What Does My Baby Look Like at 16 Weeks
At xvi weeks, you're officially 4 months pregnant!
Every bit your second trimester hums along, your baby's growing rapidly, and you might showtime seeing changes to your own body, too — so if you haven't already gone shopping for motherhood wearing apparel, now's the time.
Your Babe at Week 16
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What's going on within your always-expanding belly this calendar week? For one affair, your little boxer is working upwards to fighting weight. Sure, her body still looks pretty thin and fragile — especially with only a translucent layer of skin roofing those blood vessels and basic. And yes, she'south only four to five inches long and weighs just three ounces. But your petty flyweight is starting to gain some muscle mass. Her dorsum muscles are getting stronger, enabling her to straighten her head and cervix even more. Stronger muscles also allow her to brand some of her very first facial expressions. Was that a grin?
Talking most that getting-more-adorable-past-the-day face up, your baby's eyes are facing fully forward and framed by a fringe of eyelashes and tiny eyebrows. And though her eyelids are yet sealed shut and will stay that mode for another ten weeks or so, those tiny orbs will presently exist able to perceive low-cal…fifty-fifty though in that location'south naught to meet. It's e'er night, after all, in infant's hotel womb.
In other news, your little 1'due south ticker is pumping around 25 quarts of blood per day through her growing body. That sounds like a lot of pumping action going on, but information technology'southward simply the outset. Past the time your baby is prepare for her debut, her heart volition exist pumping 1,900 quarts a day!
At a Glance
Sensitive to light
Your babe's optics are making small-scale side-to-side movements this week and can perceive some light, even though they're still closed.
The sucking reflex
That thumb-sucking habit of many newborns may have already begun. At sixteen weeks, babies may exist able to make sucking motions.
Strong center
Baby-to-be's circulatory organisation is at present upwards and (beginning) to run. In fact, that little centre can pump most 25 quarts of blood a twenty-four hour period.
16 weeks pregnant is how many months?
If you're xvi weeks pregnant, y'all're in calendar month 4 of your pregnancy. Merely 5 months left to go! Still have questions? Here's some more information on how weeks, months and trimesters are broken down in pregnancy.
How big is my baby at 16 weeks?
Your infant now weighs in at a whopping 3 to 4 ounces and is 4 to 5 inches in length.
The backbone and tiny muscles in your infant'southward back are gaining force, so she can straighten out that head and cervix fifty-fifty more.
Baby'southward optics are working
Cheers to those developing facial muscles, your babe is capable of making a few expressive frowns and squints, even at this early on phase.
Baby'due south beautiful eyes are finally working as well, making pocket-size side-to-side movements and perceiving light, although the eyelids are yet sealed. Peekaboo!
Babe's pare is transparent
Your fetus is becoming a looker besides — with a face that's starting to look more human — but a skinny looker, since there's no baby fat yet.
And here'due south the skinny on infant pare: Information technology's practically translucent at present, so if you took a peek inside your uterus, y'all'd be able to see your baby's claret vessels nether that sparse peel.
Baby will soon hear your vocalism
Mind up: Tiny bones in your fetus' ears are in place, making it likely that babe will presently exist able to hear your vox (or something like it) when you're speaking. Generally, babies fully develop the ability to hear in the womb by eighteen weeks of pregnancy.
In fact, studies have found that babies who hear a song while they're in the womb recognize the same tune when it'southward sung to them after they're born — so choose your lullabies with that in mind.
Your Body at Week 16
Rapid growth
At xvi weeks pregnant, your uterus is growing at about the aforementioned pace as your infant's — aka pretty darn fast! — and it'southward getting to the signal where you may not be able to hide your pregnancy anymore, even if you wanted to.
You're notwithstanding too probable enjoying the relative elation of trimester ii, especially compared with trimester ane, and will presently be able to see more of your baby at your ultrasound in a few weeks.
How Large Are 16-Calendar week Bumps?
Your xvi weeks pregnant belly
At 16 weeks pregnant, you lot may now exist at the stage where your bump clearly has a baby in in that location. Your weight proceeds and that of your babe have likely picked up considerably, and yous'll both go on to grow. But all baby bumps at xvi weeks are unlike — and normal. Believe it or non, some women still don't really show at 16 weeks significant, while others have pronounced bumps.
The broad multifariousness of baby bumps can exist attributed to everything from a woman'south size and shape to whether this is the starting time pregnancy or the second, tertiary or 4th.
