What is going on with your baby during week 14?

Changes in you at this stage Week 14

• Regardless of breast size, they may have already started to produce colostrum or pre-milk, an antibody-rich fluid that feeds baby and keeps her healthy for the first few days of life.
• Between now and the next 5 weeks you can opt for the AFP test which will detect levels of the hormones AFP, hCG, inhibin and estriol.
• The amount of amniotic fluid increases by quite a bit this week.
• Many of the discomforts such as moodiness, exhaustion etc are easing up but they tend to linger until the baby is born.
• If fatigue is bothering you this week make sure it is not due to lack of iron - apart from your iron supplement try to get your extra iron from food sources as this mineral is better absorbed through food.
• Plenty of food cravings and aversions are starting to hound you now - give in to cravings but in moderation.

Good to Know in Week 14

• Amniocentesis and CVS are the only accurate tests that detect the gender.
• If you are eating spicy foods now, your baby may just grow up liking them too. Miscarriages commonly occur around the time the woman's menstrual periods would have - around the 4th, 8th, 12th and 16th medical weeks of pregnancy. Early miscarriages are referred to as blighted ovums or anembryonic gestations - this simply means the fertilized egg failed to develop for unknown reasons. Many women miscarry more than once in their lives; about 1 in 36 women will have 2 miscarriages due to mere chance. Having a miscarriage does not affect the woman's ability to carry a baby to term in the future.
• During pregnancy your waistline may increase by up to 20 inches to accommodate your growing baby.
• HCG is a hormone unique to pregnancy in that it can only be produced in the placental cells. It enters the circulatory system and is traceable in the woman's urine after a few days.

Wholesome Advice in Week 14

• Don't be afraid to ask your boss for a more flexible work schedule.
• Miscarriage either happens in full or doesn't at all - any threatened miscarriage that goes on to be a normal pregnancy was probably never a miscarriage to begin with. Ultrasound, blood work (to check for hCG and progesterone levels) and time are the three most important diagnostic tests to determine whether 1st trimester bleeding is caused by an abnormal pregnancy which is going to result in a miscarriage.

Your actions can impact your baby's growth at this stage

Help for Varicose Veins

Varicose veins are merely blood vessels engorged with blood. Though not dangerous or harmful to mother and baby, they are unsightly and do cause discomfort to the mother, especially in the lower extremities and pelvis.

• Your body has got more blood and fluid now and that means the veins have more blood and fluid to drain. Pregnancy hormones cause the muscle lining and valves to relax causing the veins to work harder.
• Excess weight and pressure of the uterus compound matters further.
• Plus, when you stand for longer periods, blood in your lower body will take a longer time to reach your heart and lungs because baby, placenta and uterus act like a big road block.
• Some women are more predisposed to varicose veins because of their family genes.
  1. Keep off your feet. Avoid standing too long and sit with your feet elevated as often as possible. Use a footstool wherever necessary to take the pressure off the back of your legs.
  2. Uncross your legs. DO NOT cross your legs; this reduces circulation
  3. Wear maternity support stockings to give your legs some support. Use suitable shoes with good arch support
  4. Exercise and stretch regularly. Gentle stretching of your body can help blood to return to your heart so it doesn't collect in your veins
  5. Get off your feet as much as possible by reclining on either your left of right side but not flat on your back

Common Concerns in in Week 14

How long should I wait to try and conceive after suffering from a miscarriage?

• There are no standard timelines as to what is normal; it could be 3 months, 6 months etc. it is advisable to try after three normal periods. The sooner you get pregnant, the sooner you get over the pregnancy loss. In the meantime use of condoms during the wait to avoid delays in cycles caused by birth control pills. Stay on prenatal vitamins during the waiting period.

Why is pregnancy making me so tired?

• Throughout pregnancy, more so in the first trimester, your body is working hard. During this time your body is making the placenta and your hormone levels and metabolism are going through changes; your blood sugar and blood pressure is lower. Combined, all these factors contribute to make you feel tired.

Am I likely to feel nauseous throughout my pregnancy?

• Nausea can last for a few weeks to a few months. For most women the nausea subsides after the third month although mild nausea lingers on throughout pregnancy. It is often triggered by certain smells and this again varies from one pregnancy to another.

Can exercising increase the risk of miscarriage?

• In low-risk pregnancies, exercising does not increase the chance of miscarriage. However if you have any condition or fall into the high-risk category, you must seek medical advice before exercising.

When does bone development in a fetus take place?

• In the 6th week fetus has gained a complete skeleton which is not yet made of bone. It is fashioned of cartilage; the true bone cells replace the cartilage between days 46-48. The appearance of the bone cells marks the end of the embryonic period and the beginning of the fetus stage (it can well be called a baby from now on). Although by 12 weeks, joints and bones are all formed, the ossification or bone hardening takes much longer. After birth bones continue to form and will not be complete until adolescence.

Weekly Nutrition advice in Week 14

• Being overweight at the start of pregnancy may present special problems. You may be advised to gain less weight than the average 25-35 pounds required for a normal- weight woman.
• You will probably have to choose low-calorie, lower-fat foods to eat. A visit to the nutritionist may be necessary to help you develop a healthful food plan. You will be advised not to diet during your pregnancy.
• Extra weight brings in more problems including gestational diabetes or high blood pressure; backaches, varicose veins and fatigue intensify for heavier women.
• If you put on much during your pregnancy - beyond what your doctor advised - chances of a Cesarean delivery increases.
• If you are overweight, visits to your doctor will be more often. Ultrasounds may be needed to help establish your due date because it is harder to establish the position and size of the fetus.
• Extra layers of abdominal fat may make manual examination harder. Your doctor may order for gestational diabetes tests, along with other diagnostic tests as you near your due date.

Iron Myth

Certain foods e.g. spinach, egg yolk though rich in iron cannot be absorbed through the intestines. Most nutritionally important is the 'elemental (pure) iron' which means the amount of iron available for absorption. A 300 mg ferrous sulfate pill contains 60 mg of elemental iron; 300 mg of ferrous fumarate contains 100 mg of elemental iron while 300 mg of ferrous gluconate contains 35 mg of elemental iron. The amount of iron listed may be misleading - check with your doctor on this. Avoid taking foods or iron supplement with anything that inhibits its absorption e.g. milk, tea, coffee, antacids and instead go for fruit juices foods rich in vitamin C. It is best to begin on iron supplements early in pregnancy or before if possible in order to store extra iron.