14 Weeks Pregnant: Body Changes, Symptoms, and Fetal Growth
When you are 14 weeks pregnant, you are most likely to feel more energetic, as the morning sickness might have subsided to a greater extent.
14 weeks Pregnant: How Many Months?
At 14 weeks of pregnancy, you are in the 4th month of pregnancy. There is around 26 weeks or over 5 months, until delivery.
14 Weeks Pregnant: Size of the Baby
When you are 14 weeks pregnant, your baby is about 3.5 to 4 inches long, and is almost the size of a kiwi fruit.
14 Weeks Pregnant: Mother’s Body Changes
Bump: At 14 weeks of pregnancy, since the baby is growing rapidly most pregnant mothers can see a visible baby bump. But if you still do not have a visible bump, worry not. You can flaunt your belly in the upcoming weeks.
Increased energy levels: By the 14th week of pregnancy, you might feel a lot more energized as morning sickness must have subsided.
Hunger: As you enter the second trimester, it is natural to feel more hungry than usual. Ensure to not eat packed food and junk. Try to incorporate home cooked foods and a lot of fruits and vegetables in your diet.
Breast changes: With the growing baby, the mother’s breast also continues to grow. The nipples may also turn darker in color.
Varicose veins: The swollen blood vessels can show up on your legs, which are due to the excess amount of blood supply. Although varicose veins cannot be prevented completely, you can do some walking and wear supportive socks.
Stuffy nose: Due to hormonal changes, the higher levels of progesterone and estrogen increase the blood flow to mucous membrane, causing stuffy or runny nose. You can use a humidifier or have plenty of fluids and warm water to make you feel comfortable.
Shinier hair: Around 14 weeks of pregnancy, you might notice your hair to be a lot more shinier and thicker. This is because the hair is in its growing phase for a longer duration of time due to the hormonal changes in the body.
Increased blood flow: As the baby is growing well, the blood flow to your pelvic region is also increasing. Most mothers are said to have higher sex drive during this phase of pregnancy.
Lesser bathroom breaks: At around 14 weeks of pregnancy, you might not feel the urge to pee as much as you did in the first few weeks of pregnancy. This is because the womb moves away from your bladder, releasing pressure.
14 Weeks Pregnant: Symptoms
Weight gain: At 14 weeks of pregnancy, since the baby is growing well, you are prone to weight gain.
Food cravings and aversions: Food cravings and aversions are the two common pregnancy symptoms that can prevail throughout the pregnancy.
Visible veins: This is due to the increased blood flow to the major organs of the body. It is not something you should be worried about, as it is most common for pregnant women to have visible veins.
Constipation and bloating: Blame the pregnancy hormones. Constipation is yet another common pregnancy symptom that is annoying. Make sure to include a lot of fibrous fruits and vegetables in your diet and drink a minimum to 8 to 12 glasses of water a day.
Heartburn: Heartburn and indigestion are the other two common pregnancy symptoms. It is caused because the ring of the muscle in the top of the stomach relaxes.
Leg cramps: You are more likely to have leg and foot cramps around this time of pregnancy due to weight gain and increased blood flow to the legs.
Swollen hands and legs: Swollen hands and legs occur due to the excess water content in the body compared to usual. It is also caused by the excessive pressure on legs due to weight gain.
Mood Swings: Mood swings, anxiety and irritability can last throughout the pregnancy for most pregnant women. It is caused by a hormonal imbalance in the body.
Oily skin: Due to excess sebum production and hormonal changes, your skin might produce more oil than usual causing pimples and acne.
Linea nigra: Linea nigra is a dark straight line that occurs in the center of the stomach starting from the belly button to the pubic area. It is caused due to the hormonal chnages in your body.
14 Weeks Pregnant: Fetal Growth
Size of the Baby: When you are 14 weeks pregnant, the fetus is around 3.5 to 4 inches long resembling the size of a kiwi.
Organ Development:The baby can now be moving constantly inside your womb. Some babies might even start sucking their thumbs during 14 weeks of pregnancy.
The head is getting rounder and the size of the head is also becoming more proportionate to the rest of the body.
The baby’s kidneys are making urine and the pancreas and spleen are doing their jobs too.
Genitals: The baby’s genitals are fully developed and your gynecologist can see if it is a boy or a girl. PCPNDT Act (The Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques act) prohibits the determination of the fetus’s sex by performing any tests or ultrasounds. This law is enforced to prevent sex-selections and abortions based on the fetus’s sex.
Hair growth: when you are 14 weeks pregnant, hair starts to grow in the baby’s head, eyebrows and body.
Facial Features: The baby can now use the facial muscles to smile and make other facial expressions.
Thumb sucking: Some babies start to suck their thumb from 14 weeks of pregnancy. This can actually help the baby to learn sucking reflex to help with breastfeeding.
Skin changes:The baby’s unique fingerprint is beginning to form and their skin also starts thickening.
14 Weeks Pregnant: Scans and Tests
At around 11 to 14 weeks of pregnancy, NT scan is performed.
It is a set of ultrasound and blood tests that checks for any chromosomal abnormalities in the baby such as down syndrome, heart defect and trisomy 14.
Nuchal Translucency (NT Scan) ultrasound is used to measure the amount of fluid in the back of the baby’s neck.
The amount of fluid present must measure less than 3.5mm for the baby to have lower risks of chromosomal abnormalities.
The blood test that is carried out along with the NT scan is called the double marker test which as the name suggests checks for two main things PAPP-A (pregnancy associated plasma protein A) and beta HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin).
The gynecologist calculates the baby’s risk of having abnormalities by analyzing these two reports.
Conclusion
At 14 weeks pregnant, your baby is growing rapidly and has started moving constantly in your womb. You might feel a lot hungrier than usual.
Ensure to eat home cooked healthy food over processed and junk food. Do not forget to keep yourself hydrated and drink lots of water.
Do not miss out on any of your prenatal appointments and medicines to ensure the wellbeing of your baby.
For appointments and consultations with the best gynecologist in Chennai Dr. Deepthi Jammi, Contact Jammi Scans at 73387 71733.
Chennai Women’s Clinic & Scan Centre is now Jammi Scans
FAQ
1. How should I feel at 14 weeks pregnant?
At 14 weeks of pregnancy, you must feel a lot more energetic, and might have more food cravings.Your baby bump might also be visible now. Other symptoms at 14 weeks of pregnancy include:
- Mood swings
- Swollen legs
- Weight gain
- Constipation
- Heartburn
2. Can I feel my baby at 14 weeks?
No. It takes around 16 to 24 weeks for you to feel your baby’s movements.
3. Is my baby fully developed at 14 weeks?
No. At 14 weeks of pregnancy, your baby is growing rapidly but it isn’t fully developed yet. It will take 28 to 31 weeks for the baby to be developed fully.
4. Does a baby bump show at 14 weeks?
Yes. Most pregnant women might have a visible baby bump around 14 weeks of pregnancy. But if you still do not have a visible baby bump, do not worry. Some women might show later than others and it is completely normal.
5. Is it OK not to feel pregnant at 14 weeks?
At 14 weeks of pregnancy, it is normal to feel not pregnant. Because there is no baby movement yet and some women might not have a visible baby bump too. So don’t worry if you don’t feel any different.
