Welcome to the second trimester!
At 14 weeks pregnant, many moms-to-be begin to feel hungrier, more energetic and less nauseous as early pregnancy symptoms start to subside.
Meanwhile, your baby's getting chubbier by the day, and may be starting to sprout some hair. If you're 14 weeks pregnant, you're in month 4 of your pregnancy. Only 5 months left to go! Still have questions? Here's some more information on how weeks, months and trimesters are broken down in pregnancy. At 14 weeks, your baby is growing and developing rapidly, measuring between 3½ and 4 inches long and weighing around 2 ounces, about the size of a navel orange. Growing by leaps and bounds, your baby is leaping and bounding. Now the size of your clenched fist, she's on the move almost constantly — and those movements are a far cry from those jerky twitches of last trimester (though you won't feel any of them for weeks to come). They are now ballet-like, smooth and fluid. Speaking of ballet, it'll be years before you'll start nagging your offspring to stand up straight — but unbelievably, she is doing it right now, without any prodding! No slouch anymore, your baby's neck is getting longer, helping her head stand more erect. This gives your fetus a more straightened-out appearance. By week 14 of pregnancy, your baby could be sprouting some hair and those eyebrows are filling in too. Hair growth isn't limited to baby's head, though. She is also covered with a downy coating of hair called lanugo, largely there for warmth. But it won't be there forever. As fat accumulates later on in your pregnancy — the baby's fat, not yours — it will take over the function of keeping your little bean toasty, so most of the lanugo sheds. Some babies, especially those born early, still have a fuzzy coating at delivery, but it disappears soon afterward. Other developments this week include a roof of her own — inside your baby's mouth, that is — as well as some digestive system activity: Her intestines are producing meconium, which is the waste that will make up her first bowel movement after birth. Welcome to the second trimester — (almost) every pregnant woman's favorite, and for good reason! As many first trimester pregnancy woes wane, you're most likely feeling a bit peppier and a lot more human. With any luck, your breasts aren't quite as tender as they were last trimester and your energy level is making a comeback. More good news on the horizon: less morning sickness and fewer trips to the potty to pee. Even cooler is the fact that it may be time to start hitting those maternity boutiques, because you may be starting to show — instead of looking like you've eaten too much for lunch. That's because your uterus is finally rising out of the pelvic region and into your lower abdomen. You might even be able to feel the top of your uterus, called the fundus, if you press down right above your pelvic bone in your lower abdomen. How amazing is that? Now that you’re officially in your second trimester, it may be time to go maternity clothes shopping for real, as right around now many women go from looking a little bloated to actually “popping.” But remember: Your 14 weeks pregnant belly is normal no matter how big or small it is. All expectant women carry baby differently depending on their height and figure, and whether this is their first pregnancy or not. So breathe a sigh of relief and know that your baby bump at 14 weeks is perfect, no matter what it looks like! And of course, if you have any questions, check in with your provider. For some women, a possible side effect of uterine growth is what your OB/GYN would call round ligament pain. Basically, these are pregnancy growing pains that feel like achy or sharp pains on one or both sides of the abdomen that begin to appear around 14 weeks but can strike at any time during the second trimester. Here's why: The uterus is supported by thick bands of ligaments that run from the groin up the side of the abdomen. As your uterus grows, the supporting ligaments stretch and thin out to accommodate the increasing weight. This weight pulls on the ligaments and causes a sharp pain or a dull ache in your lower abdomen. It’s often more noticeable when you change positions suddenly or quickly get up from sitting or lying down or when you cough or sneeze. The best way to bring relief? Put your feet up and rest in a comfortable position, which should ease the strain and the pain. As if you didn't have enough pregnancy symptoms to contend with, you're also more susceptible to colds, flu and other bugs when you're expecting. That's because nature wisely suppresses your immune system during pregnancy to keep your fetus — a foreigner to your body — from being rejected. The key to staying healthy is to engage in some germ warfare. More than ever, the best defense is a strong offense, especially when germs are being passed around your office or home like canapés. Wash your hands often — and carry liquid sanitizer for times when a sink's not handy — don't share drinks or food or toothbrushes and avoid sick people like the plague. It's okay to banish a sick spouse to the couch. If you think you've caught something, check with your practitioner ASAP, who will treat what you've got with your special needs in mind. If antibiotics are prescribed for a bacterial infection — they're useless against viruses like colds — don't hesitate to take them because you've heard medications aren't safe during pregnancy. Many are — and getting better fast is the best medicine for your baby. It’s generally considered safe to paint your nails during pregnancy, but some nail treatments, like acrylics, can give off a strong smell that turns your stomach. Acetone, too, may irritate your skin. A better bet: Choose pregnancy-safe nail polishes that are water-based, non-flammable and hypoallergenic. It does a growing baby body good, building strong bones and teeth. But calcium also does your body good too — helping to maintain solid bone density and prevent osteoporosis later in life, and lowering your risk of preeclampsia now. So make sure you "got milk" and other calcium-loaded foods, like fortified juice, almonds, sesame seeds, soy products, green leafy veggies, canned salmon, and broccoli. Thinking of commemorating your pregnancy by getting a tattoo? Think again. While not much of the ink or its particles will enter your bloodstream, there is a risk of infection. Not a good risk to take when you're trying to stay healthy for two. Plus, a new tattoo that looks symmetrical on your skin might become lopsided or distorted after you regain your pre-pregnancy shape, so the end result might not be what you’d hoped. But if you already have a tattoo, no problem — just sit back and watch it stretch! Your bikini-line butterfly might just start soaring like an eagle! With your second trimester comes a burst of energy. Try to take advantage! Get your light-to-moderate exercise game on to keep yourself and your baby-to-be healthy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends getting at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise per day, at least five days a week. Just remember to avoid exercising on your back now that you're past the first trimester. Every expectant woman is pregnant sometime during flu season (generally between October and May), which is why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all moms-to-be get the flu shot. And being pregnant doesn’t increase your risk for flu shot side effects either, according to research. In your second trimester, your baby starts to grow in earnest. Your weight gain may pick up so that if you started your pregnancy with a normal BMI of 18.5 to 24.9, you’d add a total of about 12 to 14 pounds (give or take) during this second trimester. For the healthiest results, keep track of your pregnancy weight within reason (but definitely don’t obsess). For consistency’s sake, try to weigh yourself at the same time every day (or every few days), preferably in the morning before you get dressed or eat. Try to eat three servings of protein daily to help spur new tissue for your baby-to-be. One serving of meat like skinless chicken or lean beef, for example, should be about 3 ounces — roughly the size of a deck of cards. Other great protein sources include eggs, fish, dairy and legumes.Your Baby at Week 14
At a Glance
14 weeks pregnant is how many months?
How big is my baby at 14 weeks?
Baby is standing up straight
Baby's sprouting hair and lanugo
Your Body at Week 14
One down, two to go!
Your 14 weeks pregnant belly
Round ligament pain
Staying healthy
Pregnancy Symptoms Week 14
Tips for You This Week
Reviewed September 3, 2024 From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.
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