What’s Happening At 14 Weeks Pregnant

What Is Happening With Your Baby

Your baby is continuing to grow and mature at this point. Your babys arms are going to begin to lengthen and become more proportioned to the rest of the body. The liver is beginning to produce bile, while the spleen is beginning to produce red blood cells. The development of your babys brain enables the facial muscles to grimace, frown, and squint. Your baby may even be sucking his/her thumb. Because you have begun the second trimester and most of the critical development has been completed, the chance of miscarriage decreases.

Tips For Making Your Pregnancy Better:

You may have noticed that you have moles for the first time in your life. Or you may have noticed that your moles have begun to change during your pregnancy. While these changes can be pregnancy-related, it is still wise to have new moles or changing moles evaluated by a healthcare provider, especially if they are an odd shape or color.

Week 14 Your Second Trimester

Hopefully you are starting to feel less tired and sick now. As your energy levels return, your appetite might too. Remember, your baby does not need any extra calories at this point. Too much weight gain in pregnancy is not good for you or the baby. If you get hungry between meals try sticking to healthy snacks.

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Weeks Pregnant: About Your Body

Welcome to the 2nd trimester! The first trimester can feel a little strange: Youmight still be keeping your pregnancy a big secret, since you may not be showing yet . But you may still have some nausea and fatigue.

That all changes in the 2nd trimester! Not only will you begin feeling a whole lot better, you will finally start sporting a cute little bump!

Right now, your uterus is big enough that it has outgrown its home in your pelvis and is high enough to feel when you press deeply into your lower belly. If you arent showing yetyou will soon! First-time moms often take a little longer to show. On the other hand, veteran moms joke that their womb remembers and gives them away before they can make the big announcement themselves!

There are other bigthough much less visiblechanges happening inside of you this trimester. One of the most important is that youre bulking up on blood! By the end of your pregnancy, youll have 1.5-2 times the amount of blood flowing through your veins than you did pre-pregnancy!

Theres a lot of reasons you’re becoming a human blood bank:

• It needs much more to fill all the rich, thick, food/oxygen-carrying blood vessels in your placenta.

• Its boosting your supply to protect the baby against drops in blood pressure.

• Your body is prepping for losing some blood during delivery!

Running low on these leads to anemia in about 15-25% of pregnancies. But dont worry, its pretty common and easily prevented or treated with supplements.

Sex At Week 5 Of Pregnancy

Its safe for you to have sex at any stage during your pregnancy. Some women experience an increased sex-drive around this stage. But keep in mind that symptoms like morning sickness can put you off sex when youre around 5 weeks pregnant, which is normal.

Some women can spot lightly after having sex. This happens because your cervix has become more tender and vascularized. Unless the spotting doesnt stop, theres nothing to worry about.

• Take a pregnancy test after missing your period.
• Make your first antenatal appointment with your doctor.
• Start taking a prenatal vitamin.
• Develop healthier eating and exercise habits.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Listen to your body for cues and rest as much as you need.
• Start a pregnancy journal this will help you remember every detail in the years to come!

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What Happens During Week 7

• The embryo is 1/4 to 1/2 inch long.

• The heart has formed.

• Webbed fingers and toes develop.

• The arms bend at the elbows.

• External ears, eyes, eyelids, liver, and upper lip begin forming.

• The sex organs are the same neither female nor male in all embryos until the 7th or 8th week. If a gene triggers the development of testes, the embryo develops as a biological male. If there isnt a trigger, the embryo develops ovaries and becomes biologically female.

Weeks Pregnant Ultrasound: Do You Need It

In most countries, the first scan of a pregnant woman takes place between weeks 8 and 14. Its usually followed by another scan at 18-21 weeks. This is sometimes referred to as a dating scan because it will give you a reliable idea of your expected due date and also confirm how many babies youre carrying!

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Pregnancy And Sense Of Smell

Do scents suddenly seem stronger to you than ever? It could be a sign that youre pregnant! A heightened sense of smell is a very real side effect of pregnancy caused by hormones such as estrogen and hCG, which magnify every little fragrance wafting in the air around you.

Whether its the food your neighborhood restaurant is cooking up, the garbage on the street corner or your partners cologne or perfume, your keener-than-ever nose might be picking it up.

The downside of your new superpower? It can ramp up your morning sickness even more. If thats the case, steer clear of the kitchen and local eateries as much as possible, make friends with the microwave and open the windows.

You can also try washing clothes more often and switching to unscented toiletries. And dont be shy about asking your partner, family and friends to clean up after a workout, go easy on the perfume and brush their teeth after chowing down on that garlicky pasta or onion-loaded burger.

Wellness And Nutrition At Week Two: Preconception

Nutrition

Growing a baby from a single cell into a beautiful newborn draws tremendous energy, nutrients, and resources from your body. A healthy diet can help. At two weeks pregnant:

• Remember, eating the right foods provides enough energy to support you and your growing baby.
• Eat a balanced choice of foods . It helps keep your body healthy.

