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Knowing that your pregnancy is confirmed for sure, the 5th week of your journey would be where your mind and your body begin to make way for its presence in your life. A lot of changes within the body take place at this stage and are more pronounced when you are pregnant with multiple babies. This stage might be a little frustrating and will be accompanied with some nervousness and anxiety as well. Knowing how the babies will be growing inside you and being prepared for the incoming situations can put your mind to rest and keep you calm.
When Can Twins be Detected?
You might be one of those parents eager to know the early signs of twins in 5 weeks of pregnancy. This can be possible only if the twins or multiple babies are present in their own separate sacs of placement. Detecting heartbeats at this stage and separating them might be difficult at this stage. Babies that are present inside the mother sharing a common sac of presence, can be difficult to detect since their heartbeats coalesce pretty much with each other. Moving ahead further into the 6th week of pregnancy can make it easy to detect them individually since most multiples tend to have their own sacs by this stage and their separate heartbeats can be observed. Going for an early scan should be opted for only if you are ready to pay the premium price for it.
Baby Growth at 5 Weeks
Even at about 5 weeks of pregnancy, the babies tend to be at the size of a slightly larger seed, but with intense development having taken place in the prior week. Ultrasound might reveal the shape to similar to a tadpole, which will slowly take a human form over the coming weeks. Covered with layers of endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm, the embryos begin to develop into various body parts. Teeth, hair, genital organs, nails, nervous system, blood, intestines, and numerous other parts begin to form gradually. The neural tubes of the babies begin to seal off and the portion in the upper part of the tube starts to take the shape of a cranial skull. The yolk present in the egg of the particular baby is used to initiate the umbilical cord’s source, which brings all the nutrition and oxygen required for the baby’s development.
What is the Baby’s Size?
5 weeks is still a less time for a baby to grow larger in size. Though there is a slight increase in size from before, most babies are just similar to tadpoles around the size of a seed or so.
Common Body Changes
For most women, this is the stage when the effects of pregnancy begin to be more evident. The presence of twins or multiple babies compounds this quite substantially.
- At times, you might not face any symptom as such except for a increase in belly size which happens over time. However, in most cases, nausea and going to the loo quite often begin to get stronger.
- The breasts start getting even more sensitive and tender as the hormone levels within the body take a big leap. Estrogen and progesterone begin to ramp up rapidly within the body, responding to the presence of babies inside you. This also leads to accumulation of fat layers as well as a boost in the circulation of blood towards the breasts, which causes their size to increase and making them softer.
- All these hormone fluctuations also work in manifesting a tendency to salivate a lot around this stage. These might be stronger in women pregnant with multiples. Chewing on gums that are safe for pregnant women can help keep this in check.
Symptoms of Twin Pregnancy at 5 Weeks
The signs of having twins at 5 weeks get pretty strong for women, as well as in cases where multiple babies might be present.
1. Fatigue and Exhaustion
As compared to a general pregnancy, the presence of multiple babies takes quite a lot out of the mother’s body, in matters of energy, nutrition and the intensity of the symptoms. All of these can make you feel extremely tired and exhausted beyond belief. Taking proper rest combined with some easy exercises should help you bring back your mojo.
2. Visiting the Loo Quite Often
The presence of multiple babies tends to make the uterus quite larger within a short period of time. This enlargement begins to make its presence felt on the bladder, leading it to contract a bit in order to make space for the uterus. Since this contraction results in the bladder being able to hold a smaller amount of urine, loo visits increase drastically.
3. Morning Sickness that Lasts All Day
With women carrying multiple babies, morning sickness becomes a misnomer since the feeling of nausea tends to come and go throughout the day at random times. The tendency also gets stronger with passing weeks, which can be quite frustrating for many. Keeping feel good aromas and having smaller meals frequently can help you combat this effectively.
4. Persistent Acidity
More than one baby means a larger uterus which means it can interact with other organs in the body. The stomach bears the brunt of this as well, leading to acidity and heartburn in women. An onset of constipation could worsen this further. While antacids are pretty good at mitigating such issues, choosing to take a light walk after a meal can also reduce the symptoms substantially.
5. A Stuffy Nose with Occasional Bleeding Incidents
When the blood circulation increases, it affects all parts of the body, including your nose. This can make it feel quite stuffy since it stimulates the mucous membranes inside the nostrils and forms a lot of sticky substance. This can, in certain cases, result in bleeding as well.
6. Breathlessness and Hypertension
Women with multiple babies do tend to feel out of breath numerous times and such sensation keeps getting worse as the pregnancy progresses ahead. The increase in the supply of blood and the drop in the blood pressure can result in such a situation, which can also make the heart beat faster.
Belly at 5 Weeks Pregnant with Twins
If you were to compare a woman pregnant with a single child, with a woman who is pregnant with twins or with multiple babies, the difference in size can be quite evident immediately. Not only is the belly larger, the weight that a woman gains during pregnancy also tends to be higher in case of being pregnant with more than one baby. Doctors also check for the size of the uterus, which if larger than usual, is a clear indicator for the presence of multiple babies.
5 Weeks Twin Ultrasound
Usually, an ultrasound scan is not conducted until at least 11 weeks of pregnancy are fully completed. This stage is necessary since it helps doctors get a good idea about the date you might deliver your child, as well as carry out any further tests to rule out the presence of any disorder or developmental issues. Any scan that is conducted prior to completing 8 weeks of pregnancy is usually done internally instead of the usual external method. In such a case, an ultrasound probe is inserted into the vagina of the woman and the image is procured. Such a technique makes it easier to obtain clearer and better images of the multiple babies present in the womb.
What To Eat
Mothers pregnant with multiple babies usually have a rapid increase in their appetite, leading them to be have frequent and quite intense hungry pangs. You should continue to eat as much as you need but stick to a healthy diet nonetheless. Don’t opt for a weight-loss programme or restrict any food items, since your babies need everything they can get.
Pregnancy Care Tips
As you reach 5 weeks pregnant with twins, the belly will start showing itself pretty well and make it difficult for you to navigate around. Do keep a few tips in mind around this stage of pregnancy.
Dos
- Talk to your doctor and start consuming the prescribed prenatal vitamins regularly.
- Get a dental checkup done and rule out any conditions that could complicate your pregnancy.
- Stick to a healthy diet and start a light exercise schedule right away.
Dont’s
- While giving in to your cravings once in a while is good, do your best to stay away from any kind of meat products that are undercooked or raw. Infections of any sort can be fatal to the developing babies.
- Don’t over-stress yourself at work or at home, with your pregnancy or any other issues. Keeping yourself calm is extremely important.
What You Need to Shop for
Your belly will start increasing in size within the coming weeks. Now is a good time to go out and purchase a maternity dress that would be comfortable for you. Also, start investing in skirts or other flowy dresses that would go with the seasons to come.
Being 5 weeks pregnant with twins is quite an achievement in itself. The initial stages of pregnancy can seem too tough, especially for first-time mothers with multiple babies. It is important to know that these phases will pass soon and it is important to stay calm and focus on the best times that will arrive pretty soon.
