Week 16: Time for ye olde ultrasounde

In the past several days I've gone to poochie to GROSS. I caught one of the other pilates studio owners, whom I hadn't seen in a while and didn't know I had a bun in the oven, looking at my disgusting midsection. (Note to self: You're DONE with the regular workout tank tops unless you want to stencil "muffin top" on the front of it to make yourself feel better.) She came over to ask how I was doing and that's when I relayed the news. Her response was "Well, I was thinking that but I didn't wanna say anything!"

So to kill any "are you even showing yet?" questions for those who don't see me often - there's your proof. I'm totally showing and it felt like it happened overnight.

My appointment with the doc was uneventful. We got to hear bini's heartbeat again, though it took about 10 seconds to find it. I envision the bini floating in a soundproof bubble of ice cream. Then we scheduled my AFP & glucose test for Thursday and he had me schedule my structural ultrasound with this other doctor for the first week of December. That was it. 5 minutes, 7 minutes at most, of his time and he was 35 minutes late. Annoying. Oh, I did end up getting the flu shot so hopefully I won't go through one of those nasty wars again.

I didn't end up having my doctor friend try to determine the sex last Friday as I was completely spent by the time M & I got home that night. But it was worth it since bini now has a new ride.

So that's the Monday update. 16w5d

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How your baby's growing:

At 4 1/2 inches long (head to bottom) and 3 1/2 ounces, your baby is about the size of an avocado. In the next three weeks, she'll go through a tremendous growth spurt, though, doubling her weight and adding inches to her length. Her lower limbs are much more developed now. Her head is more erect than it has been, and her eyes have moved toward the front of her head. Their eyes are still closed but moving and if you had an ultrasound, which many doctors recommend you have at about this time, you may even see your little one sucking on a thumb, not to mention the necessary signifiers to let you know whether you’ve got a wee lad or lassie. Your baby's ears are close to their final position, too. Some of her more advanced body systems are working, including her circulatory system and urinary tract. Her heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, circulating her total blood volume through her body many times. (By the end of your pregnancy, this will increase to about 190 quarts.) The patterning of her scalp has begun, though her hair isn't recognizable yet. Although closed, her eyes are moving (slowly), and she's even started growing toenails.

How your life's changing:

Have people been telling you how wonderful you look? The "glow of pregnancy" is real, thanks to increased blood flow to the skin. You may be enjoying yourself more, too, now that your hormones have stabilized and nausea has eased up. You're also probably less anxious about something happening to your baby (the risk of miscarriage drops dramatically after the 14th week) which likely adds to your overall sense of well-being.

Soon you'll experience one of the most wonderful moments of pregnancy — feeling your baby move. While some women notice "quickening" as early as 16 weeks, most don't until about 18 weeks or more. If this is your first baby, don't be too anxious — you may not be aware of your baby's movements until 20 weeks or so. The earliest movements may feel like little flutters, gas bubbles, or even like popcorn popping. Over the following weeks they'll start to feel unmistakably like kicks.

Feel your baby move "I wasn't sure if I could feel my baby moving, so a friend suggested I lie down for a while. After a few minutes, I started feeling a butterfly sensation in my lower abdomen. It was amazing!" — Linda B.

3 Questions About...Gaining weight

Q1. How much weight should I gain now?

Aim to gain about 12 to 14 pounds this trimester (toward a total of 25 to 35 for your whole pregnancy) if you started your pregnancy at an average weight. Your caregiver may advise that you gain a little more or less if you started your pregnancy over- or underweight or you're carrying twins or more.

Q2. How can I keep my weight gain on track?

According to a BabyCenter poll, 50 percent of pregnant women said they had trouble staying within the recommended amount of weight, either overshooting or struggling to put on pounds.

If you're gaining too much: Our poll revealed that 38 percent of pregnant women couldn't help gaining more than they were supposed to. Eating more vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products and skipping junk food is one way to slow the gain. Regular exercise, like a daily walk or swimming laps at the pool, is another. Being prepared with healthier food on hand, and having a support system can also help.


• Eat a breakfast every day that includes some fat, some protein, and some complex carbohydrates, which will keep you feeling satisfied longer.
• Keep healthy, filling snacks in your purse such as baby carrots, walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, fresh fruit such as apples or bananas, and dried apricots, apples, or prunes. You'll be less susceptible to junk-food snack attacks.
• Find an exercise buddy who'll go for daily walks or swims with you and keep you motivated. Even a 20-minute daily lunchtime walk will make a difference.
• Choose a tasty alternative to a fatty food. For example: Nonfat frozen yogurt instead of ice cream, a bagel instead of a doughnut, or popcorn instead of potato chips. (Get more ideas.)

If you're having a hard time gaining enough: Some women have the opposite problem to fast weight gain and find themselves struggling to budge the scale. Our poll showed that 12 percent of BabyCenter users had trouble putting on the amount of weight recommended for them.

• Drink a milk shake every day (add in fresh fruit for vitamin C). You'll get a calorie boost and you'll benefit from the calcium in the ice cream.
• Eat nutrient-dense foods with good fats, such as avocados and nuts such as macadamias, almonds, hazelnuts, or cashews.
• Don't skip meals.
• Eat between-meal snacks, too.
• Remind yourself that you're supposed to be putting on weight now, for you and your baby's well-being. Then chow down!

Q3. How will putting on so many pounds affect my body

At least some of the aches and pains you'll feel during pregnancy are related to your changing body shape and increased weight of your womb. Backaches are common, and you may feel more clumsy and prone to falls. Expect your skin to stretch, too, as your belly and breasts expand, resulting in stretch marks.

You may be most worried about whether or not you'll be able to shed all your "baby fat" after your baby's born. Certainly your body won't look exactly as it did before you were pregnant, but if you eat right and exercise you'll get rid of the pounds. You'll have an easier time getting back in shape if you're active now.
• It's easy to obsess about your weight during pregnancy, especially if you're having a hard time staying within the 25- to 35-pound gain recommended for most normal-weight women.