14 weeks!!

You are now 14 weeks pregnant (or in your 15th week if that's how you prefer to count it).

Crown to rump, your baby is around 3 and a half inches / 9 centimetres long and weighs one and a half ounces / 43 grams. The body is now growing faster than the head. This week, its parchment-thin skin covers itself with lanugo (ultra-fine, downy hair that usually disappears before birth). Though eyebrows are beginning to grow and the hair on top of the head is sprouting, this hair may change in both texture and colour after birth.

About now, the fetus can grasp, squint, frown, and grimace. It may even be able to suck its thumb. Researchers believe these and other movements probably correspond to the development of impulses in the brain.

If you haven't yet made an appointment for maternal serum screening (also known as the triple test), you may want to do so now. The test provides more information about your baby, and screens for Down's syndrome and other birth defects. Also, your obstetrician may recommend an amniocentesis between 15 and 18 weeks for women over 35 and those with a history of birth defects. If you are over 35, have a look at our article on how age affects pregnancy.

You're probably feeling brighter and livelier than in the first three months and have put the early symptoms of pregnancy firmly behind you. Some unlucky women do find that the nausea drags on so if you are still being very sick, contact your GP or midwife for advice. Most women find the second three months the easiest stage of pregnancy when sleep is sounder and your bump isn't too big to impede your movements. Make the most of these energetic middle months to enjoy activities such as swimming, walking and low-impact aerobics.

It's also a good time to sort out practicalities with your partner, discussing your maternity leave and thinking about childcare, if you intend to return to work after your baby is born.