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Pregnancy

      14 weeks pregnant: Pregnancy Symptoms & Baby Development

      11 Weeks Pregnant

      14 weeks pregnant: Pregnancy Symptoms & Baby Development

      Read time: 4 minutes

      14 weeks pregnant is how many months?

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      Month 4 (Trimester 2)

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      Baby development at 14 weeks

      Your baby’s kidneys are starting to function.

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      Placenta

      Learn about the important role your placenta plays.

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      Vitamin K

      Discover why vitamin K is so vital for your baby.

       

      Baby development at 14 weeks

      Foetus Pregnancy Week 14

      How big is my baby? And what does my baby look like?

      Your baby is now the size of a kiwi fruit - around 8.5cm in length1. The head is rounder and more proportioned to the body. Their eyelids are developing, and nails appear on their fingers and toes. Your baby’s movements will become less erratic as they start to turn and stretch their hands, wrists and legs2.

      More importantly, their kidneys begin working and they may begin to swallow small amounts of amniotic fluid3. This passes into their stomach, through their kidneys, and back into the amniotic fluid as urine3.

      Your baby will grow two kinds of hair. Some grow a small patch of normal hair on their head, but all will grow a fine hair all over their bodies called lanugo to help keep them warm4.

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      Pregnancy at 14 weeks (second trimester)

      Body changes

      The big news is that you’ve grown a new organ: the placenta. It joins your womb and baby through the umbilical cord, pumps out nutrients, oxygen and hormones, and removes waste products like carbon dioxide1.

      Enlarged breasts

      You may notice your breasts become larger. This can make them feel tender for some women, and others may notice back ache due to the extra weight. If you see yellow stains in your bra, it’s likely colostrum, the first milk that mums-to-be produce. If it’s a problem, start using breast pads1

      Tired young woman sleeping on soft sofa

      Pregnancy symptoms at 14 weeks

      Most women start to feel better soon after the first trimester ends, but it may take a little while longer for some symptoms, like morning sickness, to clear. There are also a few symptoms that can occur in the second trimester1 including:

      • Belly pains caused by an expanding womb
      • Headaches or dizziness
      • Nosebleeds
      • Bloating
      • Indigestion and heartburn
      • Swollen hands and feet
      • Chloasma: a natural darkening of facial skin or the appearance of brown patches
      Baby Scan

      Your ultrasound

      Ultrasound scans happen between weeks 8-14, so by week 14 you should have definitely had your first scan. Ultrasound scans use harmless sound waves to show a detailed picture of your baby inside your womb. Neither you or the baby will feel a thing - except a little elation on your part at seeing your child for the first time.

      Focus on vitamin K

      It should be easy to get all the vitamin K that you and your baby need from a healthy, well-balanced diet. And because it’s fat-soluble, your body stores any unused vitamin K in the liver, so you don’t need to include it in your diet every day6. More good news is that vitamin K isn’t usually affected by cooking.

      14 Weeks Pregnant

      If your baby doesn’t get enough vitamin K during pregnancy, they can develop a rare bleeding disorder after birth. This is why most are given a booster injection just after they’re born7.

      Synthetic vitamin K can be toxic8, so only ever take a vitamin K supplement if directed by your midwife or doctor.

      learn more about Vitamin K

      THE
      SCIENCE
      BEHIND

      VITAMIN K

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      As well as being needed for healthy bone development and protein formation in the liver, vitamin K plays a key role in blood clotting5, enabling wounds to heal properly. This is particularly important during labour and just after you’ve given birth, when your body is recovering and starting to heal.

      Foods to avoid while pregnant

      There’s nothing specific to avoid during individual weeks, but throughout your pregnancy, it’s wise to give the following a miss:

      Raw and undercooked meat

      Unpasteurised milk and dairy products

      Liver, and excessive consumption of foods high in vitamin A

      Read a full list of foods to avoid
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      How much weight should I gain during pregnancy?

       

      Weight gain during pregnancy depends on your pre-pregnancy weight, and varies a great deal from mother to mother. Most women gain between 10kg and 12.5kg (22–28lb) while pregnant, some of which is the weight of the growing baby9.

      LEARN MORE
      1. NHS Start 4 Life. 2nd trimester, week 14. [Online]. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/start4life/pregnancy/week-by-week/2nd-trimester/week-14/#anchor-tabs [Accessed October 2019].
      2. NHS. You and your baby at 13-16 weeks pregnant [Online]. Available at: www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/pregnancy-weeks-13-14-15-16.aspx Page last reviewed: 17 July 2018. Next review due: 17 July 2021.
      3. Deans A. Your New Pregnancy Bible, The experts’ guide to pregnancy and early parenthood. 4th ed. London: Carroll & Brown Publishers Limited, 2013.
      4. Curtis GB, Schuler J. Your pregnancy week by week. 7th ed. Cambridge: Fisher books, 2011.
      5. European Union. Commission Regulation [EU] No 432/2012 of 16 May 2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods, other than those referring to the reduction of disease risk and to children’s development and health. OJ L 136 2012;1-40.
      6. NHS UK. Vitamin K [Online]. Available at: www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vitamins-minerals/Pages/Vitamin-K.aspx Page last reviewed: 3 March 2017. Next review due: 3 March 2020.
      7. NHS UK. What happens straight after the birth? [Online]. Available at: www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/Pages/what-happens-straight-after-the-birth.aspx Page last reviewed: 7 January 2019. Next review due: 7 January 2022.
      8. Department of Health. Report on Health and Social Subjects 41. Dietary Reference Values for Food Energy and Nutrients for the United Kingdom. London: TSO, 1991.
      9. NHS choices. How much weight will I put on during my pregnancy? [Online]. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/2311.aspx?CategoryID=54 Page last reviewed: 18 October 2018. Next review due: 18 October 2021.

