• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Pregnancy Logo 2018

Pregnancy Magazine

Pregnancy and infancy news, tips, and reviews

“Great
  • Pregnancy
  • Labor & Delivery
  • Baby
  • Breastfeeding
  • Buyer’s Guide
  • mom

Pregnancy week 16 – Be on the lookout for movement!

by Pregnancy Editors Leave a Comment

YOUR CHANGING LIFE

From shiny hair to nasal strips
Welcome to week 16. At this point, you're probably settling into pregnancy and starting to get used to the strange symptoms you've been experiencing, although many of the worst ones (morning sickness, frequent trips to the bathroom, aching breasts) might be gone. So what's going on with your body this early in the second trimester?

One thing you may have noticed more often is that your back hurts. As your baby bump grows, your spine curves more than usual to accommodate the extra weight, which can result in strained back muscles. You can soothe the pain by asking your partner to give you a massage (or splurge on a professional masseuse!) or taking a warm bath or shower.
Another symptom you might be experiencing is nasal congestion. Pregnancy hormones cause the body's mucous membranes to swell, which means your nose could be clogged up, irritated or even prone to nosebleeds. Saline nasal sprays or nasal strips at night can improve the situation. Other unfortunate afflictions may include constipation and shortened breath, which result from your uterus pressing on your intestines and diaphragm.

But there are some positives! For example, you might realize that you've been clipping your nails more often lately, and that your hair is growing out faster than usual. You have your hormones to thank for this (never thought you would do that, now did you?). Your skin might also be looking extra dewy and bright lately as more blood is flowing near the surface and more oil is being produced.

One more thing to be on the lookout for? Your baby's first movements! Some women, especially those who have been pregnant before, may start feeling flutters or "pops" around this time. You might think it's gas bubbles at first, but don't rule out your little one's acrobatics!

YOUR BABY THIS WEEK

From orange to avocado
During week 16, your baby is getting ready for a dramatic growth spurt over the next few weeks, which will double his or her weight and add inches to his or her height. In the meantime, your little one is currently about the size of an avocado, with that extra length attributed to the legs, which are much more developed this week.

Bones have also formed in your little one's ears, which means that he or she can probably hear your voice as you talk to your partner or sing in the shower. He or she will be able to recognize it at birth, so feel free to start chatting to your belly! Your baby's eyes are also starting to work, moving slightly from side to side and perceiving light, even though the eyelids are still sealed shut.

Your baby's skin is still wrinkly and translucent, but pretty soon more fat will accumulate underneath that will plump him or her up. If you were able to see your baby, you'd notice visible veins pulsating underneath the surface, which are transporting 25 quarts of blood per day from your baby's heart. By the 40th week, this will have increased to about 1,900!

HOW TO

Prepare your family and friends for the baby's arrival
Now is a good time to start getting your family and friends prepared for your little one's arrival. Of course, they've probably already entertained the idea of a baby in your arms by now, but there's still a lot to be done to make sure that they're going to be able to handle the changes that are about to occur.

Start out with your friends. Some of your gal-pals who have yet to become pregnant may have started treating you differently once you shared the news that you're expecting. For example, they may have "forgotten" to invite you out one night because they assumed you were sleeping or something, or maybe they've started to talk solely about your pregnancy and babies in general in an effort to connect to you.

Let your friends know that you're still the same person you were before – sure, you can't drink right now or go wild at the club every weekend anymore, but let them know that for the most part, you'll be able to pick up where you left off once you've settled into motherhood. Try setting up a weekly lunch date or girls' night when you and your friends can get together and hang out, then try to keep up the tradition after your baby arrives.

Once that's taken care of, it's time to help your other kids, if you have them, get ready for a new sibling. You might want to start with answering their questions about why your belly is getting so big. Of course, younger children probably don't need to know the details, but older kids might benefit from an educational book or video explaining the basics. Try to involve your children in your preparations for the new baby, too.

Filed Under: Pregnancy Weekly Tagged With: Pregnancy Weekly

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Peaceful Discipline by Sarah Moore

More to See

parent coaching

Parent Coaching: 3 Ways to Create a More Joyful Home

By Sarah Moore

The perfect workout for pregnant women (sponsored)

By Isa Herrera, MSPT CSCS

how to be a good mother

How to Be a Good Mother: 5 Ways To Raise Children with Love & Respect

By Sarah Moore

Aligned Parents webinar

By Paul Banas

Footer

Copyright 2023 Pregnancy Magazine Group

Emails powered by Wishpond: PregnancyWishpond

Dedicated WordPress hosting: PregnancyFlywheel

WordPress Theme: PregnancyTheme

This website provides information of a general nature and is designed for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for an examination by your healthcare provider. If you have any concerns about your own health or the health of your child, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional. Please review the Terms of Use before using this site. Your use of the site indicates your agreement to be bound by the Terms of Use.

 

Recent

  • A Beginner’s Guide to Gentle Parenting: 5 Ways to Lead with Love
  • How to Be a Good Mother: 5 Ways To Raise Children with Love & Respect
  • Best Parenting Books: 28 Books That Will Change Your Life for the Better
  • Aligned Parents webinar
  • How to make sure your home is ready for the new addition to your family

Search

© Copyright 2023 Pregnancy Magazine Group · All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
SAVE & ACCEPT