14 Weeks Pregnant

Congratulations on entering the second trimester! At 14 weeks pregnant, you’re now embarking on your pregnancy’s honeymoon phase, where a lot of those pesky pregnancy symptoms may start to subside. You may feel less nauseous, more energetic, and hungrier. Now is the time to do some exercise, sneak in some pending tasks, and have some fun.

Read on to learn more about what to expect when you’re 14 weeks pregnant.

Your Baby’s Development At 14 Weeks Pregnant

Your baby is ready for a growth spurt now and in the next few weeks, your tiny tot will be doubling in weight, adding a lot of inches to his/her length. Below are some of the baby development milestones that you will see at 14 weeks pregnant.

Growth in baby’s size

At 14 weeks, your baby is the size of an avocado. The average crown-to-rump length is 10.1 cm (4 in) and the average weight is 70 g (2.5 oz). 

Your baby’s legs are quite developed now and his/her head would be more erect than in the past few weeks. 

Even though your baby isn’t quite recognizable yet, he/she would have a more flattened scalp by now. Apart from this, a lot more must be happening inside you – from your baby growing toenails to his/her heart pumping around 25 quarts of blood each day.

Skeletal and muscular development

Now that your baby’s backbone has become more erect, he/she can easily stretch or flex those muscles. Your baby’s spinal cord is fully formed and now covers the entire length of the vertebral canal, with nerves between all the vertebrae.

Your baby will be straightening out his/her back and neck all the more now, while his/her nervous system is busy making connections to the muscles. 

The neck is lengthening and your baby can raise his/her head further, lifting up the chin from the chest. Even your baby’s face can move now, indicating that he/she is developing facial expressions successfully.

Increased fetal movement

Slowly but gradually, you will be able to feel fetal movements inside of you as your baby’s bones harden and develop, leading to a big growth spurt. If you could hold your baby now, he/she could fit into the palm of your hand. 

Your growing baby has enough room to play with the umbilical cord – a sign that he/she can now fully grasp objects. Your baby is also able to kick the amniotic sac or suck at his/her thumb.

Ability to hear

When you’re 14 weeks pregnant, your baby’s ears including the tiny bones inside are fully developed. This means that your baby can start hearing your voice by Week 16 of pregnancy. In fact, many studies have found that babies who hear songs in the womb tend to recognize the same voices when they are born. So, do choose your lullabies keeping that in mind.

Other baby development milestones at 14 weeks pregnant are as follows:

• The arms have grown long enough to allow your baby to place his/her hands together in front of his/her face.

• The thyroid gland is working, using iodine transported from your body via the placenta.

• The placenta undergoes a new wave of development to meet all your baby’s needs.

Since there is no actual baby fat yet, your baby’s skin would seem translucent, more paper-like. If you happen to look at your baby during this stage, you will be able to see his/her blood vessels and organs under that thin skin.

Changes In You At 14 Weeks Pregnant

At 14 weeks pregnant, you would be feeling more or less one with your body and you might be coming to terms with being pregnant. 

Below are some of the bodily changes that you may notice at 14 weeks pregnant.

Growing belly

By Week 16 of pregnancy, the placement of your uterus is going to be around halfway between your navel and your pubic bone. The ligaments that are circling your uterus are gaining more and more stretch and thickening, too. 

Reduced mood swings and nausea

At 14 weeks pregnant, you may notice that your mood swings and bouts of nausea have reduced significantly. Your skin could start glowing as well. While you might be feeling an overall sense of well-being, you may not be able to feel your baby until you reach Week 18 of pregnancy. 

Noticeable baby kicks

If this is your first baby, then you might not be able to feel your baby’s kicks until you reach Week 20 of pregnancy. Initially, your baby’s kicks may feel like gas bubbles, flutters, or popcorn popping in your stomach.

Increased weight

By now you would have a cup full of amniotic fluid inside you, making your pelvic region look heavier and firm. You would feel a lot heavier, too. At 14 weeks pregnant, your blood and fluid volumes increase, your breasts get enlarged, and your placenta develops.

Boost in libido

You might feel that your sex drive has increased at 14 weeks pregnant. However, if you have concerns about having sex during pregnancy, speak to your doctor to determine if you need to take any precautions.

Note: During your antenatal appointment at 14 weeks pregnant, your Doctor could conduct routine blood pressure, urine, and blood tests. If your doctor sees any kind of abnormalities in your baby, he/she will advise you to go for an anomaly scan, which is performed generally between Week 18 and Week 20 of pregnancy. This test is particularly advisable for women who are at a higher risk of having a Down syndrome-affected pregnancy.

Symptoms At 14 Weeks Pregnant

Listed below are some of the pregnancy symptoms that you could experience when you’re 14 weeks pregnant.

Reduced fatigue

Now that the first trimester is over and the energy-intensive task of manufacturing the placenta is complete, you’re likely to feel more energetic. Use this time to check off some of the baby prep tasks on your to-do list. 

