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16 Weeks Pregnant: A Complete Guide to Middle Stage

At 16 weeks pregnant, you can feel the momentum building! It’s clear that your once-tiny newborn now resembles a human infant. After week 16, you will have been pregnant for four months. Only five months remain before you reach your goal, which means you’re almost there!

At 16 weeks pregnant, you may feel your baby’s strength increase, and you may also notice some favorable pregnancy symptoms for the new changes in the body. After suffering through those uncomfortable early pregnancy signs, you may finally be starting to feel that “pregnancy glow” in the third trimester.

Read on for more on the 16-week mark of your pregnancy.

Week 16 of Pregnancy baby development

The baby’s eyes are open and actively processing visual information

Your baby’s facial muscles are still developing, so they can already make a few expressions like frowning and squinting.

Babies’ gorgeous eyes can now move slightly from side to side and open their pupils to detect light while their eyelids are still closed. Peekaboo!

Transparency of a baby’s skin

Your fetus’s face is maturing and growing more human-like, but there is still no baby fat, so it has a lean, attractive appearance.

What you need to know about infant skin: The skin on your kid is so thin at this point that if you peered into your uterus, you would be able to see the baby’s blood vessels.

The baby will be able to hear you shortly

Do not miss this: Your unborn child’s ears have formed tiny bones, so it’s conceivable that he or she will soon be able to recognize your voice. When a baby reaches 18 weeks of gestation, their hearing has usually matured to adult levels.

Choosing lullabies should take into account the fact that prenatal exposure to music has been shown to help infants later identify the melody when it is performed to them as an adult.

Mother’s Body in Week 16

Those early pregnancy symptoms are usually the worst, and you should start to feel better after the first trimester. The majority of pregnant women will find that by week 16, their symptoms have lessened significantly. Possible benefits include feeling more active again after experiencing fatigue in the early stages of pregnancy.

pregnant, maternity, mother pregnant belly

However, just because you’re just 16 weeks along doesn’t imply you won’t experience any new pregnancy signs. You may notice any of these 16-week pregnancy changes:

Pregnancy Belly at 16 Weeks

You should be sporting a cute little baby bump by now as you enter your 16th week of pregnancy. In the first three months of pregnancy, you may have gained weight without showing signs of a baby bulge. But your pregnant belly at 16 weeks proves it.

The size of a belly is about how big your uterus will become in the second trimester. It now rests around where your pubis and belly button would meet. Your uterine ligaments are strengthening and lengthening in anticipation of your expanding uterus. it can also trigger pain in abdominal muscles.

To keep your baby healthy, aim for a weight increase of around a pound each week, or 4 pounds every month, starting around week 16 of your pregnancy.

Early Pregnancy Symptoms

Despite your relief at having passed through the worst of your early pregnancy symptoms, you should still prepare for some interesting baby’s development. There will still be pregnancy symptoms since your hormones are still playing a crucial role or pushing to keep the pregnancy going. Symptoms often experienced during 16 weeks of pregnancy include:

Increased breast size

Perhaps you assumed your breasts could not expand after the first three months, but you’d be wrong. When you continue to nurse, your breast size will increase more.

When you have a sore lower back

You may experience discomfort when the ligaments surrounding and supporting your uterus stretch. If this discomfort worsens, you should make an appointment with your doctor. The lower back pain is a common problem faced by many women. It can happen due to increasing weight or pregnancy hormones causing changes.

Constipation

When the uterus begins to put pressure on the intestines, the sad effect becomes backed up. Eating fiber-rich meals and drinking plenty of water may help keep things moving forward.

During this phase, constipation can be discomforting as it causes hemorrhoids and swollen blood vessels around the rectum. Topical hemorrhoid treatment is safe for conceiving women but consult with your doctor before taking medicines.

Preventive measures are best practices to avoid constipation. Therefore, stay hydrated by monitoring water intake. Increasing a high-fiber diet and regular exercise can also relieve constipation. The intake of a non-laxative stool softener is also helpful.

Forgetfulness

Also known as “Pregnancy Brain” on Twitter. Exactly why pregnant women tend to forget things more often is a mystery. It might be a consequence of having a lot on your mind or a result of an underlying health condition.

Tired, irritated, and overly-sensitized eyes

The hormones are to blame yet again! Pregnant women who suffer from allergies may experience irritation and watering of the eyes. If you suffer from allergies or dry eyes, there are remedies available over the counter, but you should check with your OB first. The tiredness and irritation is stressing in this duration.

Spider veins, often known as varicose veins

Your uterus is putting pressure on the veins in your pelvis and legs because of the increased blood flow. If you’ve gained weight rapidly, this might cause varicose veins.

Although the term “brain fog” is sometimes used to describe this ailment among women, it is very genuine. It’s true that your brain-cell ratio drops as pregnancy progresses, making it harder to remember things and focus your attention.

The greater thickness of hair and fingernails

I’m relieved to see some positive shifts taking place. Hormonal changes during pregnancy reduce hair loss and may lead to stronger fingernails.

Pregnancy Checklist for the Week

When you no longer have morning sickness, you may devote more energy to improving your diet and exercising.

Sweet meals like fruit and yogurt are better choices than candy bars when you desire something sweet. If you’re hungry and need something salty, try some string cheese instead. Incorporating these protein and calcium sources can benefit you and your unborn child.

Get at least 30 minutes of exercise every day. Some excellent low-intensity exercises are swimming and walking. It’s important to check in with your doctor before starting any new workout program.

It’s also a good idea to consider the costs of baby necessities like cribs, car seats, strollers, and baby monitors. You may be shocked at how much time this may take, what with all the choices and the fact that many of them affect your baby’s safety.

Conclusion

You have just four weeks left until the midway mark. You are also entering a really exciting time of your pregnancy. Expect to feel the baby move any day now.

At first, it may be hard to determine whether the sensation you’re experiencing in your stomach is the baby moving or just gas. You may not be able to identify the signs that a baby is stirring immediately, but eventually, a pattern will emerge.

FAQs

In what form will my child appear to me?

Your unborn child, also known as a fetus, is around 11.6 cm in length from baby’s head to bottom. You may compare it in weight to a standard-sized bag of salad, roughly 100 grams.

The first smiles and frowns appear on your baby’s face, but at this point, they are utterly random as your infant lacks the motor control necessary to produce them. Your kid may now begin to move their arms and legs as their nervous system matures more. It’s possible that your foetus may begin making fists and striking you while still inside of you.

How about prenatal hearing?

There is a continuous flow of information from the mother to the developing fetus. It receives chemical signals from the mother’s body through the placenta in addition to auditory cues like her heartbeat and any music she may play to her belly. The mental health of the mother is also communicated in this way, according to the research.

At 16 weeks pregnant, can you feel the baby move?

When a pregnant woman first feels the baby move within her uterus, she experiences quickening (womb). Feels like little flutters, bubbles, or pulsing. Usually, quickening occurs between 16 and 20 weeks of pregnancy. However, some women may experience it earlier.

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