33 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Your baby weighs almost 5 lbs (2250 g) and is 12.8 inches (32cm) from crown to rump and about 19.8 inches (44cm) long.
If your baby were born now, she would be considered "pre-term" rather than premature. This distinction is based on fetal maturity, particularly the maturity of the fetal lungs. A pre-term baby, unlike a premature baby, is likely to have well-developed lungs and is less likely to need intensive care.
Your baby is surrounded by a red glow when sunlight shines on your belly and may be aware of this as she is able to differentiate between light and dark.
Your baby's hair is getting thicker, though it may be a different color when she is older.
She is currently shedding her lanugo, the fine downy hair that previously covered her body.
More vernix, the waxy coating that protects your baby's skin while submerged in amniotic fluid, is building up.
Your baby's adrenal glands are producing more steroid hormone, the androgen-like hormone that indirectly aids your milk production. Your baby is currently producing ten times more of this hormone than a normal adult and the adrenal glands are currently the same size as those of an adolescent. They will shrink after birth.
Your baby is laying down bone. To do this, she will draw calcium from you.
Your baby has taste buds and it has been suggested that she can taste and develop tastes for flavors found in the amniotic fluid, particularly flavors that you eat on a regular basis.

Your Body This Coming Week

Your baby is beginning to drop in your pelvis and you may have noticed that the shape of your abdomen has changed because of this. This may also cause increased pressure in your pelvic region.
While Braxton Hicks contractions are probably becoming more regular, you may also experience false labor. This is different from Braxton Hicks contractions because false labor, unlike Braxton Hicks, can be very painful. These contractions are irregular and usually last under 45 seconds and are not sustained. If you are unsure if you are experiencing false labor, you should contact your care provider.
If your water breaks, you should contact your doctor immediately.
You may have bloody show that occurs as the cervix stretches and dilates, especially right after a vaginal exam. You may also pass a mucus plug. Neither bloody show or passing the mucus plug necessarily indicates that labor will commence right away, but it will not be far away.

32 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week
Your baby now weighs about 4.4 lbs (2000g) and measures about 12 inches (30cm) from crown to rump and about 19.4 inches (43cm) in total.
Now that your baby is running out of room in your womb, you can probably see your belly moving as your baby kicks.
Your baby may dream as he sleeps and when awake he may be alert, listening, feeling and even seeing dim shapes.
Though your baby is still inside the womb, he is learning all the time as billions of neurons are making connections.
Your baby is probably in his birth position by now.
Your baby's lungs may be sufficiently developed by now, though if he were born now, he would probably still need an incubator to stay warm.

Your Body This Coming Week

Your weight gain by now may be as much as 28 lbs and you are gaining weight faster than at any other time in your pregnancy. This is because your baby is growing rapidly right now.
Your blood volume has increased 40% to meet your baby's needs and your uterus has grown 500 times since before you were pregnant.
You may be feeling uncomfortable and feel the need to urinate frequently.
You may be experiencing vivid dreams.

31 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Your baby's total length is 18.9 inches (42cm) and she is perfectly formed! She measures about 11.6 inches (29cm) from crown to rump. All she has to do is fill out more. Your baby weighs almost 4 pounds (1800g). If she were to be born now, she would still need to be incubated as she has insufficient fat stores to keep it warm.

Your baby can distinguish between light and dark.

Your baby can hear the outside world quite well now, and can also hear the sounds of your heartbeat, your digestion and the blood rushing in the umbilical cord. The pitch of women's voices are in the range babies are most able to hear over all the internal background noise. Your baby is already familiar with your voice and will be able to recognize it after birth.

Your Body This Coming Week

Your uterus now extends to about 5 inches (12cm) above your belly button. You probably continue to feel tired and may sometimes feel dizzy. You feel your baby's kicking regularly. Your baby is probably in the head down position by now and is long enough that his legs can reach your ribs. The pressure of your baby's legs can make your ribcage sore. Taking care to sit or stand straight may alleviate this discomfort somewhat. You may feel short of breath, have heartburn, round ligament pain, a stuffy nose and other pregnancy symptoms. Your pelvic joints may have expanded for the birth and this may cause some discomfort. You may feel a desire to "nest" which may make you want to bake, clean and get things in order around your home.

30 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Your baby now weighs about 3.5 lbs (1600g) and measures about 18 inches (40cm) in total and about 11.2 inches (28cm) from crown to rump.

Your baby's increasing size means that she has less room to move around in your uterus.

Your baby could already be moving into the head-down position.