Try to keep foods in the proper proportions. You can try to mentally divide your plate in half. Vegetables and fruits should make up half of your plate. Proteins and grains compose the other half. And fats? Best to use moderation.

What Is a Prenatal Vitamin?Prenatal vitamins offer a great way to ensure youre getting all of the nutrition you and your baby will need. Though similar to adult multivitamins, prenatal vitamins often contain levels of vitamins and minerals, such as folic acid and iron, specifically modified to meet the needs of pregnant women. If you prefer to get your additional vitamins and minerals in a food form, consider a maternal milk supplement to support your regular wholesome diet.

Exercise

• Regular exercise as well as a healthy diet before and during pregnancy will help you manage a healthy weight gain as well as help you lose pounds after delivery.

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Also Check: Mayo Clinic Pregnancy

What Do Women Usually Feel During Week 6 Of Pregnancy

While many expectant mothers might not face any one week or two week pregnancy symptoms, at 6 weeks pregnant, things will usually start kicking into overdrive.

At 6 weeks pregnant, symptoms like discharge and nausea are likely to begin. This is often due to a sudden rush of hormones racing through your system. If you havent already, youll probably also notice a missed period around this time.

If youre interested in learning about some more unusual early pregnancy signs, be on the lookout for symptoms like these:

• Experiencing Nasal Congestion

What Should You Plan For This Week

You may begin feeling extremely moody at this point of your pregnancy. Dont worry mood swings are common during pregnancy. You may be excited about being pregnant, but you may also feel stressed or overwhelmed. You may begin asking yourself questions such as:

• Will I be a good parent?
• How am I going to manage financially?
• Will my baby be healthy?
• Am I doing the right things to prepare for my baby?

Pregnancy is a life-changing event filled with all types of physical and emotional changes. Show yourself some grace, and take one step at a time. Make sure to take care of yourself, and learn some healthy ways to cope with stress.

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What Does Baby Do In The Womb At 14 Weeks

If you were to get a glimpse of baby at 14 weeks pregnant, you would see theyre wiggling their toes and may even be thumb-sucking! A 14-week fetuss kidneys are making urine, and the liver and spleen are doing their jobs too. You might be surprised to learn that baby at 14 weeks is growing lanugo, a thin, peach fuzz-like hair all over, which will help keep the body warm. Dont forget to whisper sweet nothings to your little onebaby can start to hear!

Considering Pregnancy Week 14

Do you have any recent dental appointments? If not, schedule a checkup and cleaning. For gums and teeth to avoid periodontal disease and gingivitis during pregnancy, special care must be taken.

• Keep your hands clean! The bodys immune system changes during pregnancy, making it harder to battle ailments like the flu and colds. Take the flu shot and make sure to practice good hygiene, wash your hands often, and avoid sick people as much as possible.
• Might childbirth classes be a good idea for you? Thinking about taking a babymoon in the second trimester? No problem! In the third trimester, parents-to-be are more likely to travel as the enormous belly and closer to the due date make travel more difficult. Before booking a holiday, its always best to discuss it with your caregiver. If youre contemplating flying, check the airlines policies before booking. It is normal to wonder how your pregnancy might be different at 14 weeks if you expect twins. Symptoms, weight gain, and other things may differ.

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Things To Do And Buy This Week

• If you have now had an ultrasound to check your babys gender, go buy some small gift for your little boy or girl! OR, of course, some neutral for your baby, if you dont know the gender yet.
• What to Expect When Youre Expecting The best-ever selling pregnancy book.
• Maternity times, ladies! It is definitely time to do some shopping!
• Continue to take pregnancy belly photos every week! Even if you dont think your baby bump is much to document yet, it soon will be, and it so much fun to see the growth in pictures!
• You may want to start getting things in order if you are the type to organize things early or at least start the process.

What’s Happening At Two Weeks

Confusingly, ‘two weeks pregnant’ doesn’t actually mean that it’s been two weeks since you conceived!

Healthcare professionals count weeks of pregnancy from the first day of your last menstrual period . This is because it can be hard to tell exactly when you conceived during your cycle.

So you officially count as ‘two weeks pregnant’ from 14 days after the first day of your last period.

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That means that ‘two weeks pregnant’ is actually around the time of conception, where egg meets sperm.

If you think you conceived two weeks ago, you could actually be four weeks pregnant, so head over to our 4 weeks pregnant page to learn more about what to expect. Or read on to find out what happens at ‘two weeks pregnant’, aka the time of conception.

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If You Have An Existing Mental Health Problem

If you have a pre-existing mental health condition and take medication, tell your doctor and the person who prescribed the medication that youre pregnant as soon as possible.

