14 Weeks Pregnant
Pregnancy Week 14  & Stage of Fetal Development

This is the beginning of pregnancy week 14. You will be a complete 14 weeks pregnant at the end of this week (see pregnancy chart).

Welcome to your second trimester! Your 4th month of pregnancy is when you can breathe easier. Your morning sickness is over, your energy level is rising and your appetite is increasing. The best part is you are starting to show.

You can tell your family and friends. They will be so happy and excited for you too. Take this all in. It is all a part of the pregnancy experience. It’s a wonderful feeling, isn’t it? You can fill your baby book with congratulations, well wishes and pictures.   

Your skin is changing and you’re feeling great now. 

Your baby is changing rapidly too. There are some exciting things happening in there. 

What happens at 14 weeks pregnant

Your uterus is the size of a large orange. It is starting to climb out of the pelvic cavity.

Some of your clothes, you may find, are becoming too tight. This is the first hint of your pregnant belly. This is a very emotional time.

Now that you are starting to show, you can feel your baby inside. Caress and apply gentle pressure just above the pubic bone. You are cuddling your baby for the first time.

Your prenatal visits now should be about every 4-6 weeks. In your 4th month, the doctor will take a sample of your urine and have it tested for the amount protein and glucose.

Along with your weight, temperature and blood pressure, they will take a measurement of the size of your uterus. They are measuring the symphyseal-fundal height (SFH). This is to make sure you are growing progressively 1 cm per week. The measurement is taken from the fundus, or the top of your uterus, to your symphysis pubis (pubic bone).

Your hands and feet will also be checked for swelling or edema.

At 14 weeks pregnant, you may get to hear your baby’s heartbeat with a Doppler, but not all doctors will do this. Your baby’s heartbeat will be around 140 beats per minute. This is double compared to your heartbeat. 

This week, you may start to notice changes to your skin. Keep an eye on existing moles. Moles may become larger and darker and is a common symptom of pregnancy. New moles may also appear. Skin tags may also start to grow in the 14th or coming weeks. These are small tags of skin that appear during pregnancy.

I looked at these skin changes as badges of honor. I called them battle scars, along with my stretch marks that will start to appear in the next few weeks.

Early in your pregnancy your body increased your blood flow to nourish and grow your baby and to eliminate the extra waste. At week 14, or in the coming weeks ahead, the increase in blood flow around the uterus and pelvis, along with the weight of your uterus, can cause a blockage of circulation. This blockage causes the blood vessels to dilate and hemorrhoids to result.

At 14 weeks pregnant generally comes an increase in appetite, especially if you feel a relief from morning sickness. You may start to develop food cravings.  

The challenge here is to stay on your healthy eating plan for you and your baby. The most important thing to keep in mind is how the foods you eat affect your glycemic index.

Learning about glycemic index and how foods affect your body can help you make smart healthy food choices, to maintain a healthy amount of weight gain and still be able to satisfy your new cravings. 

What can you do at 14 weeks pregnant

Skin tags, new mole growths and changes in existing moles and, of course, hemorrhoids are all a part of pregnancy. However, you should let your doctor know about any existing moles that do change. Your doctor will be able to tell if the changing mole is due to pregnancy or another cause. 

There are herbal remedies on the market for skin tag removal. Start by looking in your local health store.

As for hemorrhoid prevention, drinking lots of water every single day will help a great deal. Eating healthy and exercising are also great ways to prevent blocked circulation causing hemorrhoids.  

If hemorrhoids do develop you have a couple of options. Tucks pads will help with itching and irritation. Vaseline will allow you to move around without further irritation.

If skin tags, moles or hemorrhoids don’t get you down, your increased appetite and renewed energy will get you motivated. This is a wonderful time to start implementing exercise into your daily routine.

Exercise is essential during pregnancy to maintain and strengthen muscles for the very important job of childbirth.

Kegel exercises are perfect for strengthening the muscles for such an important job. The muscles that frame the openings of the vagina, anus, and urethra will be strengthened through kegal exercises.

If you haven't already, start drinking at least two 8-ounce cups of red raspberry leaf tea.  This is a wonderful way to help prepare for delivery. 

Raspberry leaf tea helps prepare you uterus and abdominal muscles for labor, making contractions more productive.  This makes labor less painful and quicker, thus getting your little one in your arms much sooner.

Fetal Development at 14 weeks pregnant
Fetal age: 12 weeks

Your baby, at this stage, is measured from crown to rump and is between 3 ¼ to 4 inches and weighs almost 1 ounce.

At 14 weeks pregnant your baby starts looking more human and less alien. His face and head are starting to take shape. His ears are now on the side of his head from the neck position. And his eyes are closer to the front of the head, yet they are still wide a part.

His neck is starting to take shape and getting longer, which moves the chin from resting on the chest. Flexing of the arms and legs are happening.

Your little one is now putting his hands into his mouth more frequently. He will soon be able to open and close his hands.

At week 14, your baby is developing the organs of taste and smell and also the skin is becoming thicker and the appearance of hair follicles can be seen just below the surface of the skin. 

The external genitalia are continuing to developed which means your baby’s gender is becoming easier to determine.

You are now 14 weeks pregnant. Only 26 weeks to go!!

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