Any you practice, don't compare your 16 weeks significant abdomen to anyone else'southward and don't worry likewise much. It'south all proficient! If you lot're still concerned, though, or have questions about how big or pocket-sized you lot are, only talk to your physician for some reassurance.
Your pregnancy weight gain
It may exist hard to watch yourself gain weight during pregnancy, even when you know there's a wonderful reason for it, but effort to comprehend your body's new shape and think of every pound you put on equally a sign of good health for you and your baby.
As long every bit you eat right during pregnancy, minimize junk and maximize nutrient-dumbo foods, and go regular practise, you'll exist fine in the long run. Remember, every woman gains and loses weight during pregnancy at a different pace.
One fashion to show your changing shape some love this week and experience improve well-nigh yourself in the process: Buy a garment or accessory that makes you experience pretty at your new size — and don't forget to buy underwear that fits!
Nasal congestion
Your uterus is not the just thing that's starting to swell. And so tin can the mucous membranes of your olfactory organ from all the pregnancy hormones circulating in your trunk, which are besides increasing blood flow. The result? Your olfactory organ probably already knows: pregnancy congestion and mayhap even nosebleeds.
Unfortunately, the stuffiness may only get worse equally your pregnancy progresses, just your practitioner will probably not prescribe whatsoever medications or antihistamine nasal sprays to assist clear things upward — only practice ask if your doctor recommends something else instead.
Yous tin can safely effort saline sprays or nasal strips, peculiarly if the congestion takes a turn for the truly uncomfortable. A humidifier in your room and a petty petroleum jelly dabbed under your nose may also help overcome the dryness associated with any congestion.
Pregnancy Symptoms Calendar week 16
Continued breast growth
Constipation
Increased vaginal belch
Varicose veins
Backaches
Bleeding gums
Tips for You lot This Calendar week
Choose soups
No thing the flavor, soups make a great midday meal. They can exist as hearty as y'all desire, pair well with others — nosotros're looking at you, sandwiches — and are ofttimes total of poly peptide and fiber.
Eat em' cold or eat em' hot, and brand a double batch of soup then yous can freeze some for some other time.
Switch to cotton underwear
An increase in vaginal discharge — known in medical-speak as leukorrhea — is frequently ane of the get-go signs of pregnancy. It's besides normally here to stay while you're expecting, and the corporeality will likely increase as your pregnancy progresses.
Not to worry — this thin, white belch is perfectly normal and healthy. Simply continue the area clean and dry by bathing regularly and wearing breathable cotton underwear. If yous're concerned almost what you're seeing, call your dr..
Use a humidifier
That annoying stuffiness in your nose — and sometimes fifty-fifty the nosebleeds that accompany it, particularly if you're blowing often — usually start around week 16 of your pregnancy.
Unfortunately, they normally stick with you and sometimes become worse until the very end. Try using a neti pot with bottled, distilled water and a humidifier to moisten your dry out nose.
Go for skilful calories when you exercise
When you're pregnant, yous get to eat an actress 100 to 200 calories for every half hour of strenuous practice you do.
But choose those calories wisely by eating nutrient-rich foods that won't undo the benefits of all your difficult work.
Try to pass upwards that chocolate bar you were near to accomplish for. (That energy bar probably isn't much meliorate, either.) Instead, get for a smoothie or a granola-yogurt parfait, some apple slices smeared with almond or peanut butter, or whole grain crackers and cheese.
Manage back hurting
Backache got you lot down? Instead of nursing it on the sofa, try doing some gentle yoga or Pilates. Both help stretch and loosen the spine and release tension — which tin can exist one of the main causes of back pain.
Another plus: Yoga and Pilates boost your overall energy and mood levels, so you're better able to cope with the pregnancy pains that remain.
Yous can also do elementary moves that strengthen your intestinal muscles, which will, in turn, reduce the amount of strain on your lower back. (Only remember, don't exercise on your dorsum at present that yous're well into your second trimester).
Become for greens
Make a habit of having a salad or grilled veggies, or sauteéd leafy greens such as spinach, escarole or broccoli every bit a side.
Lentil, bean and vegetable soups are all great choices as well, and same goes for tomato plant-based broths and chowders.
Prepare for the quad screen
The quad screen is a blood test that measures the levels of iv substances produced past the fetus and the placenta, which are so passed into the mother's bloodstream.
The results tell y'all what the probability is that you're conveying a child with a chromosomal abnormality or neural tube defect.
Quad screen results can be combined with those from the nuchal translucency (NT) screening or the noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) to give you a more authentic cess.
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Source: https://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/week-by-week/week-16.aspx
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