      1. NHS UK. You and your baby at 13-16 weeks pregnant [Online]. 2013. Available at: www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/pregnancy-weeks-13-14-15-16.aspx [Accessed July 2014]

      2. Deans A. Your New Pregnancy Bible, The experts’ guide to pregnancy and early parenthood. 4th ed. London: Carroll & Brown Publishers Limited, 2013.

      3. Curtis GB, Schuler J. Your pregnancy week by week. 7th ed. Cambridge: Fisher books, 2011.

      4. Murkoff H, Mazel S. What to Expect When You’re Expecting. 4th ed. London: Simon & Schuster Ltd, 2009.

      5. European Union. Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 of 16 May 2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods, other than those referring to the reduction of disease risk and to children’s development and health. OJ L 136 2012;1-40.

      6. Department of Health. Report on Health and Social Subjects 41. Dietary Reference Values for Food Energy and Nutrients for the United Kingdom. London: TSO, 1991.

      7. NHS UK. Vitamin K [Online]. 2012. Available at: www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vitamins-minerals/Pages/Vitamin-K.aspx[Accessed July 2014]

      8. NHS UK. What happens straight after the birth? [Online]. 2013. Available at: www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/Pages/what-happens-straight-after-the-birth.aspx [Accessed July 2014]

      9. Gandy J (ed). Manual of Dietetic Practice. 5th ed. Oxford: Wiley Blackwell, 2014. p. 759.

      1. NHS UK. You and your baby at 13-16 weeks pregnant [Online]. 2013. Available at: www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/pregnancy-weeks-13-14-15-16.aspx [Accessed July 2014]

      2. Deans A. Your New Pregnancy Bible, The experts’ guide to pregnancy and early parenthood. 4th ed. London: Carroll & Brown Publishers Limited, 2013.

      3. Curtis GB, Schuler J. Your pregnancy week by week. 7th ed. Cambridge: Fisher books, 2011.

      4. Murkoff H, Mazel S. What to Expect When You’re Expecting. 4th ed. London: Simon & Schuster Ltd, 2009.

      5. European Union. Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 of 16 May 2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods, other than those referring to the reduction of disease risk and to children’s development and health. OJ L 136 2012;1-40.

      6. Department of Health. Report on Health and Social Subjects 41. Dietary Reference Values for Food Energy and Nutrients for the United Kingdom. London: TSO, 1991.

      7. NHS UK. Vitamin K [Online]. 2012. Available at: www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vitamins-minerals/Pages/Vitamin-K.aspx[Accessed July 2014]

      8. NHS UK. What happens straight after the birth? [Online]. 2013. Available at: www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/Pages/what-happens-straight-after-the-birth.aspx [Accessed July 2014]

      9. Gandy J (ed). Manual of Dietetic Practice. 5th ed. Oxford: Wiley Blackwell, 2014. p. 759.

      1. NHS UK. You and your baby at 13-16 weeks pregnant [Online]. 2013. Available at: www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/pregnancy-weeks-13-14-15-16.aspx [Accessed July 2014]

      2. Deans A. Your New Pregnancy Bible, The experts’ guide to pregnancy and early parenthood. 4th ed. London: Carroll & Brown Publishers Limited, 2013.

      3. Curtis GB, Schuler J. Your pregnancy week by week. 7th ed. Cambridge: Fisher books, 2011.

      4. Murkoff H, Mazel S. What to Expect When You’re Expecting. 4th ed. London: Simon & Schuster Ltd, 2009.

      5. European Union. Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 of 16 May 2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods, other than those referring to the reduction of disease risk and to children’s development and health. OJ L 136 2012;1-40.

      6. Department of Health. Report on Health and Social Subjects 41. Dietary Reference Values for Food Energy and Nutrients for the United Kingdom. London: TSO, 1991.

      7. NHS UK. Vitamin K [Online]. 2012. Available at: www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vitamins-minerals/Pages/Vitamin-K.aspx[Accessed July 2014]

      8. NHS UK. What happens straight after the birth? [Online]. 2013. Available at: www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/Pages/what-happens-straight-after-the-birth.aspx [Accessed July 2014]

      9. Gandy J (ed). Manual of Dietetic Practice. 5th ed. Oxford: Wiley Blackwell, 2014. p. 759.

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      Your baby, this week

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