You’re now in your fourth month and your little one is growing rapidly daily. Let’s look at your baby’s development in week 14 of pregnancy.
Pregnancy Week 14: Baby
Your baby’s head is getting bigger in the second trimester, but it will still be some time before it’s fully formed. The soft spot on top of their head—called the fontanelle—is still open. That’s why you can feel them move around so much in there! It’s cool to feel your little one move around and poke around in there.
Your baby is starting to develop their eyes, which means they can see the light through the womb. This is a big deal because it means they are aware of what’s going on around them! They won’t just be able to see your face or hear your voice—they’ll be able to see everything that goes on in your life too!
Baby’s Growth
At the start of pregnancy, week 14, your baby is 8.7 cm long and weighs 25 g. They are around the size of a lemon or guava. By the end of this week, your little one would have doubled in weight and grown around another 2 cm long.
It has fully formed arms and legs, but they are still soft and flexible. The baby’s skin is thin and transparent, which makes it possible to see its internal organs.
The baby’s bones are hardening as calcium builds up in them. Its eyes are open, but it can’t yet focus on objects outside the womb. The ears have begun to take shape and form a protective cover called an auricle. The lungs are developing rapidly, as are the liver and digestive system.
The placenta continues to work hard in the womb—it produces hormones that help regulate the baby’s growth rate while providing nutrients through the umbilical cord that connects them.
Your baby is around the size of guava fruit—file photo.
Baby’s Development
- While your baby’s taste buds begin developing around the seventh week, research suggests that they can taste bitter, sweet, or sour flavours in the amniotic fluid at this stage.
- The roof of their mouth (palate) will be completely formed by the end of this week.
- Increased brain impulses mean that their facial muscles are “practising”. They now smile, frown, and grimace.
- Their hair has now grown on top of their head. And while we’re on hair, they are also growing lanugo, a fine layer of downy hair, all over their body. Don’t worry about this fur, mums. In the coming weeks, it will shed.
- Their kidneys are beginning to make urine.
- An interesting bit about this week-by-week pregnancy guide is this: your baby is testing their limbs by sucking their thumb and wiggling their toes. It may be too early to feel their kicks, but your baby moves a lot in your womb.
Baby’s Hearing
The bones in your baby’s middle ear are forming. The eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the back of the throat, is developing.
Your baby can hear sounds from as far away as 300 feet away! That’s like hearing a conversation in another room with no walls between you.
Your baby’s brain is growing rapidly now, and she’s starting to recognise some sounds. She may even tell the difference between your voice and your partner’s!
Baby’s Teeth
The baby’s jaw begins to harden, so the teeth will begin to come in. The baby’s mouth is already forming inside your belly and starting to form teeth — though they won’t be visible until later in your pregnancy or even after you give birth.
Baby’s Movement
It’s time to get excited about your baby’s movements.
You might have had a little flutter for a while now, but this is the week when you can feel your little one moving around. And trust us: it’s normal if you’re still not used to it yet.
It’s common for women to start feeling their babies move around this time, but it’s not always easy to tell that it’s the baby, not gas or something else.
The best way to tell if what you are feeling is your baby moving is to get familiar with how your body feels when you digest food or do other physical things.
Pregnancy Week 14: Your Body
You’re in week 14 of pregnancy, your baby is growing fast, and your body is doing a lot of work to support it. Your baby is about the size of a lemon and weighs half a pound—and it’s constantly changing. The bones are developing, as are the kidneys and intestines. Your baby’s eyes are still closed, but they’ll open up soon—and you’ll be able to see them through your belly!
The placenta is getting ready to start working on all those vitamins and nutrients that will help your baby grow up big and strong. It’s also creating hormones that help regulate blood pressure and control blood sugar levels (which means fewer trips to the bathroom the farther along you get!).
And hey: don’t forget about YOU! Your body has been through a lot this past month or so, but it’s doing great things for itself and your baby. That being said… if things aren’t going so well, it might be time to talk with your doctor about what changes need to happen so that you AND your little one have a happy (and healthy) pregnancy experience.
Symptoms
The second trimester is called the honeymoon phase of pregnancy. So you will enjoy most of the perks while still dodging some unwanted symptoms at week 14 of pregnancy.
- Because your bump is more prominent, dodging those “Are you pregnant?” questions are becoming harder to dismiss.
- Now you’re hungry again. The queasiness has probably disappeared (Yay!), and as you regain your appetite, your energy levels will increase. (This is the best news in this week-by-week pregnancy guide for you, mum!)
- You are feeling aches and pains, especially in the back and abdominal area. That is because your muscles and ligaments are stretching to accommodate your growing baby.
- Your hair is thicker and shinier–which is most definitely a pregnancy perk!
- Half of the pregnant women report having swollen, red, tender gums that bleed when flossed or brushed. Pregnancy gingivitis is a gum inflammation partly caused by hormonal changes, making your gums more sensitive to the bacteria in plaque.
Maternal Weight Gain
You may notice that your clothes aren’t fitting quite like they used to, or that you’re having trouble buttoning your pants. Don’t worry about that either—it’s the baby growing! Your uterus is expanding and pressing against your abdominal cavity, making it hard for your insides to keep up with the outside world. Plus, as your belly gets bigger, so do your feet and hands.
These changes are normal during this stage of pregnancy because you’re gaining weight quickly (and no one ever said being pregnant was easy). To stay comfortable during this stage of pregnancy, it’s important that you keep moving around as much as possible and drink lots of water (at least eight glasses per day).
At around42 weeks gestation (or 9 months).
Nutrition
At this point, you’re probably wondering what to eat. The good news is that it’s a little easier than it was during your first trimester. That’s because, during the first three months of pregnancy, you were told to avoid many foods containing listeria, salmonella, and other harmful bacteria. Now that your immune system has matured, it’s safe for you to eat most foods.
But don’t go crazy! It would be best if you still were cautious about what you eat and how much of it.
Folate is important for your baby’s brain development, so ensure you get enough folate-rich foods like spinach and beans.
Iron is essential for your baby’s growth and development—it helps their blood cells develop correctly, which will help them grow up into healthy adults. You can meet your iron needs by eating lean red meat or lentils regularly (or both!).
Calcium is essential for your baby’s growth—it helps build strong bones and teeth. You’ll find calcium in dairy products like milk or yoghurt and leafy green vegetables like broccoli or kale.
Image Source: iStock
Pregnancy Care: Your Checklist For Week 14 of Pregnancy
- To keep the backaches at bay remember to sit with your back upright; light yoga or pilates may also help ease the discomfort. Avoid any intensive exercise that could cause you to fall, especially because your joints are looser than before.
- Your appetite has returned, so switch to a healthy diet (here are some recipes) and avoid greasy, fatty food.
- With your energy and appetite levels back again, sign up for a prenatal exercise class to prepare your body for labour.
- You can also schedule a visit to your dentist to have your teeth cleaned and avoid pregnancy gingivitis.
- Now that you are beginning to show, it’s time to catch up on maternity clothing styles.
- Morning sickness has come and gone, and now you can enjoy a restful sleep. If you aren’t doing it yet, start sleeping on your side.
- Since the risk of miscarriage drops during the second trimester, your chances of having a healthy pregnancy are bigger. Go ahead and start thinking of baby names for your little one. But make sure to attend your prenatal appointments regularly to ensure your and your baby’s safety throughout your pregnancy.
Your next week: 15 weeks pregnant
Your previous week: 13 weeks pregnant
Updates from Pheona Ilagan
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