Welcome to Week 14 of pregnancy! Congratulations on making it this far—you’re officially in the second trimester, often referred to as the honeymoon phase of pregnancy. This is the time when many expectant parents start feeling better, gaining more energy, and seeing their baby develop in exciting new ways. Here, we’ll cover what to expect for both you and your baby during this week, along with some personal insights from my own experience as I navigate my fourth pregnancy.
What's Happening with Your Baby
At 14 weeks, your baby is approximately the size of a lemon. While still small, your little one is growing rapidly and starting to develop distinct features. Here’s a glimpse into your baby’s development:
Facial Expressions: Baby’s facial muscles are developing, and they might be making tiny expressions like frowning or smiling.
Stronger Limbs & Movements: Baby’s arms and legs are growing, and they can now open and close their tiny fists. Their movements will become more noticeable in the coming weeks!
Lanugo & Taste Buds: A soft, thin layer of hair called lanugo is forming all over baby’s skin to help keep them warm. In addition, your little one is beginning to develop taste buds and may start reacting to different flavors through the amniotic fluid.
Fully Formed Genitals: While they are developed, it may still be too early to determine the baby’s sex via ultrasound.
Fun Fact: At this stage, baby’s skin is starting to thicken and is no longer translucent. Plus, little toenails are forming—how cute is that?
Changes You Might Experience
As your baby grows, your body continues to adjust. Here are some common experiences during Week 14:
Increased Energy: You may feel like you have more stamina compared to the exhausting first trimester. Maybe you’ll even find yourself settling into a more predictable workout routine!
Appetite Increase & Heightened Sense of Smell: With nausea fading, your hunger might kick into high gear. Some people also report an extreme sensitivity to odors (which can be a blessing or a curse!).
Varicose Veins: Increased blood volume and circulation may cause veins to become more visible, especially in the legs.
Round Ligament Pain: As your uterus expands, you may feel sharp pains or discomfort in your lower abdomen or pelvis.
💬 Pro Tip: If you’re experiencing round ligament pain (a.k.a. lightning crotch ⚡), try gentle pelvic stability exercises or light stretching to relieve discomfort.
Round Ligament Relief
My Personal Experience in Week 14
Navigating the 14th week of pregnancy while already being a mother to three has been a unique journey filled with its own set of challenges and joys. Here are some more personal insights:
Morning Sickness is Gone: I finally feel like I can eat normal foods again without feeling nauseous. No more weird food aversions, which is such a relief.
Energy is Returning: I’ve noticed I can work out 3-4 times a week again, including strength training and cardio (which I usually skip, but I surprised myself this week!).
Advanced Maternal Age Label: One thing that caught me off guard was seeing “Advanced Maternal Age” listed on my medical chart. At 36 years old, I know this is a common term for pregnancies over 35, but seeing it marked as a problem felt overwhelming at first.
Genetic Testing Relief: Because of my age, I had extra genetic screening offered (covered by insurance), and I’m happy to report everything came back normal! This eased a lot of my initial anxiety.
One key takeaway from this week? If something on your medical chart concerns you, ask questions! After discussing my chart with my home birth midwife, I felt much more reassured that everything was going smoothly.
My Fitness Routine This Week
One of my main goals in pregnancy is to stay strong and pain-free while preparing for labor. This week, I focused on:
✔️ Pelvic stability exercises – To help prevent SI joint pain, which I’ve experienced in past pregnancies.
✔️ Strength training – Doing two rounds of strength-focused workouts to maintain muscle tone.
✔️ Pelvic opening movements – These exercises help keep my hips mobile and flexible, preparing my body for birth.
✔️ Cardio (shockingly!) – I actually did the full prenatal workout, including the optional cardio. Go me!
💡 Fitness Tip: If you’re pregnant and struggling with energy levels, listen to your body! Some days, skipping cardio or just doing a few mobility exercises is more than enough.
Conclusion
Every pregnancy is unique, and Week 14 can bring its own set of experiences and challenges. It’s essential to listen to your body, take care of your mental and physical health, and prepare for the exciting changes ahead.
If you’re looking for more support during your pregnancy, consider exploring our online prenatal fitness programs and childbirth education courses. You can bundle these for additional savings!
Prenatal Support Courses
Learn the science of pregnancy and birth to take the mystery of labor away! Understand why you are feeling what you feel, and learn strategies to confidently move through pregnancy and birth!
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Instructor
GINA
Workout on-demand with our prenatal fitness workout videos! Each workout is 30-40 minutes to follow along as you exercise at the same time!
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Instructor
GINA
Find comfort and relief from pelvic girdle pain throughout your pregnancy and postpartum period! This program incorporates myofascial sling focused exercises to stabilize across the pelvic girdle joints.
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