Week 14 of Your Pregnancy

You were never much of a worrier in sunny Singapore, but the pregnancy is making you anxious. Are you eating the right fish? Are the upcoming scans going to be ok? While it’s normal to worry, don’t overdo it because it’s not healthy for you nor your baby! Find out what baby’s up to this week.

Around this time, your baby’s movements will become less erratic as it starts to turn and stretch their hands, wrists and legs². It will also continue to develop eyelids, fingernails and toenails², and its neck will start to grow⁴.

To keep warm in these early weeks, don’t be surprised to find your baby covered in a soft coating of hair, known as lanugo³. As your baby develops fat, the layer of lanugo will be shed³. 

Your Baby

Your baby is wriggling those fingers and toes! This little miracle is also starting to practise breathing movements. At week 14 of pregnancy, your baby is the size of a lemon at about 85mm long. Your baby’s kidneys have started to work and it is starting to wee. It may begin to swallow small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is passed into its stomach, kidneys, and back into the amniotic fluid as urine.

Your body

Meanwhile, your body has completely adjusted to the new hormonal situation and is starting to return back to normal. Therefore, most women feel well at this stage of pregnancy. Approximately 100ml of amniotic fluid surround your baby in your belly as a protective cushion. It will increase to 1.5 litres by the end of your pregnancy.

Prevent stretch marks!

You can prevent the formation of stretch marks in the later part of your pregnancy with a belly-pot-massage. Apart from using apricot kernel oil, almond oil and sesame oil, wheat germ oil is also suitable for its high Vitamin E content for skin care. 

Vitamin K is important!

As part of a healthy balanced diet, ensure that you’re getting enough Vitamin K! Vitamin K is needed in small amounts – just 55 mcg per day for pregnant women.

If a baby doesn’t get enough Vitamin K during pregnancy, it can develop a rare bleeding disorder after birth⁸. This is why babies are given a booster shot just after they are born, though Vitamin K deficiency is rare.

By the way, synthetic Vitamin K can be toxic⁶. Instead of supplements, reach out for Vitamin K-rich foods such as⁹:

• Green, leafy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, cabbage and kale
• Vegetable oils, especially soybean oil
• Eggs
• Lean meat
• Dairy products

Ready to start incorporating more vitamin K-rich foods into your diet? Try these meal and snack ideas!

• Vegetable stir-fry using soya oil
• Spinach or cabbage salad with grilled chicken
• Smoothie made with milk, a spoonful of yogurt and your favourite berries