16 Weeks & Merry Christmas

At this point of your pregnancy, your baby is approximately 4.3 to 4.6 inches long and weighs 2.8 ounces. Not only is your baby growing, your uterus and placenta continue to grow to accommodate the growing baby inside of you! Just six weeks ago, your uterus weighed about 5 ounces. This week it now weighs 8.75 ounces! The amniotic fluid that surrounds the baby is increasing and there is about 7.5 ounces of fluid. You will easily be able to feel your uterus approximately three inches below your navel.

Five and a half inches tall and only six ounces in weight. The child can grasp with his hands, kick, or even somersault.

At this time, your baby is holding her head erect. Because her muscles are developing, she can make some faces now. Your baby is able to squint, frown and open its mouth. There is enough calcium in the bones that they will show up on an x-ray. Your baby's fingernails are well formed now and the legs are longer than the arms. Because your baby is moving well now, you may begin to feel his movements! Some women say that the early movements feel like gas bubbles or a slight flutter. If you have not yet felt the baby move, don't worry. Fetal movements are usually felt between the 16th and 20th week of pregnancy.

You may feel your heart beating 'louder'. This is because there is a lot more blood in your body than normal. (about 20-25% more)

Ahh 16 weeks! I am anticipating some movement soon. I thought that I felt flutters the other day but I haven't felt it since soooo maybe it was the baby & maybe it wasn't. I hope to feel something else real soon. I can't wait.

Mommy and baby are doing great. We had our check up last Friday and everything went well. Joey and I heard the heartbeat again and it was in the high 150s bmp which is strong. I could listen to that sound FOREVER. It is soooo amazing. Not much else to report. Our next appt is January 11th and we can hopefully find out the sex (if baby cooperates of course.)

A while back my dad asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I responded with pre-natal yoga classes. I did some research and found a place in Bothell that offers them. Its a 8 week class that starts in January. He agreed to get me these classes as my x-mas gift and I am really looking forward to it. I have been having back pain lately and I know its only going to get worse so these classes should help me out a lot. I am also going try to go swimming more. I took Gage to his swimming lessons last Saturday and the swimming was heaven on my back. I don't think I will take water aerobic classes, just maybe hit up the "open swims" and just swim around. Hopefully both of these exercise routines will help my back. I don't want the doc to refer me to a physical therapist like she said she might if my back doesn't improve.

I feel really good otherwise and I'm looking forward to Christmas this Friday with the family!!!

How far along?: 16 weeks ish
Total weight gain: 8 lbs total so far. Not bad!!
How much does baby weigh?: 2-3 oz
Maternity clothes?: Just pants
Stretch marks?: Nope
Sleep?: Its ok- I still get up to pee a lot
Best moment this week?: Hearing the baby's heartbeat again
Movement?: I thought I felt something - hopefully I feel more soon
Food cravings?: Milk- lots and lots of Milk
Labor signs?: no way
Belly button in or out?: in
What I miss: Nothing this week
What I'm looking forward to: Gender ultra sound on Jan. 11th
Milestone: having a successful check up with the doc.