5 Weeks Pregnant: Natural Pregnancy

Are you starting to feel pregnant? Your body is working hard to meet the demands of your new little boss and you are probably feeling more tired than usual. This is especially likely if you are already a mom and six billion times more likely if you are already a mom and you have a full-time career. Try to rest when you can, even if it’s just a half hour during your lunch break or after work. The idea of dragging your butt to the gym or outdoors for a walk may seem cruel and unusual but mild to moderate exercise can actually help ease your fatigue by improviing circulation, delivering oxygen to your brain and muscles and improving your mood.

Around this time, the little person responsible for all that fatigue is starting to resemble... well... a person! Only about the size of a sesame seed, the mass of cells in your uterus has taken a definite shape. Your baby’s neural tube, from which will develop her brain, spinal cord and nerves, is forming and a bump in the embryo’s midsection encloses the cells that will form her heart. The embryo is now receiving nutrients through her placenta so it is especially important to be mindful of your diet and drug intake – caffeine, nicotine, alcohol and drugs of both prescription and over-the-counter strength can all have negative effects. You will soon learn that a lot of over-the-counter remedies are not safe for pregnant women. A cruel joke: just when you’re riddled with symptoms, there’s nothing you can take. Some great natural cures are out there, but it’s important to know even herbal remedies can be dangerous. Read labels on all medicines and talk to your doctor or midwife about substitutes that are safe for expecting women.

More Pregnancy Links:

• Join our Pregnant Moms Group
• Baby Girl Names
• Baby Boy Names
  

Our pregnancy calendar is researched & written by our Pregnancy Editor, Dara Duff-Bergeron. Although she rocks, she is not a health care professional. It's just for entertainment purposes and any recommendations or information provided should not be used as a substitute for the real deal - a trained medical professional.

About the Author
Dara is a women’s fitness expert and a pre and postnatal specialist. Visit Dara at Belly Bootcamp (www.bellybootcamp.ca)

About the Author Posted by EMVA in Pregnancy Calendar on March 23, 2010 More from this author  |