Pregnant: What happens in week 16

The development of your baby in the 16th week of pregnancy

Somersaults: The fetus still has plenty of room in the uterus — and it uses it to move extensively. Apart from short resting periods your baby is on the move around the clock, exercises its muscles and practices, thanks to the further maturing nervous system, the coordination of arms, legs, neck and head. You yourself may only notice the movements slightly — especially if this is the second pregnancy. Otherwise the typical fluttering is usually not felt until the 20th week of pregnancy to be felt.

The body stretches: With development of the back and neck muscles, the fetus's body stretches so that it has even more room to move space. In the following weeks the back muscles continue to develop. Your child uses its strengthened muscles in the 16th week of pregnancy to lift its head and neck out of the curled position.

Grasping, Breathing, Swallowing: Even now your baby is training all vital reflexes, that it will need after birth. It reaches for the umbilical cord and swallows amniotic fluid to excrete it again as urine. It will continue to refine these reflexes over the coming months.

Perceiving sounds: In the 16th week of pregnancy your baby's ears are so well developed that it can perceive sounds such as your heartbeat, the whoosh of blood in your veins, or the vibration of a passing car can. Of course it also hears the loving voice of the parents. Talk to your child as much as possible so it becomes accustomed to the soothing sound of your voices.

What can be seen on the ultrasound image?

In the 16th week of pregnancy your baby has reached a size of 10 to 12 cm and weighs a proud 85 grams. The size is roughly that of a larger apple, while the weight corresponds to that of a carrot.Due to the pronounced facial expressions you may even spot your little wonder yawning or making other facestheoretically possible to determine your child's sex. During the ultrasound in the current week of your pregnancy you may reveal the secret of whether you are expecting a boy or a girl – provided the fetus wants to show itself clearly to you. You usually obtain clarity about the sex in the second major ultrasound examination from the 19th week of pregnancy. Physical changes – what happens to the mother in week 16 of pregnancy?The mother's body works around the clock at full speed to protect and provide for the

protection and nourishment of the fetus.

Thus the pregnancy complaints that appeared in previous weeksThus the pregnancy complaints that appeared in previous weekspregnancy complaintsmost constant signs of the advancing growth of the belly or the baby. The placenta grows: In the 16th week of pregnancy the placenta develops. It gradually takes over from the chorion (the membrane around the fetus) the

entire nourishment of your child.The round ligaments are strained: In week 16 of pregnancy the uterus is about the size of a honeydew melon and becomes increasingly firmer to protect the fetus. The

growth strains the round ligaments, which hold the uterus on the left and right sides of the lower abdomen. Many women now feel an unpleasant pulling sensation in the groin. The first colostrum: The woman's breasts have already grown significantly over the past two months and the

areolas may appear larger and darker. Often the breasts begin now with the production of the yellowish colostrum, because the glandular tissue and milk ducts are preparing for the milk let-down and breastfeeding after birth. Occasionally therefore small drops of breast milk may leak. If needed, use thin nursing pads to avoid wet spots on your clothing.A first flutter: Very sensitive women or mothers who have already given birth may already feel the

first, very slight fetal movements. However, it is often not possible to say for sure whether it is really the fetus moving or whether it is digestive processes in the lower abdomen.Weight gain: In general, expectant mothers gain

up to 16 kg.about 300 g per week more on the scale. Most of the weight actually comes from the placenta, the amniotic fluid, and the uterus. In addition there are water retention and increased blood volume. The weight gain is therefore not excess weight, but purely natural growth processes for your bundle of love. Pronounced bump or gentle bulge? The belly in week 16 of pregnancyIf several women who are in the 16th week of pregnancy stand side by side, their

bellies will most likely appear very different in size.

For even though the size of the fetus at this time differs by at most a few centimeters, the pregnancy bellies of the mothers develop individually: For some a noticeable belly already appears by the end of the 3rd month of pregnancy, while for others the pregnancy is still not externally visible in the 5th month.How much your belly grows is, on the one hand, a matter of your predisposition

and on the other hand depends on your basic body proportions . In a very slender woman the pregnancy naturally becomes visible earlier than in a rather rounded one. Also with first-time or multiple-time mothers there is a difference. Thus the belly usually bulges noticeably earlier in the second or third pregnancy than in the first.This is important in the 16th week of pregnancyBook a childbirth preparation course:

If you want to take a childbirth preparation course, you should secure a place by now at the latest. Normally the courses start at around the

If you want to take a childbirth preparation course, you should secure a place by now at the latest. Normally the courses start at around the25. to30th week of pregnancyDeadline for a triple test and amniocentesis: Up to the 16th week of pregnancy the so-called triple test can be performed to determine the probability of the genetic defect trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) in the baby. Amniocentesis is also used to detect genetic defects such as trisomy 21 – however, it is only performed if a risk is known or if the nuchal translucency measurement suggests an abnormality.
Get 'growing-with-you' maternity clothing: Even if your belly isn't overly rounded yet, it's still recommended to start looking now for 'growing-with-you' <LINK>
maternity wear out for. If the first trousers are tight, it won't be long before you can't get them on. Based on your usual clothing size and how your body has changed, you should look for clothes made of stretch fabrics and equipped with an elastic waistband, drawstring or similar. With trousers, make sure the waist either sits under the belly or is wide enough to lie over the bump without pressure. Tight cuffs should also be avoided.Finding names: It will still be a while until the baby arrives. But now that you may already know your child's sex, the question of the name naturally arises. Mother and father are not always immediately agreed on what to name the baby. It's best to start with a list of desired names as a 'basis for negotiation'.
The development of your baby in the 16th week of pregnancy15th week of pregnancy

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