Development of your baby in the 16th week of pregnancy
In the 16th week of pregnancy, your baby is already moving quite a lot. It uses its newly gained muscles to do gymnastics in your belly and to stretch further and further. You may even be able to feel the movements already. Your baby continues to grow from week to week, so that your baby bump is also becoming more and more clearly visible.
In our pregnancy calendar, we summarize for you how your baby develops in week 16. You will find out how big and heavy it is by now. We also list the changes to your body and summarize typical symptoms for the 16th week of pregnancy. You will also find out why it is already worth taking a closer look at the automatic baby hammock from swing2sleep.
In week 16, your baby's limbs and organs are already fully formed. The muscles and joints have also already formed and your baby is now beginning to prepare for the upcoming time outside your belly. The developments in your current week of pregnancy serve as the first preparations for this:
Your baby lifts its head
Until now, your baby lay in a curved posture, which is typical in the first weeks of pregnancy. Now it slowly begins to lift its head and stretch. You might already be able to see this at your next check-up.
Your baby moves frequently
In the 16th week of pregnancy, the baby moves a lot. It uses the space in the uterus to do gymnastics and thereby train its muscles. Many pregnant women feel the first movements between the 16th and 20th week. If you have already had a baby, you will probably feel the movements a bit earlier.
The gender is recognizable
Your baby's gender has developed by now. It will probably already be recognizable at your next ultrasound appointment. If you are wondering whether you are having a boy or a girl, this secret could be revealed very soon.
Your baby reacts to the environment
Your baby is now perceiving stimuli from its environment. For example, if you place your hand on your belly, your baby moves towards the abdominal wall because your hand is warm. It can now also perceive sounds and reacts to pressure on your belly.
Your baby has hiccups
Your baby is already practicing breathing in week 16. It swallows amniotic fluid, which is pressed out of the body by its diaphragm. This causes hiccups. Your baby is training the reflex to protect the lungs from foreign bodies once it is born.
In the 16th week of pregnancy, the fetus also continues to develop and begins to prepare for life outside your belly. Many expectant mothers build an intensive bond with their baby during this phase. When you place your hand on your belly, your baby already feels it. When you talk to it, it hears you. Enjoy this special time to the fullest and also encourage the expectant father to build a relationship with your baby.
Size & weight of your baby in week 16
In the 16th week of pregnancy, your baby is about 11 to 12 cm tall. This makes it as big as an apple or a pomegranate. The weight amounts to 80 to 110 g.
At this stage of the pregnancy week, there are hardly any differences in the development of unborn babies. They are all approximately the same size and weight. This is because external factors do not yet influence it. However, deviations can occur during a week of pregnancy. Some babies are heavier than others, while others grow only slowly. This is completely normal to a certain extent.
Are you already looking forward to the time after the birth? With the automatic baby hammock from swing2sleep, you offer your baby a secure place to sleep. The hammock rocks your baby to sleep with gentle up and down movements and helps it sleep through the night.
Weight gain & good mood: How you are doing in the 16th week of pregnancy
In the second trimester, you will notice on the scales that you are gaining weight. Your baby is getting heavier and heavier, and the amniotic fluid, the placenta, and the additional blood in your body are also making themselves felt. Over the course of a pregnancy, expectant mothers gain about 12 to 16 kilograms. Per week, this results in a weight gain of 300 grams.
Slowly, your baby bump is also becoming more and more visible and you may have already bought your first maternity clothes. If you have already had a baby, your belly will likely grow faster. Your tissue and muscles stretch faster after a previous pregnancy, causing your belly to grow more significantly.
Nevertheless, in week 16 you are not yet really restricted by your pregnancy. You can continue to do sports and travel. Many expectant parents take their last vacation without a child during this phase and relax as a couple.
These symptoms are typical in the 16th week of pregnancy
Most women feel best in the second trimester of their pregnancy and can enjoy this exciting time to the fullest. Your belly does not yet restrict you too much and you can still travel without any problems.
Nevertheless, some symptoms also make themselves felt in the 16th week of pregnancy:
Pre-milk
Your breasts grow during your pregnancy and prepare for breastfeeding. It may be that a few drops of pre-milk (colostrum) flow from your breasts. This is no cause for concern.
Varicose veins
Many pregnant women develop varicose veins during a pregnancy. Weight gain in particular is often the trigger for this. Varicose veins form particularly frequently on the legs.
Itching
When your belly and breasts grow, the tissue is stretched significantly. This causes severe itching in some pregnant women. You can relieve this by applying a special oil or creams for pregnant women.
Back pain
Your round ligaments stretch during this phase of your pregnancy. They hold your uterus. The ligaments are heavily strained and lead to lower back pain for many pregnant women.
Skin and hair changes
Due to your pregnancy hormones, your skin and hair can change. Your facial skin may appear darker and your hair can also take on a darker color.
Pregnancy complaints in the 16th week of pregnancy vary in intensity from woman to woman. So it may well be that you do not have all the symptoms and they only occur occasionally. Every pregnancy proceeds individually.
