At 16 weeks pregnant, the second trimester has just about begun. The first trimester was the formative stage of pregnancy and now, this trimester will see tremendous growth in the baby, with weight and height increasing manifold. As a result of this, the uterus starts expanding in the upward direction. Later on, this will be the cause of breathing difficulties during pregnancy. In addition, the hormones make the digestive system sluggish and this leads to heartburn and constipation. Mild pain in the sides may be experienced as a result of the pressure exerted on the ligaments of the uterus. At times, lower back pain may also be experienced. These symptoms are normal and there is nothing to fear. However, if the pain increases in severity, consulting a doctor is recommended.
The height of a
16 weeks baby in the womb would be around four and a half inches. At
16 weeks pregnant, baby weight would be approximately a hundred grams. However, these are average measurements and the actual height and weight could vary from child to child and is influenced a great deal by the mother’s body mass index, lifestyle and diet. Initially, the baby’s heartbeat could be picked up only by ultrasound scans. During the 16th week, baby heartbeats can be picked up with great ease by a stethoscope. This helps in assessing the condition of the baby to a large extent. At
16 weeks,
baby movement cannot be felt in most cases as the baby is very tiny at this stage. Women who have been pregnant before normally feel these movements after the eighteenth week of pregnancy while those pregnant for the first time, feel these fluttering sensations only after half the pregnancy term is over. Many women tend to mistake the initial movements for symptoms of indigestion or irregular bowel movement.
16 weeks baby development can be seen through ultrasound scans. More often than not, these scans would reveal a very active little being, turning around, kicking or even somersaulting. The baby may be grabbing onto the umbilical cord. The baby may also be seen sucking his or her thumb. All these experiences are truly amazing. A layer of fine hair covers a 16 weeks baby. This is called lanugo and will fall off gradually after the birth of the baby. The facial features are getting defined slowly as the head becomes more proportionate to the body. With weight gain, the baby will resemble a miniature newborn very soon.
Submitted by N on April 1, 2011 at 01:18
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