Pregnancy week 14: Week by week pregnancy guide

You’re now in week 14 of your pregnancy, and your little one is growing rapidly every day! Let’s take a look at your baby’s development in pregnancy week 14.

Pregnancy week 14: How Big is Your Baby? 

At the start of pregnancy week 14, your baby is 8.7cm long and weighs 25g. He/she is around the size of a guava. By the end of this week, your little one would have doubled in weight, and grow around another 2cm long. 

Your baby is around the size of a guava fruit. File photo. 

Your baby’s development

• While your baby’s taste buds began developing around the seventh week, research suggests that at this stage he can taste bitter, sweet, or sour flavors in the amniotic fluid.
• His roof of his mouth (palate) will be completely formed by the end of this week.
• Increased brain impulses mean that his facial muscles are “practising”. He now smiles, frowns, and grimaces.
• His hair has now grown on top of his head. And while we’re on the topic of hair, he is also growing lanugo, a fine layer of downy hair, all over his body. Don’t worry about this fur mums, in the coming weeks it will shed.
• His kidneys are beginning to make urine.
• An interesting bit about this week by week pregnancy guide is this: your baby is testing his limbs by sucking his thumb and wiggling his toes.

Pregnancy Symptoms

• Because your bump is more prominent, dodging those “Are you pregnant?” questions are becoming harder.
• 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 now, though, 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!

 Pregnancy Care

• 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.

Your Checklist

• With your energy and appetite levels back again, sign up for a prenatal exercise class to get your body ready for labour.
• Now that you are beginning to show, it’s time to catch up on maternity clothing styles.

Your next week: 15 weeks pregnant

Your previous week: 13 weeks pregnant

Do you have questions on this week by week pregnancy guide? What are your current concerns, mums? Leave us a comment below!