Changes experienced by a pregnant woman at 16 weeks pregnant…
At 16 weeks pregnant, your body is definitely undergoing noticeable changes, as your uterus now sits halfway between your navel and your pubic bone. As your uterus grows and goes into position, the ligaments that support your uterus thicken and stretch. As you enter the 16th week of your pregnancy, you will feel a whole lot better compared to the first three months of your pregnancy. Pregnancy symptoms like nausea and vomiting will either subside or completely disappear. You will also have fewer mood swings and you will have overall sense of well being.
During this time, you will feel that your pelvic area is getting heavy and firm. This is due to having amniotic fluid in your womb, as your uterus and baby grows. Aside from this, you will also feel heavier compared to the previous trimester as you are putting on extra fluid and blood volume. In addition, the extra weight may also be related to your enlarging breasts and increasing size of the placenta and your developing baby. At this point, it is considered normal if you gain one pound per week.
Baby movement
This is also a great time to experience your baby moving. There are some women who experience quickening as early as 16 weeks. However, most feel them at 18 weeks pregnant. As your baby moves, you may simply associate this as gas bubbles and flutters in your belly. In the next few weeks, you will feel your baby’s movements stronger and they will occur frequently.
If you haven’t been to an antenatal appointment yet, you should consider going right now. Your health care provider will prescribe that you get your blood pressure checked. Moreover, you should also get urine and blood tests. Your health care provider will also prescribe that you get an anomaly scan, which is basically a fetal ultrasound that checks fetal details thoroughly to determine any congenital anomaly. Pregnant who are at risk for having a baby with Down syndrome should consider getting an early screening test like an amniocentesis in addition to getting an anomaly scan.
How is your baby doing at 16 weeks pregnant?
At 16 weeks pregnant, your baby already weighs about 79 grams or 2.8 ounces. Moreover, he or she now measures around four and a half inches in height, which is about the same size of a small gerbil. Fetal movements will become rather evident at this time, as your baby’s bone will start to develop and harden. Moreover, your child will also have a growth spurt at this time. At this point, your child may feet the palm of your hands and he or she can now be called fetus. At this stage your baby will begin to play with his or her umbilical cord. They start sucking his or her thumb and begin kicking his or her amniotic sack.
Since your baby’s head is now stronger, he or she will start to straighten out his or her neck and head more. Your child’s nervous system will also start connecting to the muscles allowing your child to move with purpose and react to reflexes. In fact, your baby’s facial muscles will start to move now. Facial expressions are starting to become visible despite the fact that your child does not have any control over them yet.
Pregnancy woes: what happens at week 16?
At week 16 pregnant, your relationship with your partner will evolve. You are beginning to realize the enormity of the changes that you and your partner will be facing after the baby is born. There are times that you and your partner will become hormonal and emotional. Accepting this change is the key to having a better relationship as you and your partner become parents. If you are having troubles accepting the change, it is important to have an open communication. Try and talk thing through with your partner whenever there are issues that arise.
You can also seek relationship counseling during times of troubles. Remember that you and your partner are undergoing a lot of changes and these changes may have a hard impact on your relationship. Consider doing things together to help you and your partner bond over the changes that are transpiring in your lives.
Gaining weight
At 16 weeks pregnant it cannot be denied that you will start packing on extra pounds. It is ideal that you aim to gain weight of about 12 pounds to 14 pounds for the next three months. Gaining weight while you are pregnant is considered normal. You should take note of the foods that you eat and make sure that they are healthy for you and your baby.
If you are gaining too much weight, you should not try to skip a meal or go on a diet. There are other ways on how you can keep track of your weight the healthy way. For instance, you can start your day by eating a healthy and adequate breakfast. This should include complex carbohydrates, a small portion of healthy fat and adequate protein. You should also consider eating whole grains, low fat dairy products, fruits and vegetables and lean meat. You should avoid eating too much sugar, processed foods, and processed snacks.
To avoid becoming susceptible to junk food snack attack, you should consider keeping healthy snacks in your home. You can stock on low fat yogurt and cheese and fresh fruits like bananas and apple. If you are thinking about eating a fatty food, you should consider eating a healthy and tasty alternative. For instance, you can eat nonfat frozen yogurt instead of eating ice cream. You can choose to eat a bagel instead of a doughnut.
When it comes to your water intake, you can take water instead of juice. You should avoid processed beverages like soda and those drinks with high caffeine content. You should avoid alcoholic beverages at all cost.
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