Baby Development
When you are 16 weeks pregnant, you are beginning to near the halfway point. It can be considered a very exciting part of your pregnancy and you may be able to feel your baby move soon. To help you learn more about this stage of pregnancy, here are some facts that you ought to learn.
The Baby’s Development at 16 Weeks of Pregnancy
At this point in your pregnancy, your baby may be around the size of an avocado or lemon and may weigh about 2 and a half ounces. Your baby may start to become more active and you may feel a bubbling sensation or a small flutter, which could mean they are moving!
At this point, your small baby can flex their muscles in their tiny limbs. Their nervous system is continuing to develop, and as it develops, eye movement usually begins as well.
Additionally, your baby can make a fist and may grab their umbilical cord and pull it. Every baby will be different, so you may not want to compare how often you feel your baby move to other pregnancies.
You may feel those movements of your baby a lot sooner if it were your second pregnancy. While they cannot control all of their facial muscles yet, you may be able to see them make facial expressions, such as a squint or a frown, if you could see their small faces.
Your baby’s face may be reaching what it will look by its final stage of the pregnancy. That is because their ears and eyes have fully moved from their head’s side.
Body & Life Changes
The Symptoms – How Your Body Changes
As you move forward in the stages of your pregnancy, you will notice a lot of changes in your body. For instance, you may notice that you have varicose veins. Your veins can stretch from pregnancy hormones and there will be an increased blood supply to the skin, which can create varicose veins.
At this week of your pregnancy, you may have cramps in your legs. You may try to gently exercise or move your feet and legs during the day to see if it will ease your cramps.
You may also hear people saying that you have a “glow” to you, which refers to the brighter skin you may have from increased blood flow. However, you may also have shinier or oilier skin because of your hormones.
However, you may also have some less desirable symptoms of pregnancy at this stage. For instance, you may experience some heartburn or constipation. If you notice that you have heartburn, try to find out what food you are eating that is triggering it, such as spicy or fried foods, and avoid it.
You may also have congestion and nosebleeds. Nosebleeds are usually harmless. Remember to speak to a doctor before taking any medication to treat congestion.
The Myths
While you are starting to show a lot more in your pregnancy as you gain weight and your baby bump starts to grow larger, you may hear a lot of common superstitions or myths from your friends and family. While some may be a bit silly and funny, you may want to be wary of what you hear because some of these myths could be harmful or unhelpful for you and your baby.
For instance, there is a saying that you should not eat a twin banana or a double banana, in which two bananas are conjoined and grow in the same peel. While it may look interesting to eat, a lot of people from countries like the Philippines and India warn against eating it.
The myth says that if you eat a twin banana while you are pregnant, especially with twins, because they will become conjoined twins. However, there is no scientific evidence to back up such claims. In fact, studies show that adding bananas as a part of your diet while you are pregnant can have tons of benefits.
Your Doctor Visits
Should You Visit a Doctor?
Your doctor may recommend a schedule of appointments that you should follow to check on your baby. However, other than that, you might be wondering when you should call them to address any concerns you have.
For instance, if you have not felt your baby move in 12 hours when they move rather regularly, it would be best to call your doctor. While you may have just not noticed them move, it would always be better to be safe.
If you have not noticed movement in the 16th week of pregnancy, it would be best for you to be patient. Some women do not notice a flutter until about 20 weeks or more into their pregnancy. However, if you notice severe abdominal pain, bleeding, or spotting, it would be good for you to seek medical attention immediately.
Health & Safety
At this stage of pregnancy, you may start to feel your pregnancy cravings kick in. Therefore, it is important to take care of your health with the right kind of exercise and food to make sure your baby is healthy.
Luckily, there are ways you can healthily satisfy your cravings. Grab a yogurt or fruit if you want something sweet and a bit of cheese if you want a bit of salt.
While it is ideal that you do not put too much strain on your body while you are pregnant, you should still get around 30 minutes of exercise every day. You should try to opt for low-intensity exercises, such as exercises and walking. You can speak to your doctor as well to get an ideal exercise routine.
Additionally, it is ideal that you try to not lie on your back too much because you may experience dizziness and low blood pressure. It would be better to lie on your side to potentially improve hip and back discomfort and promote blood flow to your fetus.
Each stage of pregnancy has tons of surprises for women. Learning what you ought to do and know for each week will help you learn more about your baby’s development and how to take care of them.
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