Wednesday, March 4, 2009

14 Weeks

Not much new going on here. We actually had some SNOW this past weekend. Very strange. Allan is scheduled tosolo this Friday. I going to get to go watch, so I'm pretty excited about that!

Now for week 14 update:

Week 14 of Pregnancy


It's all about hair now as your baby sprouts some on his head, eyebrows, and body. As for Mom, those first-trimester symptoms should be easing up a bit. Welcome to the second trimester!

With any luck, your energy level is making a comeback. More good news on the horizon: less morning sickness and fewer trips to the potty to pee. You might find yourself feeling pregnancy aches on the lower sides of your abdomen about now as the muscles and ligaments that support your growing uterus stretch. And though it might be a pain in the — well, lower abdomen, it's pain with a gain — and a sign that it won't be long now until your body finally starts to show that you're expecting. Meanwhile, your baby is about the size of a clenched fist and he's sporting a downy coating of hair (lanugo) that keeps him nice and warm. Not to worry — you won't give birth to a monkey; baby fat will accumulate over the next few months, keeping your baby warm and toasty — and allowing most of that hair to shed.


Fetal Movement:

If you could peek inside yourself now, you'd see a baby the size of your clenched fist (and come to think of it, at 14 weeks of fetal development, your little one can clench his or her own fist!). As fetal development continues, your baby also has the coordination, strength, and smarts to wiggle his or her fingers and toes and even suck a thumb (how cute is that?).
At 14 Weeks Pregnant, Your Baby is a Mover (But Not a Shaker Yet)

Growing by leaps and bounds, by week 14 of pregnancy, your baby is leaping and bounding. He or she is 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.

Developing Perfect Posture (or Better Posture, at Least)
Speaking of ballet, it'll be years before you'll start nagging your offspring to stand up straight — but unbelievably, he or she is doing it right now, without any prodding! No slouch anymore, your baby's neck is getting longer, helping his or her head stand more erect. This gives your 14-week-old fetus a more straightened-out appearance.

Your Little Bigfoot — A Hairy Baby at 14 Weeks
Growth is happening on top of the head as well — by 14 weeks pregnant, your baby could be sprouting some hair (though the final color may not be determined until birth) and the eyebrows are filling in, too.
Hair growth isn't limited to the baby's head, though. He or she is also covered with a downy coating of hair called lanugo, largely there for warmth. As fat accumulates later on in your pregnancy (the baby's fat, not yours — though that will accumulate, too), most of the lanugo will shed — though some babies, especially those born early, still have a fuzzy coating at delivery (it sheds soon afterward).

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