16 weeks pregnant

If the reality of your pregnancy doesn’t quite feel real yet, it may after your little one starts kick, kick, kicking away. If this is your first pregnancy, you may not feel Baby kick for another few weeks, so if you don’t feel that “quickening” just yet, don’t worry. Those kicks will be coming soon enough! At just over 7 inches long and weighing 5.2 ounces, your little kicking bundle of joy keeps getting bigger and bigger. The ears that have been moving to the sides of Baby’s head over the last few weeks are now developed enough that your little one can probably hear all the sounds you do, which is yet another way they are preparing for life after their big arrival. And even though your baby’s eyelids are still sealed, they have also matured and developed enough that they can detect light through your belly.

What’s new with you?

Waiting for that first kick can sometimes cause a bit of anxiety, and it’s common to identify other internal movements— like gas— as Baby. So don’t worry if you experience this confusion. Baby’s first movements can feel like a range of things, from a small flutter like butterflies to gas to popcorn popping. Soon enough, you’ll know for sure that Baby’s kicks are kicks! 

Some other changes you might notice this week? The increased blood flow that’s helping with circulation in your growing body and placenta is also going to keep contributing to increased vaginal discharge and nasal congestion. You might also notice constipation or the appearance of varicose veins. Your back may start to hurt soon as well, as that growing baby bump is changing your center of gravity and straining your back forward. There are a few simple ways to alleviate back pain: wear supportive flat shoes, keep good posture, and engage in pregnancy-safe exercises to support your pelvic floor muscles. Using pillows, or even getting a pregnancy pillow, to support you as you sleep on your side may also help relieve some of this discomfort. You should speak to your healthcare provider about any major discomfort — or even if you have questions about what sort of discomfort is normal — as they may be able to make further recommendations to help you find some relief.

This is also the start of a timeframe for a thorough ultrasound that can help determine whether all is going smoothly with Baby’s and assess your risk for pre-term labor. These are usually called an anatomy ultrasound and a cervical length ultrasound or screening. Even if you had NIPT testing, additional blood testing may be recommended at this stage to check for possible spinal cord defects. If any of those screenings raise red flags, an amniocentesis procedure might be the next step. Not every pregnant individual needs to get this procedure (which is an invasive procedure that involves a low risk of miscarriage), but some healthcare providers recommend it to folks of advanced maternal age, folks with other risk factors, or folks whose initial screening tests raised concerns. It can be helpful and reassuring to find out as much as possible about Baby’s unique health and development, and you can speak with your OB about what tests are suggested for you.

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