14 Weeks Pregnant With Twins or Multiples

When you are 14 weeks pregnant with twins, it will start getting quite clear to you that you can handle this pregnancy pretty well. Most mothers tend to see their anxiety issues fading away, and tend to be more confident about their body and that they are good at taking care of their babies. The so-called honeymoon phase of the pregnancy is now upon you, as you will experience one of the marvellous periods of your life. The stages or scenarios that posed a risk to your pregnancy have reduced in their occurrence, but it still works in your favour to be vigilant about how you live your life. This article will help you with some crucial information you should know when you enter the 14th week of your pregnancy with twins or multiples. Let’s begin with the growth of the babies.

Growth of the Babies at 14 Weeks of Twin or Multiple Pregnancy

The 14th week of your pregnancy will show you how rapidly your babies are growing indie your womb. Most foetuses tend to double in size from the previous weeks and start gaining weight. Their physical strength increases over the coming periods, too. The development of the bone structure and the muscular arrangement has reached a stage that allows your children to start controlling the movements by themselves. This leads to movements that seem fluid and not spasmodic. The head that appeared to lie down most of the time might seem to be slightly firm as your babies move around within your womb.

Many first-time parents tend to have a shock of sorts when they realise that their babies are covered with hair all over, and resemble monkeys instead of human beings. The hair growth is essential for the bodies to contain their warmth inside the amniotic sac. Unless your children are born prematurely, all the body hair falls away before their birth, leaving only a gorgeous mass of hair on their heads. The womb is pretty much their home, and the sac that contains them is what takes care of all their activities. This also includes any urine that they start expelling around this week. With kidneys fully developed and ready to function, the blood filtration process of the body begins, and the waste materials are flushed out appropriately.

Size of the Babies at 14 Weeks of Twin or Multiple Pregnancy

With a rapid onset of growth in the children, most babies are usually around 8 to 9 centimetres long and can weight roughly around 20-25 grams. Being pregnant with triplets or multiple babies can lead them to have slightly lower than average weight, which is fine. Their sizes, too, will be a tad smaller than your closed fist.

Now that you know about the size of twins at 14 weeks, let’s now turn our attention to the changes your body will go through at 14 weeks of pregnancy.

Common Bodily Changes

The happy stage of your pregnancy also makes your babies grow happily, and all these moments can be visible in the way your body responds to these changes.

• The expanding uterus now starts making its place above your pubic bone as well. This is usually the stage where the tummy starts getting a pouch-like shape, which is comparatively rounder than what it was a couple of weeks ago.

• With a growing belly and weight gain, you will start experiencing backache, too. You will mostly notice it when you sit or stand, and it would majorly affect the lower region of your back due to the excessive weight of the babies. Adhering to a posture that doesn’t put any strain on your back and making use of flat shoes can help reduce it. The intensity of the backaches is similar to the usual ones you’d occasionally have. If the pain is too severe, it might indicate a health condition.

• Swelling of your belly is related to the expansion of the uterus while the swelling of your breasts is the result of increased blood flow and an evolutionary response. However, there is a different type of swelling which you would begin to notice in the regions surrounding your feet and your ankles. Many women tend to complain about this, which is usually a result of water retention within the muscles. While this is normal in pregnancy, including a lot of salt in your diet or standing for extended durations could make these swellings worse.

Symptoms of Twin or Multiple Pregnancy at 14 Weeks

In the 14th week of pregnancy with twins or multiple babies, the horrendous symptoms that made the initial phase a nightmare would seem like a long lost memory. Some newer signs would make themselves pretty clear to you this time around. Here are 14 weeks pregnant with twins symptoms:

• The growing belly might be the most evident sign of your pregnancy, but the increased appetite that you will have around this week would make you realise how rapidly your babies are growing. Their nutrient requirements begin to shoot up pretty soon, and your body’s demands for energy and calories will rise alongside them. Having around 700 calories or more, depending on the number of your babies is highly recommended.
• A backache is what most women experience through their pregnancy, but if you are pregnant with twins or triplets, your chances of experiencing ligament-related pain are higher, too. The extending uterus puts quite some stress on the internal muscles and moments of sharp pain might arise randomly.
• Hormones support this change in your body and make it an environment conducive for the little ones to thrive in. This also has unexpected and highly welcome effects on your body, such as your hair getting resplendent and thicker, with a shiny sheen to them.
• Pregnant women seem to have received a second life once they enter the second trimester. Though the newfound energy might seem acquired, it is something that you always had, which went into hiding when you were suffering through the first trimester. Put this energy to good use as much as you can.
• Gaining weight during pregnancy is normal, and at week 14 it will continue to increase. A person with an average BMI can expect to gain about a pound a week until week 20.