Your baby's lungs are maturing and their lining, which prevents air sacs from collapsing, is growing. This lung development means that your baby would have a much greater chance of survival if he were born prematurely.

About 16 fluid ounces of blood are flowing through the wall of your uterus to the site of the placenta, though your blood never mixes with your baby's blood. It is separated by the placental barrier which is a very thin wall. Water, nutrients and waste are exchanged across this barrier at a rate of 0.3 fluid ounces per second.

Your baby swallows amniotic fluid and urinates.

Your baby's ears are sufficiently developed to hear and recognize your voice, the voices of other family members as well as familiar musical tunes.

Your Body This Coming Week

Most women have gained about 19 pounds by this point in pregnancy. The weight gain is made up of the baby, the placenta and the amniotic fluid as well as enlarged breasts, an increase in blood volume, water storage, fat and protein.

You feel your baby moving about regularly and this may cause you to feel bonded with him. You don't need to worry though if you do not already feel bonded with your baby. For some women, the baby still seems abstract when it is inside. You may bond rapidly or gradually after the birth.

Fatigue will probably continue and you may feel breathless after physical activity.

Colostrum may be leaking from your breasts. However, this does not occur for all women and in no way indicates that there will be a problem breastfeeding if colostrum is not present before birth.

You may have trouble sleeping for various reasons: it may be difficult to find a comfortable position, you may have to urinate frequently during the night, baby's activity can prevent you from sleeping and you may be feeling anxious.

Your back probably aches since the muscles and ligaments that support it have begun to relax and loosen in preparation for labor.

You may have also developed some varicose veins.

29 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Your baby now weighs about 3 lbs (1400g), measures about 10.8 (27cm) inches from crown to rump and measures about 17 inches (38cm) from head to toe.

Your baby is probably aware of your Braxton Hicks contractions, which you experience regularly, even when you do not notice them.

By this time, your baby is very active and you feel its movements frequently.

Your baby is still practicing breathing movements which have now become rhythmic.

Sometimes your baby gets the hiccups when she accidentally swallows amniotic fluid the wrong way.

She is getting fatter and plumper. On an ultrasound, you can see your baby's activities quite easily.

Your baby has periods of rest and periods of activity now. Your baby is probably most active when you are trying to rest.

Your Body This Coming Week

Your uterus has now risen to about 4 inches above your bellybutton. Backache probably continues and you are probably feeling increasingly fatigued. This may be exacerbated since you may also have trouble sleeping. Whenever possible, try to put your feet up. Extra pillows will probably help you to find a comfortable sleeping position.

You may be constipated; your nose may be stuffed; and you may have the occasional nosebleed. You may also have trouble breathing as your enlarged uterus crowds your lungs. You may at times feel faint and dizzy. You probably feel huge, but you'll get bigger still!

Some women take great pleasure in their changing form while others feel it is a nuisance. If you are among the latter, you can take comfort in knowing that it is temporary, that your partner and others probably find you especially beautiful, that you are as close as you can be to your baby and that your body is providing him with all he needs.

28 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Your baby now weighs about 2.7 lbs (1.2kg), measures about 10.4 inches (26cm) from crown to rump, and is around 16.7 inches (42cm) long. He is plumper and rounder, and his head and body are beginning to be in proportion.

Your baby now uses all of his senses. He can see, taste, recognize touch and the sound of your voice.

During the last trimester, your baby will receive antibodies from you through your placenta that will provide immunity from many diseases.

Your baby's adrenal glands are producing androgen-like substances. Androgens are normally male sex hormones, but in late pregnancy, when they reach the placenta they are turned into estrogen which in turn stimulates the production of prolactin in your body. Prolactin is the hormone needed for milk production. In this exchange, your baby is beginning to stimulate milk production in your breasts so that when he is born there will be food waiting for him.

Your Body This Coming Week

Your breasts may be leaking colostrum as your baby stimulates the production of the hormone prolactin. If you are not leaking colostrum, there is no need to worry at all about having a good supply of milk to feed your baby. Not everyone will leak colostrum before birth.

Your balance may be affected by your enlarged abdomen so you should be especially careful to avoid falling.

You may be feeling pressure on your diaphragm, liver, stomach and intestines as they are displaced by your growing baby.

Your total weight gain by this point is likely between 19 and 25 lbs (8.55 and 11.25kg).

As your uterus puts pressure on your internal organs, including your bladder, you probably have to go to the bathroom more frequently.

