Changes in Your Baby

During week 14, your baby is sensitive to light even though his eyelids are still fused shut. Since your baby’s body has been undergoing a lot of growth, he now looks more in proportion. Your baby’s movements are becoming more elaborate, though you are not likely to feel them for several more weeks. He is practicing the skills needed to breathe outside the womb by inhaling amniotic fluid. While this may seem strange, it’s harmless to your baby and is a skill he must acquire well before birth.

Changes in the Mother

Your doctor will likely measure your abdomen at each visit from now until your baby’s birth. The area between your uterus and pubic bone should grow steadily each week, which provides your doctor with a good indicator that your baby is growing properly. Both your heart and kidneys are now working much harder than they did before you became pregnant. All of this work will cause you to have a bigger appetite than you normally would, but you don’t really have to increase your caloric intake at this point. Just be sure to eat a healthy, balanced diet.

Taking Care of Yourself

Many women find constipation to be a problem at various times throughout their pregnancy. Ironically, the hormones that relax ligaments to allow them to stretch can also cause the digestive system to become sluggish. Be sure to consume plenty of fiber and drink a lot of water to keep constipation under control.