Relief from morning sickness

Week 14 may mark an end to your bouts of nausea and vomiting, in case these pregnancy symptoms haven’t stopped already. However, if you continue to have morning sickness, consult your Doctor.

Increased appetite

With morning sickness subsiding, pregnancy hunger starts peeking in the second semester. 

You need an additional 300-350 calories per day now for:

• Your baby’s development 

• Your body's pregnancy changes such as a higher blood volume, growing breasts and uterus, and more fat stores

Eating healthy meals and snacks at regular intervals throughout the day can help keep your blood sugar and energy levels stable.

Bleeding gums

Pregnancy gingivitis is a common pregnancy symptom in which your gums become inflamed, red, and tender, and bleed on brushing and flossing. This could occur due to hormonal changes, which make your gums more susceptible to plaque bacteria. To ease this symptom:

• Brush your teeth twice daily

• Floss daily

Round ligament pain

Your uterus has two ligaments on both sides. These ligaments stretch and thicken as your pregnancy progresses to make room for your growing baby. Because of these changes, you may experience pain in the ligaments. It can either feel like: 

• A brief, stabbing pain when you move 

• A dull ache after a long day

To feel relief from this pain: 

• Rest whenever you can 

• Check your posture and change your position from time to time

• Lightly massage the region where you feel pain

• Take a warm bath

• Wear a maternity belt for extra support 

Reduced breast tenderness 

While your breasts will continue to grow, they may not hurt as much as they did in your first trimester.

Varicose veins

These are large, swollen blood vessels that usually appear on the legs. You could develop varicose veins due to the additional blood volume that you’re producing for your baby’s development. While you may not be able to prevent this from happening, as it can be hereditary, you can minimize the impact by: 

• Wearing support stockings

• Walking regularly to improve blood circulation 

• Raising your legs above your heart level

Stuffy nose

High levels of estrogen and progesterone increase the blood flow to mucous membranes, including the nose. This causes the nose to swell up and soften. To open up your nostrils, try using a warm-mist humidifier while sleeping to ease breathing.

Thicker, glossier hair

At 14 weeks pregnant, your hair may increase in volume and appear shinier.

14 Weeks Pregnant Ultrasound

Usually, you don’t have to go in for an ultrasound at 14 weeks pregnant. Most likely, you have already had your first-trimester ultrasound and don’t need another one until the anatomy scan. The anatomy scan is also known as the mid-pregnancy ultrasound and occurs between Week 18 and Week 22. 

Your Doctor could also perform an ultrasound on Week 14 if you’re going for the amniocentesis procedure between Week 15 and Week 20. 

If you do have an ultrasound at 14 weeks pregnant, you’re likely to see the following: 

• Your baby wiggling his/her toes and sucking his/her thumb

• Functioning fetal kidneys, liver, and spleen 

• Lanugo, i.e. hair that’s thin and peach fuzz-like, which grows all over your baby’s body and helps keep him/her warm 

It may be difficult to determine the sex of your baby in the ultrasound done at 14 weeks pregnant. But you only need to wait a short time till the anatomy scan to learn if you’re having a girl or a boy. 

Belly Size At 14 Weeks Pregnant

At 14 weeks pregnant, you’re firmly in your second trimester, and you may go from looking a little bloated to properly showing. This is the time to go shopping for maternity wear.

Note that whatever your belly size is at 14 weeks pregnant, it is completely normal. The size of your belly depends on:

• Your height and figure

• Whether you’ve been pregnant before 

However, if you are concerned about any aspect of your pregnancy, consult your Doctor.

Nutrition for you

• How much weight should I gain now? If you were starting off on an average weight during the onset of your pregnancy, then you should have gained an average of 12 to 14 pounds of weight during this trimester, resulting in a total of 25 to 25 pounds of weight all throughout the pregnancy. Depending upon whether you have initiated your pregnancy with an overweight or underweight issue, then your caregiver might advise you on the right amount of weight you should be gaining by now.

•  How can I keep my weight gain on track? You can totally keep your weight gain on track by not going all over your food and eating for two. Instead, you should be focused on taking in a minimum of 340 extra calories a day – an ideal guideline for pregnancy weight gain. And yes, the total amount of calories might vary based upon your weight, activity level, and if you are carrying twins or more than twins.

Nutrition for baby

• Load up on fluids: Whenever you sweat during exercising or during any sort of vigorous activity, make it a point to compensate for the sweat loss by taking in more and more of liquids. The equation goes like this, for every half an hour of exercise, be sure to drink upon an extra glass of water or liquid to your daily total.
• Iron it up! Iron is totally important during the 16th week of pregnancy as it helps in forming or producing red blood cells, something your growing and developing body needs in plenty. Also, without having enough quantities of iron in your blood, you might become anaemic, which might make you tired often, adding to your susceptibility of illness.
• Treat up a runny nose effectively: By the 16th week of pregnancy, you might be suffering from nose stuffiness, nose congestion or nosebleeds. This is mainly happening because your body is pumping extra amounts of blood, which in turn creates havoc for your nose.
• Decrease the intake of these food groups: Anything and everything that adds to your empty calorie woes should be totally ditched. From saturated and trans fats to sweetened beverages and other refined sugars should be best avoided.

