastfeed and is just one example of how our amazing bodies are designed to care for our babies.
Darkened areola: the colored portion around your nipple is called the areola and you may notice some slight (or significant) darkening during pregnancy. It is believed that this may occur to make the breasts easier for newborns to find.
Cramps: often associated with your period, cramping may set off your internal alarm bells, thinking that something is wrong – but it can be a perfectly normal symptom as your body stretches and relaxes into its new role as a baby incubator.
Spotting: it’s possible that you will notice some light spotting. This may be accompanied by some mild cramping, but the bleeding will generally be lighter in both volume and color without a consistent flow. If you're concerned, reach out to your midwife or healthcare practitioner.
Frequent urination: later in your pregnancy your growing baby will put pressure on your internal organs resulting in a need to empty your bladder more frequently. At this stage, however, your need to pee is a result of changing hormones.
Constipation: the hormone progesterone relaxes your muscles, including those found in your digestive system. This is so your body will have time to absorb the nutrients needed for your growing baby but has the unfortunate side effect of making it more difficult to evacuate your bowels, which may result in some constipation.
Fatigue: Making a baby is hard work! Even in the early weeks, you may find yourself exhausted. Be sure to listen to your body and get some rest whenever you can.
Metallic taste in mouth: this symptom is called dysgeusia. While generally not a concern during pregnancy it is worth noting to your medical care provider as it could signal an underlying health condition. Most likely though, it only means that some of your favorite foods may taste a little funky for a while.
Mood Swings: hormone fluctuations may leave you feeling extreme emotions from joy to irritation; sometimes switching without warning. If your reactions seem to be irrational, know that your growing baby may be the explanation.
No Symptoms: early pregnancy is associated with a flood of symptoms as your body begins undergoing some drastic changes. However, some individuals may experience very few symptoms or even none at all!
