Table of Contents
Introduction: 16 weeks Pregnant
A baby, in their 16th week after implantation, begins to develop their taste buds; the mamma bear, on the other hand, can be seen in an angelic pregnancy glow. The baby, at this point, will measure 4.6 inches and weigh 3.53 ounces. The baby, in their 16 weeks pregnant, can also start hearing voices and sounds – which means they can hear you talking to them now! Let’s find out more about a 16 Weeks Pregnant mom.
So, what else is happening to the baby in the 16th week of pregnancy?
1. The taste buds start to develop
As mentioned, the baby’s taste buds begin to develop in the 16th week of pregnancy. The pores on the tongue of the baby develop first, followed by tasting and swallowing of salty amniotic fluid.
2. Toenails spurt out
Yes! Those teeny-weeny feet start to grow toenails in the tummy! While this development starts in the 16th week, the toenails grow fully only by the 34th week.
3. Hearing fully develops
Also as mentioned earlier, the baby’s ear bones develop and they can hear everything you say by the 16th week!
4. Umbilical cord
The umbilical cord that supplies food to the baby develops completely by the 16th week. The umbilical cord, it would be nice to know, has one vein and two arteries that help the baby grow big and healthy.
5. Thumb Sucking
The instinctive sucking reflex, commonly seen in many newborns, might have been initiated by now. By the 16th week, babies can exhibit sucking motions.
6. Heart
The developing circulatory system of the baby is now operational and starting to function. In fact, the tiny heart can pump approximately 25 quarts of blood per day.
7. Transparent Skin
The fetus is transforming into a visually discernible form, with a face that’s taking on a more human appearance. However, the baby is on the lean side as there isn’t any baby fat present yet.
Regarding the baby’s skin, it’s nearly transparent at this stage. If you were to take a glance inside your uterus, you’d be able to observe the baby’s blood vessels through that thin layer of skin.
16 Weeks Pregnant: A Mother’s Body
The 16th week is a sweet pregnancy spot because this is around when all the ugly pregnancy side effects like aches and nausea start to fade while the nicer side effects start showing up. You can expect thicker hair, fuller breasts (as the milk ducts activate), and rapidly growing nails in the 16th week of pregnancy.
Here’s what is happening to a mother’s body in the 16 weeks pregnant:
1. Pregnancy Glow
The flow of blood in a pregnant woman’s body is much higher than that of a regular woman. Pregnancy also further leads to the production of hCG, the pregnancy hormone, both of which combined make the mother’s skin look all glowy and angel-like. Expect this to begin in the 16th week!
2. Breakouts
While pregnancy gets you glowing skin, it does get you some zits too. Experiencing zits is a common phenomenon, however, ensure that you consult your doctor before using random tablets or creams to solve the issue.
3. Frequently stuffy nose
Experiencing a stuffy nose more often than ever? You are not alone. This is caused due to pregnancy rhinitis—a situation that causes runny or stuffy nose in expecting mothers. This is because as a pregnant woman, your body is producing much more estrogen than before which causes the nasal passages to swell, which, eventually, causes more mucus production than pre-pregnancy days. Using a steamer is the safest natural solution to this problem.
4. Shortness of breath
A pregnant woman’s body also produces accelerated amounts of progesterone which tricks your system into breathing more deeply and more often. This, on top, combined with the rapidly growing baby at the 16th week, causes your lungs to feel pushed, resulting in deeper breaths and sighs.
16 Weeks Pregnant Belly
At the 16th week of pregnancy, your doctor or the midwife will most probably begin to measure the fundal height. Fundal height measurement is done to check the size of the uterus which helps assess fetal growth and development of the baby. Fundal height, it should also be known, is measured from the top of a mother’s uterus to the top of the mother’s pubic symphysis.
An ideal fundal height is supposed to be equal to the week of the pregnancy you are in, plus or minus 2 at max. In the 16th week, your fundal height should ideally be between 14-18 cms. As for the visible changes in the bump, you will show much more than the previous week, a baby in your stomach will be more obvious and you should also expect some weight gain. The baby, in the 16th week, will also start to move around a lot more and you will be able to feel the movement more distinctly. Do expect some kicks too!
Final Thoughts-
In the 16th week, you are almost halfway into your pregnancy and this should be the time you start thinking a little bit about your baby shower. It really depends on you and your family traditions as to what kind of a shower you would have and at what scale, but whatever you do, do not forget to add a lot of fun elements and you should be good to go!
Also, in the 16th week, for one last piece of advice, since your breasts will become fuller due to the milk ducts gearing up, you could invest in getting yourself some comfort in the form of bra extenders or maybe even a nursing bra for a long-term investment.
