Thursday, August 27, 2009

Week 14

How Big is the Baby at Fourteen Weeks Pregnant?
Your baby is 3.4 inches long by pregnancy week 14, and likely weighs close to 1.5 ounces! Every day of your pregnancy week by week your baby is growing more and more proportional.

Your Baby's Growth and Development

By pregnancy 14 weeks your baby's body is growing quite rapidly. During pregnancy week 14 his length is catching up with his slightly larger head. The ears have started their move to the sides of the head, and the eyes continue to get closer and closer together.

During pregnancy week 14 your baby's neck will elongate, and the chin will start to rise up off the chest. Your baby's reflexes will also continue to develop this week. By pregnancy 14 weeks your baby should be receiving their nutrition directly from the placenta. Remember that everything you put into your body can cross the placental wall and impact your fetus. This includes not only things you eat such as food preservatives, but also things that may come into contact your skin, such as house sprays or other cleaning agents. Remember that lotions penetrate the skin, so why wouldn't household cleaners? At this time more than any other time in your life it is important that you make safe and healthy choices with regard to your health and well being.

Anything you eat or inhale could directly or indirectly affect the health and well being of your baby. Eating a healthy diet is vital to the well being of your child. Avoiding alcohol during pregnancy as well as avoiding certain foods is important to ensure a happy, healthy environment for your unborn baby. If you are smoking during your pregnancy please stop now.

One thing that you should never do when pregnant is change a cat's litter box. Doing so could put you at risk for contracting a disease called Toxoplasmosis. This is an infection that can occur via contact with the stool of an infected cat. The risk to your baby is substantial. Cats are often infected from outside sources including rodents. Most pet owners that have had cats for a long time have likely already been exposed to the disease at some time or another in their life, and this will not necessarily result in an increased risk for your baby. However during pregnancy, you do have an excuse to have someone else change the litter pan for the time being. You should also avoid gardening to some extent, as outdoor cats sometimes prefer to leave their stools in the soil of a garden.

If you absolutely must garden or change a cat box, be sure you wear gloves and a mask, and carefully wash your hands after performing any of these higher risk activities.

Your Growth and Development

At 14 weeks pregnant your tummy should start pouching a little bit now. Some women find this a welcome change. You may also notice that you start having additional symptoms such as constipation during pregnancy at 14 weeks. Constipation is fairly common during pregnancy, and among other things may be related to the increased amount of iron you are consuming to stave off anemia during pregnancy.

Fortunately there are many things you can do to alleviate constipation naturally. You'll want to do this, because chronic constipation can lead to or worsen hemorrhoids during pregnancy. First and foremost you'll want to be sure that you are drinking lots and lots of water. If you are thirsty then you are probably already dehydrated. Eating high fiber foods can also help reduce constipation… but be careful. Incorporating too many high fiber foods all at once can lead to excess gas, which is extremely uncomfortable during pregnancy. Start incorporation high fiber foods such as fruits and vegetables into your diet slowly, so your body can adapt to them and break them down more easily. This will lead to less discomfort and less constipation.

Changes in You
In addition to your expanding belly, at 14 weeks pregnant you might find yourself more eager than ever to exercise during your second trimester. Most women will have much more energy during the second trimester to embark on a fitness program.

If you have never engaged in a physical fitness program before, be sure to get your doctors clearance before doing so during pregnancy. It is important that you start out slow. Do to the increasing levels of hormones in your body you are more prone to injury during pregnancy, particularly during the third trimester when your body starts releasing a substance called relaxin. Relaxin helps soften and lengthen the cervix and the area of the body called the pubic symphysis, or the place where your pubic bones come together. This will help ease your transition into labor. It also improves the likelihood for injury due to falls or sudden movements. Be sure that you take things slowly.

Your healthcare provider will likely recommend that you keep your heart rate below 140 during pregnancy. This will help ensure that you don't get over fatigued and allow your baby to get an adequate supply of oxygen during physical activity.

While it is safe to lift weights during pregnancy, you'll want to be sure that you aren't lifting heavy weights. If the weight you are lifting causes you to hold your breath and push hard, then it is too heavy. Lifting weights that are too heavy can cut off the oxygen supply momentarily to your uterus, something you want to avoid during pregnancy.

You'll also want to avoid any exercises that cause you to lie flat on your back during the second trimester. When you are in a supine position the weight of the uterus presses on a large vein called the vena cava. This large vessel carries blood from the legs to the heart. When you lie on your back you might decrease the blood flow to your heart, and your heart may start to race. This can result in shortness of breath. You can and will pass out if you do not change your position.
My Personal Feelings
In these 14 weeks of pregnancy, I felt very nervous about my baby. I am eager to know the gender of my baby. The doctor cannot even see it from the ultrasound. I am very happy to able to have a baby now. Alan is so excited also.
During this week, sometimes I am feeling eating and sometimes I feel eating a lot. I do not know what is wrong with me. I wish I could know better my own body.
The problem with acne is not gone. It is getting worse and worse. In this pregnancy, I changed a lot in my body. I am getting bigger and bigger, but my tummy did not grow as much as it should be.

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