Five Weeks Pregnant
If I'm being honest, I've had so many moments this past week where I've thought... What on earth am I doing writing a blog about this and making it PUBLIC?! I mean, I'm only 5 weeks, it's very early, what if this grand plan of a weekly blog through to birth in March becomes a 2-3 post series which winds up in pregnancy loss? 1 in 4 pregnancies ends in miscarriage. I've had one before, I could have one again.
But then I remember... this is the whole point. This is about sharing and being vulnerable and authentic, no matter the outcome. If I get to blog through to 40 weeks, that will be amazing. And if I don't, there'll be some other mum who reads this and feels heard and understood because she too didn't get to see her pregnancy story through to 40 weeks 💔
On a brighter note, the girls are already in love with our little baby, and will kiss my belly to say goodnight to baby when they go to bed 🥰 So precious!!
What symptoms am I feeling?
This would usually be when mum's progesterone levels drop, she gets her period and the new menstrual cycle begins. Instead, progesterone levels stay high (or perhaps get even higher) to support the developing baby until the placenta is ready to take over. If she has a regular cycle and hasn't been tracking her fertility, the missed period may be her first clue that she's pregnant. Some women start to experience a variety of symptoms which can include sensitive breasts, headaches, fatigue, bloating, nausea and vomiting. For others, the symptoms will start a little later, and some don't have any symptoms at all.
It's been a very "normal" week for me actually. I have felt a bit off a couple of mornings until I eat enough / until what I eat actually takes effect. A bit more tiredness too, but we've been so flat out with moving and cleaning and all the things that I couldn't really say whether the tiredness is pregnancy-related or not!
I am still checking my basal body temperature (BBT) daily, which gives me some reassurance that all is well. This was a huge help for me during my first pregnancy after loss, since a continued higher reading in the first 10 weeks or so will indicate that the progesterone is still high and the pregnancy is being supported. It's not completely reliable, especially as you get further along, but it can give some peace of mind, or at least help you to know if there's something going on or not.
How has baby been developing this week?
Baby has now reached the embryo phase in medical terminology and is about 2mm long. The neural cord is beginning to form and the top end of the tube enlarges to form the beginnings of the brain. The endoderm layer of cells grows to form a yolk sac which provides nourishment to the body until the developing umbilical cord is ready to get to work. The yolk sac will then be reabsorbed into the body to form the lungs, liver, bowel and bladder.
What am I doing to prepare?
I'd planned this would be the week I'd get in touch with a provider, but between moving out and moving in, taking down and setting up, normal daily things with kids, AND... car rego, repairs and etc., etc... talking about providers and who to contact hasn't made it to the top of the "to-do" list. Next week though! I want to make sure I still have options before they book out!
I feel a bit like I haven't done anything for the pregnancy this week, but thinking back that is not true. My everyday life includes prioritising hydration and nutrition, which are so important for supporting pregnancy! I had a terrible habit of getting so busy in the mornings that I would realise after a few hours I hadn't drunk anything yet. To change that around, I started keeping a water bottle right next to my bed, and making having a big drink of water the first thing I do when I get up! Nutrition-wise, even though things have been crazy with moving and we have got takeaway when we've needed to, overall we are still eating really well. We haven't missed a day of our normal breakfast, which is a big serving of meat and eggs with some veggies. Protein early in the day is so good for you, and protein is absolutely essential in supporting a healthy pregnancy and good brain development.
A favourite resource:
The Great Birth Rebellion podcast (here on YouTube or search it on your favourite podcast platform)
Dr Melanie Jackson, "Melanie the Midwife" is a practicing private midwife in Sydney with a degree in research. She looks into birth-related topics and gives an evidence-based breakdown of what to expect and what your options are. There are 157 episodes so far, so chances are if you're interested in something particular, she'll have touched on it! Hospital birth, homebirth, freebirth, VBAC, pre-eclampsia, water birth, ultrasounds, hypnobirthing, and much, much more!
And that’s it for this week! 🌿💛