Your pregnancy week-by-week: Week 5

Your pregnancy week by week | Your pregnancy in week 5

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Many women find that their sense of smell becomes especially sensitive, and you may sometimes feel as if your mouth is filling with saliva.

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You are now 5 weeks pregnant or in your 6th week if that's how you're counting it

How is your baby growing?

Your baby is now about 5mm long, and weighs less than 1g.

This week your baby's tiny heart starts to beat and pump blood. Major organs, including the kidneys and liver, begin to grow - and the neural tube, which connects the brain and spinal cord, will close this week.

Your baby's limb buds begin to sprout - these will develop into arms and legs - and facial features are also beginning to form.

How are you feeling?

Most women find that pregnancy symptoms start this week. You're likely to notice nausea and/or vomiting at any time of the day - not just in the morning - and you may begin to experience food cravings or aversions.

Top tips

It's a good idea to take a folic acid supplement before you become pregnant as this reduces the risk of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, which occur when the neural tube fails to close completely.

Although neural tube defects are very rare, the Department of Health recommends a daily 400-mcg supplement of folic acid form conception until you are 12 weeks pregnant. So even if you haven't taken it up to now, it's worth starting.