Week by week pregnancy guide: Week 14 of your pregnancy

Your energy levels are high and your baby's systems are working fine. It's time you plan a babymoon. Read to know more about this week's development.

The second trimester is often termed as the honeymoon period of pregnancy and for good reasons. With your soaring energy levels you might feel a bit more relaxed and your body might have adjusted well with the growing demands of your baby.

Changes that happen to your body

The worst of your pregnancy symptoms are definitely behind you, though acne and dark spots can make its presence felt on the face now. Your uterus has started to bulge pushing your tummy out. Your breasts continue to prepare for the lactation phase, being tender and sensitive. They might have also changed in size. But for some women this phase can be on a halt during the second trimester and return during the last few months of pregnancy. Mood swings can also be at its worst during the second trimester.

Apart from this abdominal cramps can vie for your attention once in a while. This happens because the bulging uterus puts a pressure on the ligaments holding it in position. Also your immune system would be suppressed, which can make you susceptible to seasonal colds and flu. Take enough precaution to save yourself from the seasonal bugs.

This week you will also experience a return of your appetite. Though it is good to eat right during your pregnancy but beware you don't overdo it. Weight gain will be rampant this week onwards, so watch your diet. Excessive weight gain can adversely harm you and your growing baby. Also know about the other things that you should be doing during your second trimester.

Development of your baby

With the facial features being more developed, now your baby can squint, grimace, frown and also suck her thumb! These expressions are also a signal that the brain is developing and working in tandem, by sending the impulses and controlling the movements. The same is true for the limb movements too. Also your baby might be moving a lot in the womb and stretching the newly formed muscles.

This week your baby gets a thin film of hair coating on her entire body and not just the head. This hair is called the lanugo and keeps your baby warm inside the womb. It sheds once the fat in your baby's body develops to keep her warm which will happen eventually during the following weeks of your pregnancy. Because of the lanugo the eyebrows too start to fill up now.

About the organ functioning - the kidneys are producing urine, the liver has started to make bile, the heartbeat is approximately twice that of yours and the spleen is producing more red blood cells.

What you should be doing

• Plan a babymoon now. But before you do that talk to your doctor if you are fit for traveling and the precautions you need to take.

• Maintain high level of hygiene. With a suppressed immune system chances are you can get an infection soon. So wash your hands every time before you eat and even after that. Keep yourself hydrated and take precautions to avoid cold and coughs.

• To reduce occurrence of stretch marks apply moisturizer on your belly, breast and buttocks. Remember they can show up as early as 14th week. Another way to combat the problem is to maintain a slower and gradual weight gain during pregnancy.

• Try out meditation, music therapy or engage yourself in any other activity that will help you to reduce your stress levels. As stress at this time can harm you and your baby more than you can imagine. Read about the nine ways in which you can keep pregnancy stress at bay.

• To ensure that your baby gets proper nourishment and nutrients eat right and do it smartly.Include vegetables from all food groups and eat at least three to five portions of fruits each day. Apart from this avoid having alcohol, quit tobacco and limit your intake of aerated and caffeinated drinks.

• Get you meals on time and avoid overeating or postponing meal times to reduce incidences of heartburn. Also read tips to deal with heartburn during pregnancy.

• Stay way from foods that can harm you or your baby in any way. Here are 7 foods to avoid during pregnancy.

• Keep up with your exercise schedules. You are doing yourself and your baby a whole lot of good by sweating it out during pregnancy. Read about the 9 pregnancy dos and don'ts you should follow while exercising.

• Sleep adequately, drink lots of water and read all that you can about pregnancy and labour to be informed about the same.

If you wish to know what happened to your body while you reached week 14 of your pregnancy, then read:

• The first four weeks of your pregnancy
• Week by week pregnancy guide: week 5 of your pregnancy
• Week by week pregnancy guide: week 6 of your pregnancy
• Week by week pregnancy guide: week 7 of your pregnancy
• Week by week pregnancy guide: week 8 of your pregnancy
• Week by week pregnancy guide: week 9 of your pregnancy
• Week by week pregnancy guide: week 10 of your pregnancy
• Week by week pregnancy guide: week 11 of your pregnancy
• Week by week pregnancy guide: week 12 of your pregnancy
• Week by week pregnancy guide: week 13 of your pregnancy

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You may also like to read:

• Common mistakes woman make during pregnancy
• 7 common pregnancy complaints and how to dodge them
• How to plan for a birth without violence
• How to write a good birth plan

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