Start gearing up as you have reached the 16th week of your pregnancy. You are entering the 2nd trimester of your pregnancy and you are five months away from delivering your bundle of joy to this world.
The size of the baby
The size of your baby at this stage resembles an orange or an avocado.
Weight/height of the baby
Your baby is around 12cms in length with a weight of around 100 grams. Within the upcoming weeks, your baby will double up in size along with your belly.
About your baby
Your baby starts developing define facial features along with well-defined legs and arms. The hair of your baby starts growing at this stage. The bay is getting bigger day by day at this stage with 25 litres of blood pumping throughout the body by a tiny heart. The joints and the limbs of your baby have complete mobility at this stage. It will even make purposeful movements at the 16th week. The reflexes start developing and your baby starts sucking the thumb as well at this stage. The eyelids are shut but the eyes are moving at the 16th week. They move from one side to another at this stage but they do turn away from the light source. Tiny ears of your baby at this stage finally reach their desired position. It starts recognizing your voice at this stage.
The head of your baby starts raising up while the entire body straightens up. The facial muscles of your baby are strong enough while facial expressions are still developing. Your baby has translucent skin so it seems very small and thin at this stage. The taste buds and nails of your baby start sprouting at this stage of pregnancy.
About your body
You will feel better at the 16th week of pregnancy as you survived the toughest trimester of pregnancy. You are definitely gaining some weight at this stage so start buying clothes for the rest of your pregnancy! You will gain around 2 – 3kgs till this stage of pregnancy, however, you will regain some energy. Your bump starts appearing at the 16th week and your uterus seems like papaya at this stage.
As your hormonal levels are still increased, you will experience some symptoms such as:
Engorged breasts to prepare your body for breastfeeding, lower back pain, constipation as the uterus gets bigger in size, increased appearance of varicose veins over the pelvic region and legs due to the increased blood flow. Another unusual symptom that you’ll experience during the second trimester is forgetfulness where you start forgetting things and have concentration difficulties. With increased hormones, you will also experience some good changes in your body i.e. thicker nails and hair growth.
Do & Don’ts / Advice / Checklist / Tips
- Drink 8-10 glasses of water to stay hydrated at all times.
- Use a humidifier for your stuffy nose during this week of pregnancy.
- Eat a healthy and balanced diet including fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, seeds, and low-fat dairy products.
- Consume fibre-rich foods in order to avoid constipation.
- Try to stay active by performing light exercises.
Checklist:
- Have an ultrasound scan at this week of pregnancy if advised by the doctor.
- The urine test will also be performed at this stage in order to identify any UTI’s, preeclampsia or gestational diabetes.
- Start writing down names for your baby.
- Start preparing a nursery for your child as there are only 5 months remaining for your child to come into this world.
- Prepare a list of things that you’ll need for your baby.
- Schedule your next appointment with the doctor for the 20th week.
- Buy some maternity clothes.
- Buy healthy alternatives for your cravings.
- Follow these simple tips to successfully enjoy your pregnancy!