Common worries

• Nose congestion: It is just not your uterus that swells up during your pregnancy, it is also the mucous membranes of your nose that swells up due to the increased blood flow. This might result in severe nose bleeding or congestions, which at times worsens all the more as ad when the pregnancy term continues. In such a case, try a humidifier when you sleep, drink enough liquids in order to keep the passage of the nasal moist, try saline drops only after your gynecologist approves it, and lather on a few pumps of petroleum jelly around your nostrils to keep it soft and moisten.
• If you're gaining too much weight: Some women tend to gain a lot of weight quickly during pregnancy, and in such cases, it isn’t just advisable to skip meals during pregnancy or to go for a low-calorie diet. Instead, make sure to start your day with a breakfast that constitutes complex carbohydrates, fibers, healthy fats, and proteins. Your lunch must constitute of healthy vegetables, lean meat, and low-fat dairy products. Skip sugar-loaded desserts, packaged snacks, and processed foods for snacks, and instead go for plain yogurts, hummus, nut butter, baby carrot, cucumbers, apples, and bananas for a healthy evening snack. Drink water instead of drinking soda, and exercise often for a minimum of 20 to 30 minutes daily.
• If you're having a hard time gaining enough weight: In such a scenario, make it a point to drink a glass of milkshake daily to boost your calorie and calcium intake. Try and consume as much as nutrient-dense foods and eat dried fruits instead of eating a lot of fresh fruits. Do eat frequent snacks as it will help in adding pounds to your waistline.
• Backaches: As and when your baby gets big, you are bound to get that extra pressure on your lower back curves, resulting in strained back muscles. You can soothe the sore back muscles by getting a warm bath or taking a prenatal massage.
• Bleeding /sensitive gums or teeth: You might continue to suffer from sensitive teeth or gums during the 16th week of pregnancy. Often leading to inflammation of the gums, this symptom is not anything to be scared about, as this problem subsides post-giving birth to the baby. But if you simply don’t take good care of your teeth, then you need to worry as gingivitis can leads to an infection of bones and tissues and bones, called periodontitis. A condition that is often linked with preeclampsia and premature labor. Maintain good oral hygiene and brush a minimum of two times a day while gently flossing daily. This will not only help in reducing gum swelling, but it will also help in treating bleeding and soreness.

What do the experts suggest?

“You’re four weeks from the midpoint of your pregnancy. You start feeling the baby move any day now. This second trimester is sometimes called the honeymoon phase of pregnancy. You now sleep in a sounder and more peaceful manner than before. It is advised to stop sleeping on your back at this time. This means using extra pillows to support your body. The increase in blood flow throughout your body may make your face look brighter. An increase in active hormones may start making your skin oilier and shinier these days. It is referred to as the pregnancy glow.

Many women get past the morning sickness phase of their pregnancy around this time. However, other problems such as constipation, heartburn, and hemorrhoids may become a problem. If constipation becomes troublesome, be sure to eat high-fiber foods, such as fresh and dried fruits, vegetables, beans, almonds, bran cereals, and other whole grains. Watch out for high-fat, low-fiber foods such as cheese and processed meats, which can worsen constipation. If heartburn develops fried or spicy foods are to be blamed.”

Dr.Birbala Rai, M.B.B.S., M.S. in Obstetrics & gynecology, Senior Consultant at PSRI Hospital, New Delhi

Seasonal Pregnancy Care

• Summer – As your body temperature is already slightly higher, make sure to not add to it as it might put you at the risk of heat exhaustion. Keep you and your baby cool by wearing summer-appropriate fabrics, such as cotton, and linen. Skip polyester. Bathe often as it will help in keeping your body temperature cooler. Also, do carry a homemade mist made from water, Aloe Vera gel, green tea, and mint extract in your bag always with you.
• Monsoon –Make sure to avoid eating fruits like jackfruits, along with chutney and pickles as it might lead to water retention in your body. Bath at least twice a day to keep sweat and grimy off. Do make it a point to get your home sanitized right before monsoon. Getting a proper team of pest control to handle this would be a good idea. This will help in killing any sort of mosquitoes, cockroaches, termites, and flies. But, under all circumstances totally stay away from pest control smoke as it might interfere with your pregnancy in a not-so-positive way.
• Winter – Depending upon what sort of winters you experience around you; winters can indeed be very challenging weather for expecting mothers. Usually, it is observed that pregnant mothers are often overheated and winter can certainly provide a cooling effect on their body and mind. Tackle dry and itchy skin during winter effectively, but most importantly make sure to take proper precautions to stay away from cold and flu.