They will talk to you about whether your medication is safe in pregnancy or whether you should consider a different treatment.

Find out more about your mental wellbeing in pregnancy.

Baby’s Sprouting Hair And Lanugo

By week 14 of pregnancy, your baby could be sprouting some hair and those eyebrows are filling in too.

Hair growth isn’t limited to baby’s head, though. She is also covered with a downy coating of hair called lanugo, largely there for warmth.

But it won’t be there forever. As fat accumulates later on in your pregnancy the baby’s fat, not yours it will take over the function of keeping your little bean toasty, so most of the lanugo sheds. Some babies, especially those born early, still have a fuzzy coating at delivery, but it disappears soon afterward.

Other developments this week include a roof of her own inside your baby’s mouth, that is as well as some digestive system activity: Her intestines are producing meconium, which is the waste that will make up her first bowel movement after birth.

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What You Should Be Doing This Week

• Book that pregnancy fitness class: Hopefully, the start of trimester two will bring that boost in energy weve been talking about for the past few weeks. If you feel up to it, take advantage and sign up to a pregnancy fitness class.

• Do those pelvic floor exercises: These are the muscles that support your bladder, bowel and womb. Now you have a growing baby, the extra weight puts pressure on those muscles, so its vital that they remain strong. Make exercising those muscles part of your daily routine.

Will You Notice Any Pregnancy Symptoms During Weeks 1 2 Or 3

During weeks one, two, or three, you may not even suspect youâre pregnant and you might not notice any pregnancy symptoms at all. Itâs still very early.

Typically, missing a period will be the first clue that you may be pregnant, and around the time you miss a period â or a little later â you may start noticing other pregnancy symptoms.

Of course, some women sense some subtle changes early on and recognize them as signs of pregnancy right away.

One early pregnancy symptom can be implantation bleeding, which is some light spotting that occurs when the tiny ball of cells attaches to the uterine lining. This light bleeding is normal, and can sometimes be mistaken for menstrual blood.

Other signs of pregnancy in the first month can include bloating, gas, fatigue, breast tenderness, moodiness, and frequent urination. Morning sickness is another common symptom of early pregnancy, but it usually crops up between weeks four and nine.

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Pregnancy Week 2 Fetal Development

Complex hormonal changes are already preparing your body for conception. These hormones include estrogen, follicle stimulating hormone , and luteinizing hormone . They work together to make sure an egg or two, in some cases matures properly and is released for conception.

Youll probably conceive around the end of your second week of pregnancy. The chromosomes in each cell combine immediately after a sperm fertilizes the egg, resulting in your babys genes. Even during the first days of pregnancy, your babys gender and genetic features will already be determined.

In the event of identical twins, one sperm fertilizes one egg, which then divides and gives life to two organisms. This results in genetically identical children of the same sex.

In case of non-identical twins, two sperm fertilize two eggs, and the resulting babies can be of the same or different sex. They resemble each other no more than brothers and sisters born at different times.

Within 24 hours of conception, the fertilized egg or zygote will start dividing into multiple cells and traveling down the fallopian tube.

Your Life At 14 Weeks Pregnant

Now that youre into the second trimester, hopefully, now you can spend more time enjoying being pregnant and less time being queasy.

• Celebrate you: You made it to the second trimester. Rejoice! If youre up for it, honor the occasion with a meal out. Or, indulge in your favorite treat from the comfort of your couch. Whatever you do, make it celebratory.
• Good gear: If you dont already own ultra-comfy walking shoes, nows a good time to invest in a cute pair. Choose a slip-on option and your third trimester self will thank you. Sketchers Ultra Flex-Harmonious line are good choice for day-to-day running around.
• Maternity leave prep: After youve shared your big news with work, its a good idea to start preparing for your leave. Not only will it bring you peace of mind, but itll also make you an office hero. Come up with a list of all your tasks and divide them into two categories: those you can complete before you leave and ongoing or long-term projects that need to be handed off to someone else. Once you have the latter, start compiling notes, best practices and other documentation to ease the transition.
• Helpful hint: It may sound counterintuitive, but apple cider vinegar can actually relieve heartburn. If youve had little luck with antacids, try drinking a little apple cider vinegar mixed in a glass of water before meals to curb the burn. Start with a teaspoon and work your way up to a tablespoon.

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What Should I Be Feeling At 12 Weeks Pregnant

Your body is working hard, and you may wonder, what should I be feeling at 12 weeks pregnant? You may not be showing much on the outside yet, but on the inside everything feels like its changing! In addition to typical 12 weeks pregnant symptoms, you may start to feel shifts with morning sickness and fatigue. One day you might be exhausted, and another you may feel a burst of energy, while nausea comes and goes. Hang tightyoure getting closer to the second trimester! Make sure you get plenty of fluids and healthy foods for those days when morning sickness makes it rough to keep anything down.

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