If you're 16 weeks pregnant, you're in month 4 of your pregnancy. Only 5 months left to go! Still have questions? Here's some more information on how weeks, months and trimesters are broken down in pregnancy. The backbone and tiny muscles in your baby's back are gaining strength, so she can straighten out that head and neck even more. Thanks to those developing facial muscles, your baby is capable of making a few expressive frowns and squints, even at this early stage.
Baby's beautiful eyes are finally working too , making small side-to-side movements and perceiving light, although the eyelids are still sealed. Your fetus is becoming a looker too — with a face that's starting to look more human — but a skinny looker, since there's no baby fat yet. And here's the skinny on baby skin : It's practically translucent now, so if you took a peek inside your uterus, you'd be able to see your baby's blood vessels under that thin skin.
Listen up: Tiny bones in your fetus' ears are in place, making it likely that baby will soon be able to hear your voice or something like it when you're speaking. Generally, babies fully develop the ability to hear in the womb by 18 weeks of pregnancy. At 16 weeks pregnant, your uterus is growing at about the same pace as your baby's — aka pretty darn fast!
You're still also likely enjoying the relative bliss of trimester two, especially compared with trimester one, and will soon be able to see more of your baby at your ultrasound in a few weeks.
At 16 weeks pregnant, you may now be at the stage where your bump clearly has a baby in there. But all baby bumps at 16 weeks are different — and normal.
It may be hard to watch yourself gain weight during pregnancy , even when you know there's a wonderful reason for it, but try to embrace your body's new shape and think of every pound you put on as a sign of good health for you and your baby. As long as you eat right during pregnancy , minimize junk and maximize nutrient-dense foods, and get regular exercise, you'll be fine in the long run. Remember, every woman gains and loses weight during pregnancy at a different pace.
One way to show your changing shape some love this week and feel better about yourself in the process: Buy a garment or accessory that makes you feel pretty at your new size — and don't forget to buy underwear that fits! Your uterus is not the only thing that's starting to swell.
So can the mucous membranes of your nose from all the pregnancy hormones circulating in your body, which are also increasing blood flow. The result? Your nose probably already knows: pregnancy congestion and possibly even nosebleeds. Unfortunately, the stuffiness may only get worse as your pregnancy progresses, but your practitioner will probably not prescribe any medications or antihistamine nasal sprays to help clear things up — but do ask if your doctor recommends something else instead.
You can safely try saline sprays or nasal strips, especially if the congestion takes a turn for the truly uncomfortable. A humidifier in your room and a little petroleum jelly dabbed under your nose may also help overcome the dryness associated with any congestion. No matter the season, soups make a great midday meal. An increase in vaginal discharge — known in medical-speak as leukorrhea — is often one of the first signs of pregnancy.
Not to worry — this thin, white discharge is perfectly normal and healthy. Just keep the area clean and dry by bathing regularly and wearing breathable cotton underwear.
Don't see your symptom? Wondering about a symptom you have? Find it on our pregnancy symptoms page. Your caregiver will monitor your weight to make sure you're in a healthy range and gaining at a good pace. You can also use our pregnancy weight gain calculator to stay on track.
Here's a good way to make a baby names list you and your partner can live with: Make a list of ten names you like. Have your partner do the same. Trade lists and take turns crossing off names you don't love until you hopefully have some in common. Though you can't have a face-to-face chat yet, talking to your baby is a great way to start the bonding process. If having an actual conversation seems odd to you, narrate your activities, read out loud, or share your secret wishes for your child.
BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals.
We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies. Until about 16 weeks, it is difficult to determine the location of the uterine fundus because the organ is covered by the pubic bone. From week 20, the bottom is well felt through the abdominal wall in the presence of a small layer of fat. From 24 weeks, the height of the bottom is in the navel, then, until the prenatal weeks, including them, the depth of the bottom of the uterus and the organ itself are perfectly felt through the abdominal wall.
In parallel with the increase in the size of the organ itself, a slight decrease in the length of its neck. The location of the uterus by weeks of pregnancy and its size with normal growth and development of the fetus change at approximately the same rate in all women.
When changes in the size of the uterus by weeks of pregnancy deviate from the norm to a smaller side, doctors, depending on the timing, prescribe a number of additional diagnostic examinations for example, ultrasound. Such indicators may indicate an inaccurate determination of the term, lean physique of the mother. Ultrasound also helps to identify possible pathologies that threaten intrauterine malformations and abnormalities of the fetus:. Sometimes the size of the uterus by weeks of pregnancy changes faster than the fixed norms.
Increased indicators may indicate the following phenomena and pathologies:. A woman can independently measure VDM during pregnancy, starting from the second trimester, when the organ rises above the pubic bone, and its bottom can be felt through the abdominal cavity.
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