Table of Contents
How big is my baby?
Now that you are 14 weeks pregnant, your baby is a whopping 3 1/2 inches long and 1 ounce in weight. On the outside, you’ll see that your baby’s arms are becoming more proportional to its body although your baby’s hands are still quite small at only 1/2 inch long. Despite their small size, these little hands are already capable of grasping. Additionally, while they are only reflexes right now and not quite facial expressions in the way that we think about them, your baby can squint, smile, and frown.
Although you won’t be able to see it, there’s lots happening inside your baby’s body as well. By this point, your baby has produced sweat glands. Additionally, organs like your baby’s liver and pancreas have also started to secrete fluids.
It’s going to get better, right?
At 14 weeks pregnant, you’ve made it to your second trimester and if you’re not feeling better yet, you will soon. This may seem difficult to believe, especially if you had a difficult first trimester, but most women report that their second trimester is definitely the welcomed break they needed in between the first and third trimesters. If you’re not feeling it quite yet, you probably will by week 16.
What are all of these tests?
It’s right about this time that your doctor might suggest running a few tests to determine if your baby is at risk for certain neurological defects commonly known as a “triple screen.”
These tests will not tell you if your baby has a particular condition, only if your baby is at increased risk for a particular condition.
To find out if your baby actually has a particular condition, you must undergo an amniocentesis. But this is not a test to be taken lightly. There is a 1 out of 200 chance that just by doing the procedure that you could miscarry a healthy baby. That’s why an amniocentesis is typically not done unless the first screening test shows an elevated risk.
The other thing to think about is how much you really want to know at this point and what you as parents will do with that additional information. So, be sure that you talk this one over with both your doctor and your partner so that you are clear about what is being tested for and how that information will affect you as parents.
Are you going to eat that?
Now that you’re not feeling so sick, you’re probably ready to start eating and that’s totally okay! While you want to still make healthy choices whenever you sit down for a meal or a snack, this is not the time to start up with Weight Watchers or head to South Beach.
You’ve probably guessed already that with all the food you’re eating and this baby growing inside of you that you’re going to gain a little weight over the next nine months. But for many women, this is also an additional source of stress.
On average, women usually gain between 25 and 35 pounds during their pregnancy. You may be feeling like that’s a lot, but it’s perfectly normal and necessary for the healthy development of your baby.
Also, at 14 weeks pregnant, you’ll also be wanting to eat more than you’ve probably ever eaten before – it’s totally normal and something to be embraced. Remember, you’re eating for two now and one of those two is growing and developing incredibly quickly – so eat up!
0 Comments