You are 5 weeks and 4 days

This is a crucial time for your baby, as the neural tube, which will become the brain and spinal cord, is forming.

241 days until your due date

This week your baby starts growing rapidly and will look much more like a baby over the next five weeks. There are now three types of cell, each with its own job: the first will form the skin and nervous system, the second the blood vessels, muscles, and bones, and the third the entire digestive system.

Right now, the cells for the spine and nervous system are hard at work. The embryo is changing from a flat disk and starting to curl up. The edges of the groove along its back gradually meet, closing and fusing into a tube that will become the brain and spinal cord. The last parts to close are the very top of the head and then, two days later, the base of the spine.

Explainer

Folic acid and the neural tube

Getting enough folic acid in early pregnancy is essential to make sure the neural tube closes completely, with no gaps.

Time to think about

Whether to tell

You're excited, but should you tell people yet?

Most parents-to-be wait until after week 12, when the risk of miscarriage falls. You may still want to confide in family and close friends; if they're people you'd tell if you miscarried, there's no harm in sharing.
Most women don't tell their employer yet, unless severe morning sickness is affecting their work. Most wait until after the first trimester or until they start to show, but if you need time off for prenatal appointments before then, you'll have to explain why.
If your job involves a health and safety risk, such as heavy lifting or working with chemicals, tell your employer early so your role can be adapted. It's also sensible to tell your boss before office gossip about your growing waistline takes off.

Explainer

Time to adjust

Telling few people, if anyone, in the first few weeks gives you both time to come to terms with the news.

Focus on

Dads: Keeping quiet

Your first instinct on hearing your partner is pregnant may be to tell the world, especially if you're excited or nervous and want to confide in people you trust. Think twice before telling lots of people, and don't do it without talking to your partner first, although she may find some things, like morning sickness, hard to hide.

Most importantly, make sure you both agree it's the right time to tell others.

This is general information based on NHS guidance, not medical advice, and every pregnancy is different. Talk to your midwife or GP about anything that worries you. If your baby's movements slow down or change, or you have bleeding, severe pain or leaking fluid, call your maternity unit straight away. In an emergency, call 999.