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Your Pregnancy Week by Week
2st Trimester: Pregnancy Week 16

Welcome to the world of parenting!

An exciting journey is about to start and Mothercare, through this journal, is going to be by your side and advise you throughout your pregnancy weeks.

Get informed about everything that parents need to know such as pregnancy, baby growth, body and psychology changes, doctor examinations and appointments and of course parturition, breastfeeding and baby care.

Our midwife and lactation consultant IBCLC Ms Georgia Leze every week is going to show you a special path to a healthy and happy baby.

Pregnancy Week 16

At week 16, your baby will be moving around and pulling funny faces as their muscles develop.

As your bump gets bigger, it's best not to lie on your back. Your nasal glands may swell up and give you a stuffy nose, so keep plenty of tissues on hand!

The rhinitis of pregnancy can occur from now on until the end of postnatal and you should not use nasal sprays. You're four months pregnant, and with the rate your bump is growing it's getting more and more difficult to hide.

  • it's best not to lie on your back from this week onwards
  • avoid wearing low-rise pants with button on the front
  • adjust your car seat belt
  • pregnancy symptoms at week 16 are mostly fairly mild
  • your baby's getting ready for a massive growth spurt
Υou at Pregnancy Week 16

Strangers should be offering you seats on the bus this week, as your tummy looks more like a proper baby bump and less like a big lunch.

The mucous glands in your nose will be a bit swollen, so you'll feel like you have a stuffy nose and may even have a few nosebleeds. Keep plenty of tissues in your handbag, just in case.

It's not pretty to talk about, but you might also feel a bit constipated this week. Hormones can make your digestive system sluggish, and your growing uterus pressing on your bowels doesn't exactly help matters. Drinking more liquid can help move things along and try to enrich your diet with more vegetable fibres.

Υour baby at Pregnancy Week 16

Your baby's nearly big enough for you to start feeling their acrobatics, and over the next few weeks they're going to blast through a growth spurt. Right now your little one is around the size of an avocado.

They're pulling lots of funny faces in there, as their facial muscles develop. Their bones and muscles are getting stronger so they're grasping, stretching, and flexing with purpose.

They've discovered fun new hobbies like sucking their tiny thumb and fiddling with their umbilical cord. If you already feel movements they may confuse you as they feel like intestinal movements.

Τhings to do in Pregnancy Week 16

From this week onwards it's best to avoid lying on your back.

The weight of your bump pushes down on the main artery that brings blood to your heart, which could lower your blood pressure and leave you feeling a bit dizzy.

Try to get comfortable sleeping on your side. Left side is best, as this is where your placenta is and it can help blood flow to the baby – a pregnancy pillow can help support you. If you're taking a pilates or yoga class, speak to your teacher and they'll give you alternative exercises to do while everyone else is lying down.