Your Nutrients Of The Week

Your Wellness Tips This Week²

At 14 weeks pregnant, think about making plans for you and your baby in the months ahead.

• Check out childbirth class options for later in your pregnancy.
• Begin checking out possible paediatrician choices for your baby.
• By your 14th week of pregnancy, examine your maternity and paternity policies at work, if you have not already.
• Begin looking at child-care options if you will need them.

Your Baby's Development at Week 14^2,3

While many areas of your baby’s body are becoming further defined during your 14th week of pregnancy, much of the development this week focuses on your baby’s small reproductive system:

• When you are 14 weeks pregnant, your baby is about the length of your clenched fist.
• In boys, the prostate gland is forming. In girls, ovaries are moving into her pelvis from her abdomen area.
• Your baby’s thyroid gland is now working and making hormones.
• By your 14th week of pregnancy, your baby’s palate, or the roof of his mouth, has completely formed.
• Your baby already might be or soon will begin growing body hair, called lanugo, which will temporarily keep your baby warm until his baby fat accumulates.
• Your baby’s head will grow to four times its current size and increase 60 times in volume by the time of birth.

Your Changing Body at Week 14⁴

With an increase of hormones in the 14th week of pregnancy and in the weeks that follow, you might notice new changes in your body.

• At 14 weeks pregnant, you might see an increase in vaginal discharge, which is normal. Hormones stimulate this, possibly your body’s way of preventing the growth of harmful bacteria.
• Sometimes this surge of hormones can leave your vaginal area out of balance, which can lead to infection. This is common and something your doctor can easily treat.
• If you have any concerns about changes in your discharge or you experience soreness, itching, or bleeding, contact your doctor.

• At 14 weeks pregnant, the darkening of skin around your nipples is probably noticeable.
• Like most pregnant women, you might also soon notice a dark vertical line, called linea nigra, extending from your navel to pubic area.
• By your 14th week of pregnancy, skin around your navel, armpits, or inner thighs might darken, particularly if you already have a darker complexion.
• Usually this increased pigmentation, driven by increases in hormones, fades after your baby’s birth.
• You might also note a very mild darkening of skin on the forehead, temples, cheeks, chin, and nose (sometimes called the “mask of pregnancy”). This affects about half of all pregnant women and usually fades after your baby is born.

References:

¹ Healthy Choices & Cravings, Abbott Family. Available [Online] at https://www.family.abbott/sg-en/tools-and-resources/pregnancy/pregnancy-calendar/pregnancy-week-14-your-nutrition-this-week.html. Accessed on 23 Aug 2023.
² Verwellfamily. Week 14 of your pregnancy. Available [Online] at: https://www.verywellfamily.com/14-weeks-pregnant-4158944. Accessed on 23 August 2023.
³ Mayo Clinic. Pregnancy week by week. Available [Online] at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by- week/in-depth/fetal-development/art-20046151?p=1 Accessed on 21 Aug 23
⁴ Healthline. Vaginal Discharge During Pregnancy: What’s Normal? Available [Online] at: https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/vaginal-discharge-during-pregnancy. Accessed on 23 August 2023.
⁵ MedicalNewsToday. How does sex drive change during pregnancy? Available [Online] at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324556. Accessed on 23 August 2023.
⁶ Kar S et al.Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology of India. 2012; 62(3): 268–275. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13224-012-0179-z
* Comparison among all maternal milk in Singapore as of January 2022, as declared on the label.

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