Week 14 of Pregnancy (2024)

14 weeks pregnant is how many months?

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 onhow weeks, months and trimesters are broken down in pregnancy.

How big is my baby at 14 weeks?

At 14 weeks, your baby is growing and developing rapidly, measuring between 3½and 4 inches long and weighing around 2 ounces, about the size of a navel orange.

Baby is standing up straight

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.

Baby's sprouting hair and lanugo

By week 14 of pregnancy, yourbaby 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.

One down, two to go!

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?

Your 14 weeks pregnant belly

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.

Round ligament pain

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.

Staying healthy

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.