27 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Your baby weighs about 2.5 lbs (1.1kg) and is about 10 inches (25cm) from crown to rump and 15 inches (38 cm) long from head to toe.

At this time, the baby has tastebuds which allow it to distinguish between sweet, sour and bitter tastes.

Brain tissue and brain development increases at this time as your baby grows the folds and grooves needed for a developed brain.

Eyebrows and eyelashes are probably present and the hair on your baby's head is growing longer.

Your baby's body is filling out, getting a bit fatter as fat deposition continues, but it is still somewhat red and wrinkled.

Your baby is big enough for his presentation to be determined. That is, your caregiver can probably tell how your baby is oriented in your uterus. He may be breech (bottom down) or head first. If your baby is in a breech position now, there is no need to worry as there is still plenty of room and time for your baby to change positions.

Your baby can feel pain and respond to it in the same way as a full term baby.

Your Body This Coming Week

You are entering your third trimester now.

Most women have gained between 17 and 24 lbs (7.7 to 10.8 kg) by this time.

Your breasts may start to leak colostrum, the sticky, watery substance which comes before milk. This will be your baby's first food before your milk comes in a day or two after delivery.

You will probably visit your caregiver every two weeks from this point on. Your caregiver may perform a glucose tolerance test this week. If your early blood work revealed that you are Rh negative, your doctor may want to do an antibody test to determine if you have made antibodies to your baby's blood type to see if there is a risk of you having an immune reaction to your baby's blood. If this situation applies to you, ask your doctor for more information.

If you haven't already, you may begin to have vivid dreams about your baby. Braxton Hicks contractions will probably continue preparing your uterus for childbirth.

You may have red stretch marks on your belly and the veins on your breasts will likely have become more prominent.

26 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Your baby weighs more than 2 lbs (1000g), measures 9.6 inches from crown to rump (24cm) and its total length is about 15.3 inches (34cm). If your baby were born now, she would have about an 85% chance of surviving. Nonetheless, your baby still needs another 13 weeks of in utero development to be considered full term.

Your baby's eyes, no longer fused shut, are now open.

Your baby's skin still has a very wrinkled appearance, but it is protected and nourished by the covering of vernix, a waxy coating that keeps the skin supple.

Your baby looks almost like a full term baby, but is still much thinner and smaller than she will be at birth.

Your Body This Coming Week

The end of this week marks the end of your second trimester.

Regular weight gain will continue until about the 36th week of pregnancy. Your breasts may be sore and uncomfortably heavy since they have increased in size.

You can be susceptible to urinary tract infection from this stage onwards. Drinking plenty of water can help.

Your cholesterol levels may be elevated, though this is usually normal in late pregnancy as cholesterol helps build up the pregnancy hormones that are being produced by the placenta. Of those hormones, progesterone is particularly important right now as it aids breast development and the muscles of the uterus.

25 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Your baby weighs just under 2 pounds (850g) and could possibly survive if delivered now. Your baby measures approximately 9.2 inches (23cm) from crown to rump.

He is growing fast and gaining weight now. His skin is less transparent and is becoming opaque as fat builds up.

Your baby's heart is beating 120 to 160 beats per minute, as you have already heard at several doctor or midwife visits.

Until now, your baby's eyes have been sealed shut, but he reopens them this week. The eyes are almost fully formed and the retinas contain all the layers they will have when your baby is born. Your baby's eyes are blue right now, no matter the ethnic origin or eye-color of you and your partner since eyes do not acquire their final color until months after birth.

Your baby is lean right now, but is getting fatter all the time as fat is being deposited. Your baby's skin is getting thicker and paler and is becoming less red and wrinkled as more fat is deposited.

Your baby has eyebrows, eyelashes and fingernails, though all are short and need to grow more.

Your Body This Coming Week

You feel definite movement now as your baby does gymnastic routines in your uterus. This may even cause you some pain under your ribs and in your lower abdomen as your baby now has some force. Lying on your side may help to alleviate this kind of pain.

You may have fluid retention, particularly in the facial area.

The top of your uterus is now between your bellybutton and your ribcage.

Your increasing size may cause increasing discomfort. You might be experiencing back pain, leg cramps, headaches and pressure around your pelvic area.

24 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Your baby now weighs around 1.5 lbs (700g), and measures about 8.8 inches (22cm) from crown to rump, but this varies from baby to baby.

Your doctor should be able to hear your baby's heartbeat, using a stethoscope or Doppler ultrasound device. If your partner puts his ear right on your belly in the right position, he might even be able to hear it unaided if there is no background noise.

