What to expect at 14 weeks pregnant
While your baby’s eyelids are still fused over, the eyes are now fully formed and the eye colour will have already been determined. Your baby also has vocal cords now which means they can cry, although it is still a muted cry at this stage as its lungs are full of amniotic fluid.
Your baby can also now grasp its fingers and suck its thumb and is starting to develop a layer of hair over its body called lanugo, which your baby will shed in the first few weeks of its life. The placenta is now fully functional and supplies your baby with oxygen, fats and proteins, vitamins and minerals – and also works to remove carbon dioxide and waste materials.
How you’re feeling
Hopefully, you’re starting to feel a little better and more like you like yourself again – you might even be starting to see the beginnings of a baby bump which can be very exciting. This can often help to make the whole thing feel a little more “real”.
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Weekly tip
Telling your boss that you’re pregnant can be a cause of stress for some, especially those worried about their job security or potential for progression within a company and so they tend to put it off as long as possible. However, as you head into the second trimester and your bump starts to grow and become more visible, it can become hard to hide. So it’s best to deliver the news yourself, in person – and don’t let them find out via your Facebook announcement.
When to tell your boss is really up to you and your pregnancy – if you suffer from morning sickness or other medical conditions in the early stages you might end up having to let your boss know earlier than you’d planned. Once you’re ready to tell your boss, take some time to think about what you want to do about work before you meet with them and also familiarise yourself with your company’s maternity leave policy.
You have months before you need to make any concrete decisions, but it can be good to go into the conversation prepared for any questions they throw at you. Also, arm yourself with any questions you might have for them or HR – which can be a good way of putting off giving them an answer on anything you haven’t quite decided yet. You will also likely have to take some time out of the office over the next few months for doctor’s appointments and scans.
So prepare them for this by letting them know how you plan to make up the time or work around the appointments. This really depends on your workplace and whether you might have flexible working hours on offer or the ability to work from home to make up the time.
- Your pregnancy at 15 weeks
- Your pregnancy at 16 weeks
- Your pregnancy at 17 weeks
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Dr Christine Catling Follow +
Dr Christine Catling, a midwife for over 25 years, is the Director of Midwifery Studies at UTS. She believes research, innovation and good quality midwifery are pivotal to the well-being of mothers and young families. Christine has extensive experience in antenatal education, policy development and research, and has published on workforce issues, homebirth, vaginal birth...
