Pregnancy Week 14 - The Magical Sound of Your Baby’s Heartbeat

Dear Baby,

You are about 10 cm long now. The lines on your palms are already formed as well as your eyebrows. Your main organs have taken shape and are continuing to grow. Your heart is beating twice as fast as an adult's. Your reproductive organs are also well developed. Your muscles are strong enough to enable you to move your hands and feet. Although you are moving a lot, you are still small, and so I haven't felt any movement.

You have started drinking the amniotic fluid that you float around in. Your kidneys have already begun functioning and producing small amounts of urine.

Oh my God, the rate at which you are growing, I can't believe that you are only twelve weeks old and have still another twenty-five to twenty-six weeks to go before I can hold you!

We are now in the second trimester. You are getting your nourishment from the placenta. My morning sickness is wearing off. Although I still feel sick two to three times a day, it is much less now. Thank goodness for that.

This time when I went for my check-up, the doctor checked your heartbeat. She made me listen to it as well. Your heart was beating so fast that it sounded like horses galloping.

I've got an awful cough. I think it is a chest infection. Because of all that coughing, I'm also suffering from stress incontinence. It is getting me down.

But you don't have to worry about it. I will be better soon.

Your loving mumma

BABY NOTES

What changes can you expect during the second trimester?

This is the trimester when you begin to glow. Your nausea may begin to ease off and so also the need to urinate frequently. You may find the return of energy and your sex drive. You begin to bloom as your body produces increasing amounts of hormones, including oestrogen. However, not every woman experiences these changes in the same way. Some may continue to feel nauseous or tired.

Your uterus is growing and beginning to rise above your pelvis. If this is not your first pregnancy, you may begin to look bigger much earlier than you did the first time around. This is because of a slight slackening of your muscles and skin tissues. Your breasts may have become larger and you may need to buy a new bra. Try to buy a well-fitting, supportive one with wider straps to give you extra support. Some women may find that their skin becomes dark and pigmented, particularly on the face and abdomen, while others may find that their legs feel heavier because of changes in circulation and fluid retention.

When can you hear your baby's heartbeat?

From around this stage of pregnancy, your doctor may begin listening to your baby's heartbeat during routine check-ups, using a handheld Doppler device. This can be exciting, especially if the doctor lets you listen to it as well.

What is the placenta and how does it support your baby?

The placenta is a sponge-like organ and is your baby’s life-support system. It absorbs nourishment from your blood and passes it on to your baby through the umbilical cord. It not only supplies nourishment and oxygen to your baby but also passes on some of your protective antibodies. It also removes waste products, including carbon dioxide, from your baby’s blood. However, the placenta cannot prevent all harmful substances and infections from reaching your baby.

By Week 14, the placenta is well established and has taken over much of the hormone production needed to sustain the pregnancy and to prepare your body for breastfeeding. It continues to provide your baby with oxygen and nourishment during labour, until birth. After your baby is born, the uterus contracts, causing the placenta to separate from its wall. It is then delivered as the afterbirth.

What is stress incontinence and how can you prevent it?

Stress incontinence is the leakage of urine when you cough, sneeze, run or jump. The pelvic floor muscles support the bladder. These muscles can become weak during pregnancy because of hormonal changes and the increasing weight of the baby putting pressure on them.

To help prevent or reduce stress incontinence, which can become a source of embarrassment, hold your pelvic floor muscles tight before sneezing, coughing or laughing. Do the following exercises every day throughout your pregnancy as well as after birth:

1. Clench your pelvic floor muscles – you can do this by imagining that you are trying to stop yourself from urinating as well as preventing yourself from passing wind. Clench, hold for five seconds, then relax completely. Again clench, hold and relax. Gradually work towards holding for up to ten seconds, followed by a few quick contractions. Aim to do ten long and ten short contractions, three times a day. Remember to breathe normally throughout. Do not practise these exercises while actually urinating, as repeatedly stopping the flow of urine can interfere with normal bladder emptying.

2. Now imagine these muscles are going up a lift. Clench gently, then gradually tighten your muscles further as you imagine moving up one floor, then another, until you reach the top floor. After that, slowly relax your muscles as you imagine the lift moving down, floor by floor, till you reach the bottom floor. Allow your muscles to relax completely before repeating the exercise. Remember to breathe normally and avoid straining.

These exercises can be done sitting, standing or lying down and hence can be done anywhere and at any time. Remember to relax your pelvic floor muscles fully between contractions. If urine leakage persists or becomes troublesome, consult your doctor or a pelvic health physiotherapist for advice.

Is it safe to have sex during pregnancy?

Now that your nausea may be easing off and your energy returning, you may find an increase in your sexual libido. You may also find that during this trimester, you become easily aroused, although sexual desire varies from woman to woman. If your pregnancy is progressing normally and your doctor has not advised otherwise, there is generally no harm in having sex throughout your pregnancy, as long as you feel comfortable. As your pregnancy progresses, you may need to try different positions to avoid putting pressure on your growing abdomen.

Many couples worry that by having sex during pregnancy, they may harm the baby or induce a miscarriage. This is not true in an uncomplicated pregnancy. Your baby is well protected by the muscular walls of the uterus and the amniotic fluid. The womb is also sealed off by a mucous plug that helps protect against infection. You cannot crush your baby either, as it is well-cushioned by the amniotic fluid. However, some couples do not feel comfortable making love in the baby's ‘presence’. But this should not stop you from spending some intimate moments together.

You must, however, avoid sex if you experience unexplained vaginal bleeding until your doctor has assessed the cause and advised that it is safe. If your waters break, you should avoid intercourse because of the risk of infection and contact your maternity care provider promptly. If you have a blood-stained show, particularly before 37 weeks, seek medical advice. Your doctor may also advise you to abstain from sex if you have placenta praevia, cervical problems or a risk of premature labour.

If you've had a previous miscarriage, this does not necessarily mean you need to avoid sex during your next pregnancy. However, if you experience bleeding or have other pregnancy complications, your doctor may advise you to abstain for a period of time. Remember, too, that pregnancy does not protect you from sexually transmitted infections, so condoms should be used if there is any risk of infection.

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