16th week of pregnancy

You are well into the second trimester of your pregnancy duration, in forthcoming days the movement of the baby can be felt, and it brings a lot of happiness into you. Initially you may feel flutter and soon you are going to feel the hiccups and kicks. Soreness in the abdomen increases as your child gets bigger; your breast is slowly getting ready for producing milk for your baby. You may experience changes in mood, headaches, and dizziness at this stage mainly due to continuous pulsing of pregnancy harmones into your system to direct baby growth.16th week of pregnancy

Baby’s growth and development

At this stage, the baby weighs around 3 and a half ounces and is about 4 to 5 inches long.
Baby’s head is more erect as compared to the previousweeks. The baby starts to look more humanly now.
This is the time period in which your baby’s eye sight and eye lashes are developing. An important fact is that the baby can sense light now, although the eyelids remain shut.
The baby’s bones are developing and his eyes and nose are finally placed in the right places. His bones are getting stronger and is back is gaining strength due to which he can now stretch out and move a little bit.
Your baby’s eyes and facial expressions are also developing meaning he can make expressions and frown and squint.
The baby’s listening ability is also developing by leaps and bounds, so he/she can hear you now. This is the time when you can talk to your baby.

Mother’s development

The body continues getting huge as the previous weeks. The uterus continues to grow and weighs around 8.5 ounces.
The mother gains about 2 to 3 pounds this week.
Breast size increases as the body prepares itself for breastfeeding. The mother should not worry as the breasts will come back to their normal size after some time.
Constipation is a common pregnancy symptom at this stage due to hormonal changes and the growing uterus.
Increased vaginal discharge also characterizes this period. This helps in keeping the birth canal free from infection.
There may be a possibility that the there is nasal congestion and even nose bleeding. This is because the mucous membrane of the nose swells due to hormones.
Backaches are a common problem because of the growing belly. As the tummy continues to increase in size and weight, it puts extra pressure on the muscles resulting in backaches and cramps.
Pregnancy hormones often cause swelling and inflammation of gums, which causes bleeding of gums. They become excessively sensitive.

Possible complications & tips

You shouldn’t compare your pregnancy to other as pregnancies are never the same, the development of a fetus may vary from pregnancy to pregnancy. If it’s your first pregnancy then you won’t feel the baby move until the 20th week but otherwise you will feel your baby’s first movement in 16th to 18th week.
Another problem maybe nose congestion which is caused due to swelling of nose membranes. Your personal discomfort about looking bad and gaining weight is the major complication at this time.
Sleeping on your side by resting on pillows are very important when you reach your 16th week as it gives your back rest and is must for healthy pregnancy.
Feeling good about yourself and your body is very important and will help your to get over your mental dilemma. Think about the bundle of joy that is soon about to arrive.
See the dentist at least once, as the problem of bleeding gums may aggravate.

Emotional Attachment with your baby

This is the time when your baby starts to move and hear. At this point, the mother starts sensing the baby’s movement in her womb and it makes her realize that she is carrying life inside her. This is the time when for the first time she understand the love of motherhood. The parents start talking to the baby now and consider him/her an integral part of their lives.

Baby’s father

Although 16th week is considered to be the most special bonding time between the baby and the mother but the father may feel left out. In order to avoid this, the fathers can sing, read or talk to the baby as the baby’s developing hearing ability will enable it to hear your voice. You can also put a hand on your wife’s womb and feel the baby move and have your own special bonding with your baby as well as your wife.

Diet

The diet should be in small portions and must contain all the nutrients. Avoid in taking heavy foods like chips, chocolate, spicy foods regularly as it will cause weight gain and constipation. Also drink a lot of water to keep the digestive tract clean.