Pregnancy Week - 14 Weeks Pregnant

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14 Weeks Pregnant - Pregnancy Week by Week

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Pregnancy Week 14

What's a tired mom-to-be to do? Buy a Snoozer Pillow

**Please note- Your Due Date is calculated from your last menstrual period, which corresponds to our Pregnancy Week by Week articles.

Week 14

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.

Discuss With Other Mothers To Be!

Click Here To See What Other Mothers Are Experiencing At Week 14

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. You may want to join a Pregnancy Exercise program at BabyFit.com

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.

Pregnancy Pillows
For Moms and Families

I bought my first pregnancy pillow many years before I was pregnant. A pillow hound I simply thought it was a neat idea. I soon found it dramatically improved my ability to sleep at night.

It wasn't until I became pregnant that I realized just how beneficial body pillows are for pregnant ladies. They help support not only your back but also your expanding stomach during pregnancy. Your best bet? Invest in a high quality pillow like Snoozer Pregnancy Pillows . And don't be surprised if other family members take an active interest in your pillow. They work great for everyone... pregnant and non pregnant alike!

Maternity Clothes
Maternity Shirts:
The Best and Worst Selections During Each Stage of Pregnancy

Nothing feels worse that wearing ill-fitting clothing during your pregnancy. This is the case whether you are wearing tops or bottoms. One thing you must invest in during your pregnancy is one or more elegantly designed maternity shirts. Maternity Shirts from Motherhood Maternity , are crafted with pregnant mothers in mind. They offer the much needed extra space to allow your newborn baby to grow without looking overly bulky or out of style.

In fact, today’s Maternity Shirts and Blouses from A Pea in the Pod are much classier and stylish than some versions offered in the past. Not sure what to look for? Keep in mind your skin might be overly sensitive during your pregnancy. You may want to look for clothes that are made of a cotton/lycra blend so they are comfortable, breathe AND stretch a little as your growing belly expands!

Along with your increasing girth comes extra weight during the second trimester. Some women are tempted to diet during pregnancy to reduce the amount of weight they gain. It is important that you never diet during pregnancy. You can however develop a healthy Pregnancy Diet at BabyFit.com without losing weight. Your baby will rely on you for vital nutrients during pregnancy. If you try to lose weight during pregnancy, you put the health of your baby at risk. Dieting during pregnancy can result in a malnourished, low birth weight baby and more complicated delivery.

You should also avoid any medications for dieting such as diuretics, which can result in dehydration and can impact your baby.

You CAN however make the decision to eat more healthy during pregnancy. Consider cutting out refined sugars and avoiding foods that are overly processed. These foods usually have more calories and provide less bang for the buck when it comes to nutrition. During your second trimester, you will start needing 300 to 500 more calories than you normally would need in order to facilitate a healthy weight gain during pregnancy. Most women will consume on average between 2000 and 2400 calories a day during pregnancy, depending on their physical activity level. While pregnancy isn't a license to eat cake and ice cream all day, it does afford many women the opportunity to relax a little bit about their diets and splurge a little more on items they may not have considered prior to getting pregnant. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having an extra bowl of ice cream here and there, provided you aren't having ice cream and cake every day for breakfast.  Pregnancy Nutrition at BabyFit.com can help you eat  healthy during your pregnancy.

Most days you should aspire to choose foods that are low in saturated fat and nutrient dense. You should aspire to eat a diet that is well balanced and incorporates foods from each of the four food groups. Calcium is particularly important during pregnancy, so be sure to fill up on foods rich in calcium including yogurt, cheese, milk and dark leafy green vegetables.

Most women will gain about 1 pound per week during the second trimester. Your weight gain during pregnancy may vary from week to week. One month you may find that you gained 5 pounds whereas another month you gained only 2. Don't focus on the scale too much, unless you truly find that you are gaining an excessive amount of weight. Remember that swelling and water retention are quite common in pregnancy, and can result in weight fluctuations that are frustrating at best. Try not to weigh yourself every day.

One thing you can do to promote your overall health and well being and ensure that you are able to drop your weight once you deliver your baby is continue exercising throughout your pregnancy. Exercise will not only help expedite the labor and delivery process, but will help you feel better about your body before, during and after pregnancy. Some great choices during pregnancy include: walking, swimming, stationary biking and prenatal yoga.  Pregnancy Exercise at Babyfit.com is designed with you and your baby's overall health in mind.  They will ensure you  avoid any activities that  have the potential to cause injury to yourself or the pregnancy.

Remember that your growing body is a beautiful reflection of the life you are carrying within. As you grow and expand, the baby inside of you is thanking you for nurturing and keeping them safe.