16 Weeks Pregnant

Your baby is now big as an avocado and can make faces. Learn what's going on with you and your baby-to-be while 16 weeks pregnant.

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• Your Baby
• You
• 4th Month of Pregnancy Video
• Diary of a Daughter

Your Baby

It's growing time! When you are 16 weeks pregnant your baby will begin doubling in weight and increase in size dramatically. Right now, your little one is about the size of an avocado, approximately 4.5 inches long and 3.5 ounces. It won't be long before your own child baby is the size of a real bouncing baby!

With all this growing, your little one may be getting a little snugger inside of you and if you haven't felt any movement yet, you will shortly.

If you are one of the lucky few to carry multiples, your babies are approximately 4 inches each and weigh around 120 grams.

Thumb sucking can be seen if you have an ultrasound during this week, and as the bones harden, those kicks will get stronger and stronger.

The facial muscles are working overtime and you can distinguish expressions now such as frowning, squinting or even smiling from right within your womb.

The baby's heart is beating at a rate of anywhere from 117 to 157 beats per minute and if you are still trying to guess your baby's gender, there's an old wives tale that the heart rate is a predictor of that.

Want to guess? Well, a fetal heart rate consistently over 140 beats per minutes it is a girl, if below 140 it is a boy. So now you know ;-)

The pattern of hair on the scalp is forming and may be visible and although you can't see them yet, there are tiny little toenails on those baby feet that kick you each day. You may need to even clip them shortly after birth if they are too long by that time.

You

Many unattractive side effects of pregnancy can include bleeding gums, loss of hair, nosebleeds and cramping, if it is any help; at least you are not alone in your pregnancy struggles. Many other women experience some, if not all of these side effects sometime during their pregnancy.

During this week you may feel the baby move, but if this is your first pregnancy, you may not recognize the movements until around 18 or 20 weeks.

It can take some time to realize exactly what is going on inside of you, but once you feel that first kick, you are sure to remember it!

Don't forget to talk to your baby; your little one can hear you, and many parents will talk to their babies well before they are born as part of their own way to make that parental connection before birth.

Prenatal testing will be discussed at your medical appointments now with your healthcare provider. If you have any questions, or are unsure about what the tests entail, be sure to ask questions.

Remember that you are in control and if you are unsure about the tests, let your anxieties be known.

Some women find that keeping a journal helps to remember those questions that you think of between appointments but can't seem to remember when the time comes. A pregnancy journal is also great fun as a memory. This special time never comes back!

Other factors come into play now regarding your life, especially if this is your first child.

Many parents start preparing their lives in more ways than one, drawing up a will, changing beneficiaries, or even getting life insurance are important aspects that need to be addressed once you have dependents to take care of.

For everyday maternity clothes online, check out the collection at Amazon.

4th Month of Pregnancy Video

Instructions: When watching the video clips, start the videos by clicking the small arrow down to the left, not the large one in the middle of the screen. If you're using Internet Explorer as your browser and the video doesn't start, try clicking twice on the small arrow.

Diary of a Daughter

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