Your Pregnancy Week 16

Your Body

You may begin to feel your baby's movements as his bones begin to harden. These first feelings have been said to feel more like butterflies in the stomach, rather than actual fetal movement – and is called fluttering. Another common name for these movements is quickening. However, if you have a thick uterus, are overweight, or this is your first pregnancy, you may not feel these first movements yet. Don't worry. As your baby moves his muscles more frequently and vigorously, and he still has lots of room to move, you will be more aware of your baby’s presence very soon.

Your heart continues to increase the blood volume output to supply the baby with oxygen. Your enlarged heart is pumping about 20 percent more blood than it did before you were pregnant. This volume will actually continue to increase throughout your pregnancy and will result in an increased heart output of 30-50 percent by the time of delivery. However, this increase in blood volume may lead to a stuffy nose or even nose bleeds on occasion. As your blood volume increases it affects your estrogen level, and that leads to swelling of the nasal membranes, resulting in the stuffy nose or nosebleeds.

Pregnancy Symptoms You May Experience

• Breast Changes: tenderness, fullness, darkening of the areola
• Frequent Urination
• Constipation
• Heartburn or Indigestion
• Headaches
• Stretch Marks
• Itching