Welcome to the second trimester! You might be feeling a full burst of energy and also feel less nauseated and less moody. The second trimester is the time to start some exercise, get more stuff done and have some fun.
YOUR GROWING BABY
Your baby is about 4.5 inches and about 1 ¾ of an ounce. Her facial muscles are developing and flexing and her tiny organs, nerves, and muscles are starting to function too. The intestines have moved farther into the body; her liver has begun to secrete bile, which will later aid in the digestion of fats; and her pancreas will begin to produce insulin, a hormone which turns sugar into energy. At 14 weeks, your little one could be growing some hair and her eyebrows are growing also. She will also have grown some hair all over her body called lanugo, which helps keep her warm. This will disappear after she’s born.
14 WEEKS PREGNANT SYMPTOMS
Increased appetite: Once you stop feeling queasy, you’ll start to feel constantly hungry instead. Try to eat healthy meals throughout the day and avoid having too much sugary snacks.
Stuffy nose: The high levels of oestrogen and progesterone cause the mucous membranes in the body to swell and soften and this affects the nose as well. It might leave you with a stuffy nose which is perfectly normal.
Colds and flu: During the second trimester, you could get more susceptible to colds and flu because your immune system is weaker. This is just your body stopping itself from rejecting your foetus so it’s a good thing. As a result, you’re also more likely to pick up bugs, so always wash your hands and carry hand sanitizer wherever you go. Get in touch with your GP as soon as you can whenever you feel sick.
Continued breast growth: Your breast will feel less tender, but they are still growing. It’s also normal for your areolas to darken and your nipples to look different or bigger. Time to invest on some quality maternity bras for good support.
Your Growing Belly and body
You’re probably feeling a lot better than you felt in the first trimester. The morning sickness should have eased off and your breasts shouldn’t hurt as much anymore. Your uterus is finally pushing its way out of the pelvic region into your lower abdomen so that you can start to see your cute little baby bump. You’ll be producing even more blood cells as well as fluid in the blood stream now. This can cause swelling so don’t be scared if there’s swelling on some part of your body like your fingers or legs. You might also feel ligament pain which is caused by the ligaments supporting your womb stretching and thinning out to accommodate the increasing weight. Get some relief from this by putting your feet up in a comfortable position for about an hour.
14 WEEKS PREGNANT ULTRASOUND
If you could see inside your 14 weeks pregnant belly, you would see that your baby can now wiggle his toes in there and may even suck his thumb! His kidneys are making urine, and the liver and spleen are doing their jobs too. Your baby’s gender might still be difficult to make out. Be patient! If you want to find out if you’re having a boy or a girl, you will likely be able to find out in just a few weeks at the anatomy scan.
PREGNANCY TO-DO LIST
Take advantage of your energy boost and sign up for prenatal yoga, do pilates, swimming or other exercise classes.
