What’s going on?
You have officially entered the second trimester and your baby is starting to straighten out from the fetal position. What’s more, he/she is also starting to develop his/her own set of unique fingerprints!
Baby at Week 14
Your baby is around 8cm long (around half the length of a regular banana) and weighs 42g. His/her arms are now in proportion with the body, although the legs still have room to grow further. If you could see your baby in the womb now, you’d notice that his/her facial features are really starting to become more prominent, and that a unique set of fingerprints are in place on those tiny fingers. You can be sure that your little one will be making full use of those tiny digits by sucking his/her thumb.
By Week 14, your baby might have some hair growing on his/her head and the eyebrows are starting to fill in. On top of that, he/she is also covered with a fine coating of hair called lanugo, which helps to keep him/her warm in the womb. This layer of hair will eventually shed nearer to delivery day as your little one accumulates fat which will take over the task of keeping him/her warm. However, some babies, especially those who are born before full term, may still have this coating of hair at birth (don’t worry, this will disappear soon enough!).
Other developments this week: your baby’s intestines are producing meconium, which is the waste that will make up the first bowel movement after birth. Your baby’s brain impulses are also doing their job of giving his/her facial muscles a real workout – your little one is exploring with the various expressions, from squinting and frowning to grimacing.
What is mum up to?
Heard of the term ‘baby brain’? By now, you might have encountered a few forgetful or foggy moments which can be quite frustrating, especially if you have always been one to take charge of everything. Relax and don’t beat yourself up for it – after all, there is some major overhaul going on inside your body (and not to mention a cute, tiny resident as well)!
Some mums-to-be might also be experiencing round ligament pain, which is commonly known as pregnancy growing pains that feel like sharp pains on one or both sides of the abdomen. As your uterus grows, the ligaments that support it stretch and thin out to accommodate the increasing weight. The extra weight pulls on the ligaments and causes a sharp pain in the lower abdomen, which often strikes when you change positions abruptly or get up from sitting or lying down or when you cough. There’s only one way that can bring relief when faced with this situation: put your feet up and rest in a comfortable position to ease the strain and pain.
Top tips for Week 14
With your energy levels up and the feel-good vibes lingering, you might want to plan a last couple’s trip with your husband before your baby is born. So, do get started by writing down destination options, and have a set plan for the vaccinations required.
Another important thing to note are the restrictions on flying while pregnant. Most airlines have their own set of rules and regulations when it comes allowing pregnant passengers on board, and restrictions on flying long haul after a certain number of weeks. You might also want to consider the climate of the destination that you intend to fly to during that time of the year. With your body temperature rising during pregnancy and your growing bump in tow, you might not enjoy sweating it out at tropical destinations in the same way you did before you were pregnant.
This article gives you some inspiration on suitable babymoon destinations.
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