At a glance
Your bump is beginning to show. Soon people you don’t know will be nice to you.
Turn naughty cravings into nicer ones. Popcorn, frozen yoghurt, dark chocolate… mmm!
Your little human has working ear drums. Sing those love songs like someone’s listening.
Baby's development at 14 weeks pregnant
Baby is about the size of a lemon now. Thousands of little impulses are darting through his brain and his facial muscles are constantly moving as he practises smiles and frowns. By the end of this week, his arms will be in proportion with the rest of his body but his legs are still growing. Soft, downy hair is starting to grow all over his body to keep him warm, it’s called lanugo hair and baby will shed it before or soon after birth.
The sexual organs, which began to develop at week nine, are now complete. It’s hard to spot the gender on a standard scan at 14 weeks pregnant, so most midwives and doctors won’t give you the news until your 20-week scan. So don’t go picking names just yet.
Changes in you and your body at 14 weeks pregnant
You’re into the second trimester and things are probably starting to feel more real. You may have told close friends and family by now and hopefully you’re feeling less worried and more excited. Your body is starting to look more pregnant too, with a bustier bust and a bumpier bump. The latter is because your lower belly is being pushed out as the uterus finally rises out of the pelvic region.
There’s a chance that you may find the odd yellow stain in your bra, but don’t panic. It’s a sign your breasts are already oozing colostrum milk, the rich yellow first milk produced by mums-to-be. You may notice the veins on your chest and breasts are dilated and the areolas of your breasts may be darkening and growing in diameter– it’s all part of the prep.
With all the hard work your body is doing your immune system is slightly weaker than normal, so you could be more susceptible to colds and flu now.
Pregnancy nutrition at 14 weeks pregnant
Wondering when your craving for coal toasties will kick in? It may never happen. Contrary to popular opinion not all mums have weird and wonderful cravings, some just fancy normal naughty stuff like pizza and chocolate. In fact, you might find that highs and lows in your blood sugar levels mean you lust for sugary comforts a whole lot more.
There’s no real harm in indulging the ‘eating for two’ myth occasionally, but the reality is you only need an extra 200 calories a day (a measly half a sandwich) and that’s only in the last three months of pregnancy.
Satisfying sugar cravings might need a little more creativity than before. Cuddling on the sofa with some sweet popcorn and a movie can feel like a real treat and it’s very low in calories. Other cheats? Close your eyes and mango tastes like ice cream. Greek yoghurt, honey and broken biscuits can be a healthy Eton mess. And 90% cocoa chocolate isn’t half as naughty as the standard bars. It’s worth remembering that what you eat now can have a good (or bad) impact on your baby’s digestive and immune systems. Maybe you are eating for two after all.
Travelling while pregnant
It’s the perfect time in your pregnancy to take a trip somewhere nice. Just make sure you do a little bit of extra holiday prep:
- Research healthcare facilities near your destination before booking
- Double check you’ve had any necessary vaccinations.
- Pack any critical medical records, including your blood type in-case anything unexpected does happen.
- Get travel insurance that includes pregnancy-related medical care during labour, premature birth and the cost of changing the date of your return trip if you go into labour.
- And now you are all set for a lovely trip.
