13-6-2009 - 16 Weeks Pregnant

My mood while writing this blog: Ok

One of the most exciting moments of pregnancy is when you feel your baby move. Most of the women notice quickening as it is called between the 16 and 20 weeks. The movements can be felt like light fluttering in the stomach. Some women might not experience any movements as yet but there is no reason to worry. At this stage you might have to undergo an antenatal test to screen for birth defects. Amniocentesis is a test recommended for women over 35 years of age especially for those with a history of birth defects. These tests explain the chromosomal abnormalities that might be detected. Minor infections like coughs and colds can be common as the ammune system is slightly impaired during pregnancyhowever this is not a cause of worry. Infections like chicken pox, rubella can cause problems for your baby depending on when these infections occur in your pregnancy. The doctor might recommend some tests such as ultrasound, AFP, triple test or amniocentesis to check the proper development of the baby. You might want to discuss certain things with your doctor such as round ligament symptoms, preterm labor and its causes. You can enroll in a prenatal or childbirth class at this time and this can give you more information on how to make the pregnancy period more manageable. Your body produces more blood and with improved circulation your face gets a glow by this time. The body is producing more hormones causing the oil glands to work more making your face appear shiny. You can use a cleanser to clean your face if your face breaks out into pimples however most women glow at this stage.

Mommy is not glowing yet. She is getting more and more excited about her pregnancy. You sure have grown. You get bigger by the minute and develope more and more. Mommy is deep into her college courses now and loves them. A couple of weeks ago she started a journal of all her thoughts about you. I can't wait to read it when she is finished. Daddy goes to work every evening so he can provide for his young family. Sometimes your mommy wants him to stay home with her but he wants you to have things you need. They already are preparing for your birth. Everytime mommy sees a rummage sale she has to stop to buy things. She has a hard time understanding that money has to be earned first. She'll get the hang of that.

The baby is around 17.5 cm in size and 160 g in weight. The baby has more space in the uterus to move now and will be moving around quite a lot. The baby can grasp with its hands, kick or even somersault by this time. The baby acquires reflex of suction and you can notice the baby stopping the swallowing action if a bitter solution is introduced into the amniotic fluid. The baby can even get hiccups in this stage. The baby reacts to visual stimulation and will use its hands to protect the eyes when violent external light falls on it. The baby develops fat under the skin to provide the baby with insulation. The baby and the placenta are of the same size now. The genitals are fully developed and a sonography might be able to tell you the sex of the baby. The head and the neck are held straighter now and you might hear the thumps of the heartbeat with an external monitor. The baby has developed reflexes like sucking, blinking and swallowing. The regular movements of the chest show that the baby is now able to breathe underwater by inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid. The baby develops fingernails and the legs are longer than the arms now. The baby’s urinary and circulatory system begin functioning more efficiently and the baby pumps about 25 quarts of blood daily. By the 40th week it is expected to increase to 1900 quarts per day.