Twin or Multiple Pregnancy – Belly at 14 Weeks

With twin pregnancy, 14 weeks belly will grow as your uterus has now started making a place for itself around the pelvic region, the roundedness and the protrusion might start getting a lot more evident. That poking feeling will also help you feel connected to your child. Similarly, loose trousers and pants will immediately start becoming your best friends.

Twin or Multiple Pregnancy at 14 Weeks – Ultrasound

Carrying out 14 week twin ultrasound at this stage can help you see your twins or multiple babies quite easily. Most of their facial features could be recognised if their faces are large enough. Many times, you might notice your child smiling at you and make you feel as if they can sense you. As happy as it might feel, the truth is that their brain is sending random signals to various facial sections, and checking if the muscles are working as expected. So your children would be smiling, frowning, grimacing, and making every expression that they can.

Twin or Multiple Pregnancy at 14 Weeks – Anterior Placenta & Fetal Movement

At 14 weeks, the babies move around more frequently, and their fetal movements are much smoother and more graceful than in the first trimester. Also, contact your doctor to help determine the location of the placenta.

Diet at 14 Weeks of Twin or Multiple Pregnancy

Before figuring out what ought to be eaten, it is also necessary to know what needs to be kept away. Alcohol consumption should ideally be stopped right from the time you find out about your pregnancy. Similarly, keep away from any food products that might trigger an allergic reaction in you.

Cravings could exist for healthy food items as well as products such as eggs, chocolates, and even milk. These tend to contain an immense amount of fat and cholesterol, which could be detrimental when eaten in excess. Smoked meat should be avoided at all costs.

Protein intake should be your highest priority. Consuming meat that is adequately boiled or cooked is best, as are other vegetarian alternatives. Omega-3,  vitamins, phosphorous, and numerous other elements that are found in food items should be consumed to help babies with tissue development.

Pregnancy Care Tips

With your energy back in its peak and your happiness at its highest level, it is time for you to start taking care of yourself by adhering to a few tips that can make and keep your life more comfortable.

Dos

• Make sure you include enough fibrous food items as well as lean meat and nuts in your diet. All of these will help stimulate the digestive process and reduce the chances of constipation.
• A light exercise schedule should be a part of your daily routine. Taking light walks or even starting a swimming session will be beneficial for you.
• Continue to take proper rest.
• Keep yourself hydrated.
• Add protein-rich food to your diet.
• Spend a few minutes with lights off, eyes shut, and feet up.
• Aim for at least eight hours of sleep every night.
• Rest on the left or right side to keep blood flowing well to the baby and ease swelling.

Dont’s

• Don’t attempt to wear your old clothes just because you feel like you look better in them. Ensure that your belly and your body is comfortable and opt for loose clothes.
• Stay away from food products that are sold in the open or available on the streets. Even if they are boiled and cooked before you, they could contain bacteria and other infections unknown to you.

What You Need to Shop for at 14 Week of Twin or Multiple Pregnancy?

With your belly increasing rapidly, you can start getting some creams to keep stretchmarks in check and your skin healthy. Buy some loose-fitting, comfortable clothing in breathable fabrics you can wear this week onwards. Also, invest in a name book and begin to shortlist names for your little ones.

With twin pregnancy at 14 weeks, life doesn’t seem like it could be any better. Well, it will get better in the coming weeks but also rest numerous responsibilities on you to take care of the babies as well as yourself. Being prepared is the best way to tackle anything that might come your way.

References/Resources:

1. Anterior placenta; tommys.org; https://www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/im-pregnant/anterior-placenta

2. Anterior Placenta; my.clevelandclinic.org; https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23306-anterior-placenta

3. Working during pregnancy: Do’s and don’ts; mayoclinic.org; https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/pregnancy/art-20047441

4. Stephen G M Carroll, Peter W Soothill, Sherif A Abdel-Fattah, et.al; Prediction of chorionicity in twin pregnancies at 10-14 weeks of gestation; National Library of Medicine; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11905430/; February 2002

5. Healthy multiple pregnancy; twinstrust.org; https://twinstrust.org/information/pregnancy-and-birth/healthy-multiple-pregnancy.html

Previous Week: Twin Pregnancy Week 13

Next Week: Twin Pregnancy Week 15