You are now fourteen weeks pregnant. Your pregnancy experience might seem to be slowing down a little now. You are probably looking forward to feeling your little guy or girl kick for the first time. If you have been pregnant before, you may notice your baby kicking a little sooner than if you are pregnant with your first. At first, you might think you are feeling gas bubbles, but at some point your baby will give you a good kick! Then you will know for sure what you are feeling. You may have some questions about what to expect and be curious about when your baby will start to move. In this week’s newsletter, we are going to discuss your baby’s first kicks and also bonding with your baby in the womb.
What Is Going on with Mom & Baby
Baby: Baby’s crown to rump length is 9-10 cm. (about the size of a lemon). Your baby weighs about 50 grams. Your baby is beginning to breathe and swallow amniotic fluid now. This helps to support the development of your baby’s lungs and digestive system. Your baby has meconium in her intestines now. Meconium is your baby’s first stool. It is made up of amniotic fluid, bile, and shed skin cells.
Mom: You may be having difficulty sleeping. Sometimes women have problems with leg cramps when they are pregnant. If you wake up with a charley horse or leg cramp at night, try stretching or massaging your leg. You can use a towel to stretch with: wrap the towel around the arch of your foot and pull on the towel as you stretch.
This Week’s Pregnancy Checklist
- Check your closet: do you have enough maternity clothes to wear?
- Look at bedding options for your baby’s crib.
- Talk to your partner about any upcoming appointments or ultrasounds.
- Purchase a new support bra and/or maternity underwear.
- Look into options for your baby’s sleep: cribs, bassinet, or another sleep option.
- Take a new belly picture for your scrapbook or journal.
When Will You Feel Your Baby Move?
You may be starting to get anxious about feeling your baby move. Some of you may have already felt something that you think is your baby moving. Some women have felt their babies move very early in their pregnancies and others don’t feel movement until later. Given this, what is normal? Well, that may depend on who you ask but in general, most women feel their babies move sometime between 16 and 20 weeks of pregnancy. If you have been pregnant before, you may notice your baby kicking sooner.
What Does it Feel Like?
Your baby actually starts moving around much sooner than when you feel her. You may start to notice quickening soon. Quickening is the term used to describe feeling your baby move. What you probably will notice first is a fluttering or even a feeling that sort of feels like a gas bubble. You may not recognize your baby’s first movements as kicks. It might be hard for you to distinguish quickening from gas, but eventually your baby’s movements will become stronger and more recognizable.
How Much Should my Baby be Moving?
When you first start noticing quickening, it may be inconsistent. You might notice what you think is baby moving and then not feel anything again for several days. This is normal in the beginning. Your baby is still kicking around inside you. You just might not feel all of his or her movements. Once you are feeling your baby kick regularly, you should pay attention to any decrease in movement. If you notice a decrease in movement or are worried about a sudden change, you should call your doctor.
Bonding with your Baby in the Womb
Would you like to feel more connected to your baby? In the next week or two, your baby will begin to hear. Inside your body, your baby will hear lots of things, including the beating of your heart, your stomach growling, gas bubbles floating around, and lots of other things. Your baby may be startled by loud noises or be comforted by other sounds. You can begin bonding with your baby even before he or she is born by talking to her, touching your belly or playing her music.
Here are a few suggestions for bonding with your baby.
Read to your baby - Buy a few children’s books and read them to your baby. You are not only talking to your baby, but also you are establishing a routine. Reading to your baby is a good habit to be in, and it is a great way to start practicing being a mommy to your baby.
Sing or talk to your baby - Your baby may recognize your voice and be comforted by it. Sing lullabies or talk to your baby during the day. You may want to try this at night and have a bedtime routine of singing or bonding time with your baby.
Play music to your baby - Put on some classical music or soft sounds for your baby to listen to. Take some time for yourself to relax. Touch your belly and talk to your baby while you are relaxing.
- Imagine your baby - Spend some time picturing your baby in your head. Imagine her swimming or kicking around. Connect with him or her using mental imagery.
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