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Your Pregnancy At Week 16
In a nutshell
Massive growth spurt this week.
Nervous system is developing
Your baby can now pull facial expressions
Constipation
Your Body at Week 16
For now, it will seem like nothing is happening on the outside — but only for the next couple of weeks. If your timing is right and you've had sex during ovulation, your egg has been fertilized by one lucky sperm and your body is gearing up to host the blastocyst (which will soon become your baby!) that's heading for the uterus, its home for the next nine months.
So what's happening inside this week? Just after the egg is released, the follicle it came from gets a new tenant called the corpus luteum, a yellowish body of cells that occupies the space left by the egg. The corpus luteum starts to produce progesterone and some estrogen, enough of both pregnancy hormones to nourish and support the future baby until the placenta takes over in about 10 weeks
Rapid growth
At 16 weeks pregnant, your uterus is growing at about the same pace as your baby's — aka pretty darn fast! — and it's getting to the point where you may not be able to hide your pregnancy anymore, even if you wanted to.
You're still also likely enjoying the relative bliss of trimester two, especially compared with trimester one, and will soon be able to see more of your baby at your ultrasound in a few weeks.
Week 16 FAQ's
Product of the Week
BABYGO Birthing Ball
We are committed to helping more pregnant ladies to be healthier. Get the extra comfort, support and help you need, during pregnancy, labour and postnatal.
Learn MoreBoy & Girl Name of the Week
Recipe of the Week
One Pot Chilli Con Carne
BABYGO Recipe of the Week
1 hour
Serves 4
Healthy
11 Ingreds
Easy
Ingredients
- 1 large onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 500g minced beef
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 30g chilli seasoning mix
- 500ml beef stock
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 400g tin tomatoes
- 400g tin kidney beans
- Salt and pepper
- 350g brown or white rice
Cooking Instructions
- Peel and chop onion and garlic. Heat the oil in a heavy based casserole dish over a medium heat. Add onion and garlic and fry until soft.
- Add the mince to the pan and fry for 5 minutes until browned. Add the chilli seasoning mix and a little of the stock, fry for 1 minute. Add tomato puree and fry for a further minute.
- Add the tin of tomatoes and the rest of the stock. Simmer gently uncovered for 30 minutes, stir occasionally.
- Meanwhile add the rice to a saucepan, with boiling water and cook rice to the package instructions.
- Add the kidney beans to the chilli and cook until heated. Season with salt and pepper and serve with the rice once cooked.
Week 16 TODO's
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Starting consuming foods with high fibre to try and prevent constipation.
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Exciting times are ahead, if you need some baby name inspiration be sure to get a book full of baby names and circle any that you and your partner might agree on.
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Invest in a carbon monoxide alarm, as this chemical can put not only you but your baby’s development at risk.
See what else you can expect in the pregnancy calendar
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Last Reviewed
From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You’re Expecting. Health information on this site is based on peer-reviewed medical journals and highly respected health organizations and institutions including ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists), CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics), as well as the What to Expect books by Heidi Murkoff.
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