14 weeks pregnant
Length: 7.4 cmWeight: 45 g
Baby development
My body is covered in thin, translucent skin with little tufts of hair called lanugo.
The hair protects the fragile skin and helps keep me warm. My joints are developed and I can bend and stretch my legs, arms, fingers and toes. My eyebrows emerge and the hair on my head is on the up.
I can make swallowing gestures and I am practising the movements of breathing; my nervous system has also started to work. I'm getting stronger with every day that passes and my movements are less jerky. In the intestines, I now produce meconium, which is waste that will be my first stool after birth.
Mothers development
You have now reached the last part of the first trimester. That is the end of the first of the three parts of the pregnancy.
Now your growing belly is visible, it's getting hard to hide it. And why would you? It's beautiful! If this isn’t your first child, your belly is probably more apparent. This is because the uterus may have been thrust further forward and the abdominal muscles become more stretched after a pregnancy.
Your levels of the hormone progesterone are high. This is an important hormone that causes the mucous membrane to remain in the uterus, which is crucial for a full-term pregnancy. Progesterone also acts as an inhibitor of the immune system, so the body doesn’t reject the foetus. The hormone also stimulates the development of the milk-forming cells in the breasts and causes the muscles to relax. You may experience a little stomach pain as a result of the high progesterone levels. Simply combat this by remembering to eat fibre-rich foods, drink a lot of water and do not forget to exercise.
Co-parent
Wow! The first third of the pregnancy is in the books and you can probably notice your partner's belly, and you'll get a visible receipt of what's cooking in there.
Place your hand on her belly as often as you can and feel the sense of excitement. If you are lucky you may even feel a little movement. However, this is very unusual this early in the pregnancy. Place your ear to the belly, listen and speak to your unborn child. Try to establish a bond. These little moments are easy to forget. Get out the camera, take pictures of the growing belly, write down your thoughts and what you do. You will appreciate reading and seeing them in the future.
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