At the 16th week of pregnancy, the most severe and sticky toxicosis should stop, as if someone had turned it off. The baby under the mother’s heart continues to grow at a rapid pace.
Weeks and months
A period of 16 obstetric weeks equals four lunar months. More complete information about calculation of the term, see here.
Confidence and Stability
The second trimester is a time of rest and confidence. The threat of losing a baby arises only in the most acute and difficult situations: a serious illness, a traffic accident. The full body is not annoying, but happy. The main thing is that weight gain is normal, that is, up to 400 g per week. The mood swings are now remembered with a smile and thoughts like "Was it really me?"
Feel
They can still be very individual in every woman. Besides toxicosis and emotional instability, the tenderness of the breast and / or nipples can now completely disappear.
- Appetite is noticeably better. Food vagaries may persist, but are not so acute. For example, you may want to eat a serving of ice cream. But this desire will not bring you to tears. You will calmly wait until you can go and buy what you want.
- The uterus presses slightly on the diaphragm. Sometimes it makes it difficult to breathe. Just make sure that when suffocation your hands do not get cold, your fingertips do not turn blue and there is no feeling that you are about to faint.
- The physiological runny nose of pregnant women may not go through until delivery. Do not use vasoconstrictors. Carry a small spray can with seawater.
- Tunnel syndrome, i.e. pain and numbness of the wrist, may appear.
- Another specific sensation is itching in the palms and feet.
- Hands, feet and face may swell slightly. It is safe if it happens only occasionally and passes quickly.
- Constipation occurs almost always, you just need to slightly weaken the proper diet.
And the most important thing! Mom-thin, especially those who have not the first pregnancy, can feel the first movements of the baby! Be sure to check your feelings, because the light, barely noticeable tremors of your crumbs can be confused with the manifestations of flatulence. In any case, the doctor of the antenatal clinic will certainly ask if you are mistaken. Are you sure the baby is moving? Write down the date, it is important.
It happens differently. Moms worry and complain to the doctors: “It's been almost four months now, but I don’t feel any movements.” This is just fine. The practice of obstetrician-gynecologists shows: most often the first fetal movements are felt at 20 weeks in women who are expecting a baby for the first time and at 18 weeks during subsequent pregnancies.
What can hurt
Just a little bit, without interfering, from time to time almost everything hurts:
- lower back - due to rearrangement of the body;
- ribs - if you have been sitting in an uncomfortable position for a long time;
- legs - after a long walk or long standing;
- belly below or on the sides - with a sharp change of position;
- head - in case of overwork, any experience.
If the pains, even small ones, almost never stop, tell your doctor. Do the same for severe pain.
What does your body look like?
You are beautiful! Do not look for flaws in yourself and do not think that they have become unattractive. Yes, the body changes markedly, but this is the norm.
Chest
She looks fuller. You feel her heaviness. The skin around the nipples must have darkened, and yellowish-white tubercles are visible on it. Dark veins can clearly appear under the skin of each breast. Make sure there are no stretch marks. For their prevention, use any special cream or good olive oil.
Stomach
Your waist is rounded and your tummy is visible in any tight-fitting clothes. You should already have comfortable trousers for pregnant women and, possibly, special blouses and sweaters. Depending on the season and climate in your area, special tights may be required. And in the heat, choose beautiful and comfortable sundresses.
During pregnancy with twins, the stomach grows faster and earlier becomes noticeable.
Leather
A thin strip between the border of pubic hair and the navel is still clearly visible. Brown spots may appear. But often you can just be amazed at how amazingly tender the skin becomes throughout the body. Due to the increase in blood volume, it can acquire a special pink hue (instead of the original light).
Photo of the tummies:
What's going on inside you
Your body, if you are healthy, perfectly copes with the load. The heart pumps an increased volume of blood, the muscles and spine adapt to weight gain.
The uterus has grown so that it weighs a quarter kilogram. Interestingly, about the same weight - in amniotic fluid.
Discharge
To properly judge your vaginal discharge, wash yourself every morning, and then check the status of your underwear. If you feel wet, the discharge is more plentiful than it should be. If at the same time there is an unpleasant odor, yellow color or a curdled consistency of secretions, be examined by a doctor.
Does it seem to you that water is released from the vagina? It may be leakage of amniotic fluid. Let the doctor do an additional check. In pharmacies, there are special pads that change color depending on the nature and composition of vaginal discharge. They can be quite expensive.
The most unpleasant are brown smears, an admixture of blood or real bleeding. Contact your doctor urgently.
Expectant mothers often ask the question - do I need a special tool for intimate hygiene? Decide for yourself. If you are used to something specific, it makes no sense to change hygiene skills. It is hardly worth trying something new - during pregnancy, unusual hygiene products can be poorly tolerated by the skin, especially sensitive.
Colostrum - a clear, whitish or yellowish liquid, the future nutrition of the baby can stand out from your nipples. Do not express droplets and use special bra inserts.
Should I wear a bandage?
On the Internet you can come across this advice: wear a bandage for back pain, but only if the child is located correctly. There is some truth and error.