Your baby sleeps and wakes in a more regular pattern now. You may notice that your baby is particularly active when you are resting.

The center of your baby's bones are beginning to harden.

If your baby is a boy, the testes will start to descend into the scrotum now. If your baby is a girl, the vagina will begin to hollow out and mature now.

Your baby can make a fist now and may already have a preference for the right or left hand.

With modern medical technology, your baby would have a chance to survive if it were born now.

Your Body This Coming Week

Your uterus is about the size of a soccer ball and you are probably noticeably bigger, especially when viewed from the side.

You may be suffering from cramps and because your baby is pressing against your bladder, you likely feel the need to urinate frequently. Earlier pregnancy symptoms, such as Braxton Hicks contractions, may persist.

You may be feeling indigestion or heartburn at this time. This is because your uterus has displaced your stomach and has pushed your diaphragm and lower ribs up, making it more likely that acid will be pushed up into the esophagus, particularly after large and heavy meals. Progesterone, which is enormously increased during pregnancy also plays a role since it slows down the emptying of food from your stomach. Eating several small meals can help alleviate heartburn. If it becomes very uncomfortable, you can ask your doctor or pharmacist to recommend a safe antacid.

23 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Your baby is now about 8.4 inches from crown to rump (21cm) and weighs about 1.2 pounds (530g).

Your baby's face and body now look more like a full-term baby. She now looks close to how she will look at birth.

The eyes, though they are still closed, are now close together on the front of the face and the ears are in their final position. Eyelashes are fairly well-developed and hair is growing on your baby's head.

Your baby's movements are becoming more restricted now as she fills up the uterus more. Cartwheels and somersaults inside the amniotic sac are no longer possible, but she can still hold the umbilical cord and touch and feel around her. Though your baby is already living in tight quarters in the amniotic sac, she will soon have even less room to move around.

Her vital organs are now quite mature. However, since the lungs are not yet fully formed, your baby would have breathing problems if born prematurely at this stage.

Your baby is becoming increasingly conscious of the world outside and may feel startled when you are startled.

Your baby may alternate between having very active and very calm periods.

Your baby may have facial expressions such as frowning, squinting and pursing of the lips.

Your Body This Coming Week

The top of your uterus now reaches about 2 inches above your bellybutton.

You may be feeling Braxton Hicks contractions. These "practice" contractions pump blood to the uterus and prepare the body for labor.

You may continue to feel mood swings, fatigue and heartburn. You may sweat frequently as your body temperature is high during pregnancy.

You may have extra weight on your upper arms, shoulders and on your face due to water retention. Your weight gain may be causing bladder problems, sore feet and fatigue. To combat the fatigue and sore feet, wear comfortable shoes, put your feet up whenever you can and rest whenever possible.

22 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Your baby now weighs almost 1 lb (450g) and measures about 8 inches (20cm) from crown to rump.

She is becoming plumper as her fat is being laid down at a high rate, but her skin is still wrinkled and reddish. The wrinkled and loose appearance of her skin is due to the faster production of her skin than the fat that fills it out. The reddish appearance of her skin is due to the deposition of pigment as her skin loses its translucent appearance.

Your baby can kick and punch vigorously by now, but she may also be gently feeling the umbilical cord and rubbing her hands and face against the inside membrane of the amniotic sac that holds her.

She is still swallowing amniotic fluid (which provides an important nutritional supplement to the nutrition she gets from you via the placenta) and is passing some of it as urine. The swallowing of the amniotic fluid may cause your baby to get the hiccups and you may even be able to feel this as her body jumps inside yours.

The lanugo hair on your baby's body may turn darker at this time.

Your Body This Coming Week

Most women have gained between 10-15lbs (4.5-6.8kg) by this time, though your experience may vary. Your doctor should be able to tell you what is the best weight gain for you.

Your doctor or midwife can feel the different parts of the baby through your abdominal wall by external palpitation.

Your legs may feel swollen. Heartburn, round ligament pain and fatigue may persist or may disappear.

As your uterus enlarges, it puts pressure on your bladder and you feel the need to urinate more frequently.

You may have an occasional stitch-like pain down the side of your belly. This is the uterine muscle stretching and the pain generally goes away if you have a rest.

You may begin to feel Braxton Hicks contractions around this time. These are "practice" contractions that help your uterus to prepare for labor. You may notice them getting stronger as your pregnancy progresses, but they are rarely painful or regular like real labor contractions. If you are not sure whether you are experiencing real labor contractions or Braxton Hicks contractions, it is best to talk to your prenatal care provider.

