All about baby
Even at this minute size, all of your baby's major organs are beginning to develop. Its primitive heart has begun to beat and is dividing into chambers.
Your baby's facial features are beginning to form and buds have appeared that will become arms and legs. Its brain and nervous system are evolving and the neural tube, which will later become the spinal cord, is fusing.
While all these amazing changes occur, your baby is floating gently in amniotic fluid and a tiny umbilical cord has connected itself to the placenta, which is now developing rapidly.
- Measures about 1.5 - 2.5 mm
Over to you
The excitement of finding out you're pregnant may not have faded yet, but the reality of pregnancy may well have set in if symptoms like morning sickness have started to make an appearance .
Most women will experience some form of nausea during pregnancy, usually in the first trimester. The exact cause isn't known but increased levels of hormones, changes in digestion and blood pressure, and tiredness are all thought to be possible triggers.
Morning sickness - or any-time-of-the-day-or-night sickness as it should be called! - can be anything from feeling a bit queasy to physically vomiting. Some women only have it at certain times of the day, for some it's sporadic and others can suffer all day and night.
Occasionally sickness can become severe. Some pregnant women suffer from hyperemesis gravidarum, vomiting more than once a day and not being able to hold anything down. Dehydration becomes a cause for concern and medical intervention is necessary to protect the health of mother and baby. The good news is that most pregnancy sickness subsides after the first trimester, and if you need further cheering up it's often said to be a good sign of a strong pregnancy.
In the know
Beat morning sickness now:
- Eat small, frequent meals every two hours, including plenty of carbs such as toast, bananas, baked potatoes, muesli and wholegrain breakfast cereals
- Keep some dry crackers or ginger biscuits by your bed to munch on before getting up to settle your stomach and stabilise your blood sugar levels
- Avoid strong smells, fatty foods, spicy foods – let your instincts guide you
- Avoid alcohol, cigarettes and limit coffee to two cups a day
- Drink sweet juices or plain water, or try peppermint or ginger tea instead of your usual caffeine fix. Make your own ginger tea by adding 1 or 2 tablespoons of fresh, peeled and grated ginger to boiled water. Allow it to steep for a few minutes, then add honey to sweeten.
- Take 50 milligrams of vitamin B6 supplement twice a day
- Try travel bands, designed to help with motion sickness, can also relieve morning sickness
- Acupuncture, reflexology and homeopathic remedies can also help
Go to next week's article: Pregnancy Week 6
Please note that the contents of this section are for information only and are not intended as medical advice or as a substitute to your doctor's advice. For medical care and advice, you should consult your doctor on a regular basis. If you have any problem which concerns you, consult your doctor immediately.
