Pregnancy Diary Week 16
Discover your pregnancy journey
Pregnancy Diary Week 16
Now you are 16 weeks pregnant and your baby continues to develop each week inside you. Find out what’s happening this week and also why eating guavas is good for you and your baby!
Discover
How your baby is growing
What you can expect at this time
A beneficial food for your pregnancy nutrition
Pregnancy Diary Week 16: How Is Your Baby Growing?
By this time, your baby should be around 3-5 ounces in weight and be around 4-5 inches in length. Bones in his ears have now formed so if you try talking to him, he might probably hear you now. The baby’s muscles, especially those in his back are now getting stronger so he can now straighten out a little bit.
Since his facial muscles are also forming, the baby is now able to form different facial expressions such as squinting and frowning. Though his eyelids are still sealed, the baby’s eyes have now started working. In fact, he can now make little side to side movements. Amazing isn’t it?
What you can expect
Just like most pregnant women, you should expect that you’re going to gain weight, and this is fine, once it is around what would be expected for you at this stage of pregnancy. Apart from your swelling body size, you can also expect the membranes of your nose to swell. Therefore, congestion is very likely to occur. During this period, some Mums have noticed that their nails and hair are growing so fast. The skin may appear more radiant, and the hair looks more lustrous and thicker.
By this time, your breasts continue to grow. In fact, you might be overwhelmed by its growth and size. Don’t worry about them as their size would return to pre-pregnancy size not long after you give birth.
You should expect constipation to come very often. This is usually caused by the surge of pregnancy hormones which makes your gastrointestinal tract to become sluggish. Constipation can also be caused by the growing pressure due to the growing baby inside the uterus.
Due to your increasing weight, you can expect the blood vessels in your legs to swell. This is commonly known as varicose veins. Backaches should also be anticipated as your baby grows bigger. Have you experienced gum bleeding? That’s pretty normal during this stage. The surge of pregnancy hormones causes gum inflammation which makes your gum very susceptible to bleeding, irritation and bacteria. Just brush your teeth regularly and keep flossing to keep them healthy.
Guavas For Pregnancy Nutrition
The health of the baby depends on the lifestyle of the mother during pregnancy. Eating healthy and nutritious foods during pregnancy provides your baby with essential vitamins and nutrients which the baby needs for its optimum growth and development. It is always important that pregnant women should acquire high levels of nutrients as they can help in giving your baby the best gift before she even takes a glimpse of the world, the best of health.
Guava is absolutely one of the most nutritious superfruits to eat during pregnancy. The fruit contains high levels of nutrients and minerals which are scientifically proven to be beneficial for both the mother and the baby during pregnancy.
Guavas are known to be effective at regulating the amount of glucose in the blood. In effect, it helps pregnant women in preventing the onset of gestational pregnancy. The fruit is also packed with Vitamin C which helps the body in fighting certain health infections. Its Vitamin C content also helps in maintaining desirable oral health, and in preventing ulcer, gum bleeding and toothaches.
It even contains folic acid which is beneficial in preventing the development of neural tube defects in the foetus. Other nutrients include carotenoids, polyphenols, isoflavonoids, Vitamin C and Vitamin E which are known for their antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are beneficial in combating the effects of free radicals as well as in fighting off infections during pregnancy.
Guavas are also rich in magnesium which relaxes the nerves and the muscles of pregnant women. Meanwhile, its iron content is useful in preventing the onset of anaemia which is very common during pregnancy due to the increasing need for the iron of both the mother and the baby. Folic acid aids the body in increasing its production of red blood cells which helps in optimising the functions of the nervous system, especially the brain, as well as in preventing anaemia.
On the other hand, its fibre content provides an excellent solution to haemorrhoids and constipation which are considered as very common complaints during pregnancy. Fibre is also known to be effective in promoting heart health. It actually helps in controlling the level of cholesterol which is a major risk factor for many cardiovascular diseases. It even helps in controlling the level of blood pressure which can lead to more serious complications when left uncontrolled.
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Pregnancy Diary Week 16
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DISCLAIMER
All articles on the blog and website are intended as information only. Please do not consider any of the information provided here as a substitute for medical advice. At all times seek medical advice directly with your own doctor and medical team.
ANNOUNCEMENT
This website was formerly Merrion Fetal Health. The clinic has undergone a rebrand and is now known as Merrion Ultrasound.