True: The bandage will really help support a growing tummy. Especially with multiple pregnancy. Due to this support, the load on the back is also reduced.
Misconception: at the 16th week it is still impossible to talk about the right or wrong position of the fetus in the uterus. The baby inside you is not at all crowded, and he can even turn around more than once during the day. The problem of the incorrect position of the child occurs after 32-36 weeks of pregnancy.
What do doctors prescribe
Your doctor will prescribe laboratory and other medical tests according to your general condition.For example, if there is reason to suspect the development of pathologies, an amniotic fluid test is possible. It is taken under local anesthesia through a puncture of the skin of the abdomen above the uterine cavity. The sample is examined in the laboratory. In such ways, up to forty potential defects and infections are detected.
The procedure is not 100% safe. In very rare cases, it provokes a miscarriage.
Ultrasound is prescribed for special indications. You may have Dopplerometry. This study is an examination of blood flow in the umbilical cord. If it is broken, then the child does not have enough nutrition. Then the doctor will identify the causes of poor circulation and prescribe treatment.
Fetal development
Now the baby is actively growing from the head to the very heels. Besides:
- the skeleton is actively bones;
- legs lengthen;
- all muscles are improved;
- some systems work quite “in an adult way”: for example, a baby swallows amniotic fluid, it turns into urine and is excreted;
- the heart pounds about twice as often as mom, and pumps blood well;
- new blood cells are formed in the baby’s blood, a special hemoglobin of the fetus begins to be produced;
- the genitals develop, and if the baby turns successfully with an ultrasound scan, an experienced doctor will tell you if you are waiting for a girl or boy;
- the eyelids are almost complete and ready to open;
- the child moves his limbs, sucks a finger and grimaces.
In addition to the total size of a small body, with an ultrasound, the doctor checks individual parameters. For example, the baby's forearms are 12-18 mm long, and the head circumference is 11-13 cm.
All fetal movements are unconscious, spontaneous. The face of the baby is already quite human, only the eyes look too convex.
The umbilical cord now has a length of about half a meter and a diameter of 20 mm. It is flexible and durable.
Frozen pregnancy
In adverse conditions, the fetus may die in the uterus. Main reasons:
- infections
- severe developmental abnormalities;
- rhesus conflict;
- other negative factors (unhealthy lifestyle, adverse environment).
When pregnancy fades, the dead fetus remains in the uterus and poses a threat to the woman's life. If the development of pregnancy stops, the doctor will write a referral to the hospital. There, with the help of special drugs, an artificial birth will be called.
Women who have survived a missed pregnancy are not recommended to plan for conception over the next year.
Recommendations
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At the 16th week of pregnancy, follow the same principles of nutrition:
- frequent;
- in small portions;
- hearty breakfast but light dinner;
- 30% from fruits and vegetables;
- meat - lean, but fatty fish (for the sake of important organic acids);
- cereals - every day;
- choose bread with bran, whole grain.
Nutritionists are advising now to abandon soft and processed cheeses due to food additives in them. Exotic, new and unusual products are not recommended. All food should be completely prepared: no Japanese cuisine with raw fish, steaks with blood and drinking raw eggs.
Other tips:
- Wear comfortable clothing that does not rub or crush anywhere. Lingerie - only from natural fabrics.
- Wash your chest with cool water and leave naked for 1-2 minutes. It is good for the skin and muscles.
- Try to avoid smoking areas. If you had a habit of cigarettes, you should give it up a long time ago.
- Sleep on your side with a pillow under your stomach. This is the best sleeping position.
- Forget about heels for the coming months.
- If you have ever had kidney problems, be careful. Perhaps it is worth additional examination. Sometimes during pregnancy, pyelonephritis (kidney disease) occurs.
- Watch your blood pressure. When it is lowered, the baby can receive less oxygen, and if it is elevated, you may feel bad.
- Even if you feel well, do not visit the sauna and / or bathhouse.
- Take a walk every day when the weather permits.
- In the hot season, do not be in the sun for long.
- For sex, choose those poses in which you can control the depth of penetration yourself.
- If you are still forgetful and distracted, start a diary.
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At sixteenth week, you can fully experience how strong, beautiful and happy you are.
Good morning. At the 16th week of pregnancy, everything hurt, there was heaviness and fatigue in my body. My chest increased unequivocally. I will not say that this was a period of calm and confidence.
Although I’m not thin, I always felt the baby’s movement inside, starting from the 13th week. At first, I couldn’t get used to sleeping on my back and side, as I always loved sleeping on my stomach)
I remember my pregnancy. I barely survived until the 4th month - toxicosis tormented me so much. I couldn’t eat anything, and what I ate without delay asked me back. I’m not just not gaining weight, but even losing weight. But closer to week 16, thank God, everything returned to normal. I ate fractionally, eating only natural food, which I myself cooked. No semi-finished products, soda, chips and other chemicals. Thanks to the correct, balanced and natural nutrition of the mother, the basis of the health of her unborn child is formed.