21 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Your baby measures about 7.6 inches (19cm) from crown to rump and weighs about 12.25 ounces (350g).

Eyebrows have developed.

His digestive system now functions in a rudimentary manner. Undigested amniotic fluid passes into his bowel which he will eventually excrete after birth. Your baby can suck and swallow and may even suck his thumb.

Your baby's senses are developing, especially his sense of touch. He can feel his face and stroke his arms and legs.

Your Body This Coming Week

Your blood volume keeps increasing to meet the increasing demands of your pregnancy. Most of the increased blood volume is comprised of plasma, the liquid part of your blood. You may see small dilated blood vessels on your face, and your gums may be swollen due to pregnancy hormones that increase blood flow. This may also cause hemorrhoids.

While you may still be experiencing pregnancy symptoms such as back pain, round ligament pain, itchiness and some fatigue, this is the stage of pregnancy that most women enjoy the most. You are still able to move about comfortably, yet the nausea of early pregnancy has usually passed. You may also enjoy the attention that you are getting as your belly can no longer hide. By the end of pregnancy, you'll probably wish people would stop commenting!

20 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Your baby weighs about 10.5 ounces (300g) and measures about 7.2 inches (18cm) from crown to rump. He still moves about freely in amniotic fluid.

Your baby may respond to external sounds, such as the music you are listening to or your voice.

Your baby has developed some red blood cells already. The white blood cells that your baby needs to fight infections are being manufactured.

He is developing taste buds on his tongue.

His digestive system is sufficiently advanced to absorb water and sugar from the amniotic fluid that he swallows and pass it to his large bowel.

Your baby has lanugo hair on his forehead and upper lip and his eyebrows are thickening.

Vernix (the waxy substance that covers and protects your baby's skin) accumulates on your baby's eyebrows.

Your baby's eyes are still sealed shut.

Your baby continues to grow and develop and his kicking is getting stronger now.

Your Body This Coming Week

In the next ten weeks your weight gain will increase more rapidly as your baby grows and develops layers of fat. This is when you will gain about half of your total pregnancy weight.

You need to eat about 500 more calories per day now to support you and your baby. You will probably notice an increase in appetite during this time to keep pace with your increased needs and metabolism.

Try to avoid unhealthy snacks and try to choose snacks with the most nutritional value for you and your baby. You may experience uncommon cravings. A pregnancy condition known as pica, causes some women crave eating things that are not even edible (such as soil).

Your skin may itch. This is because it has stretched to accommodate your growing abdomen.

The top of your uterus has risen further and is now parallel with your belly button, probably making your belly button flat.

Your lower legs may be swelling somewhat, though this is improved when you are able to stay off your feet for part of the day.

You may experience heartburn or indigestion. Many antacid tablets are safe to take during pregnancy, but check with your doctor or pharmacist first.

19 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Your baby weighs about 9 ounces (260g) and measures about 5.6 to 6.4 inches (14 to 16cm) from crown to rump.

Her skin is thickening and developing multiple layers- the epidermis and the dermis, the deeper layer where it will form fat. Your baby is now also developing a waxy protective coating for her skin called vernix caseosa. The vernix protects your baby's skin which is continuously submersed in amniotic fluid. Vernix, which is particularly thick around the eyebrows is held in place by tiny downy hairs called lanugo.

Your baby can now grip with her fists. Toenails and scalp hair are growing.

At this point, it may be possible to determine the baby's sex by ultrasound, if the baby cooperates, but the ultrasound technician will rarely guarantee the sex based on the ultrasound results as mistakes are sometimes made at an early ultrasound.

You can hear the baby's heartbeat with a Doppler ultrasound device or a stethoscope.

Your Body This Coming Week

Congratulations! You are now halfway through your pregnancy!

You may have a strong sense of well-being. You should be able to feel your baby moving in your uterus several times in a day.

Your bellybutton may become flat or may even actually pop outwards. It will probably continue to darken also, but will return to its usual pigmentation after birth. The top of your uterus (the fundus) is just below your navel.

As your uterus expands, you can expect it to put increased pressure on your lungs, kidneys and stomach. This increased pressure can result in breathlessness when you exert yourself physically. It may also cause indigestion and the need to urinate more often. Your expanding belly may also cause stretch marks on your belly. The stretch marks will probably fade considerably after your baby's birth and even more as time passes.

You may continue to have mood swings and anxiety, but this may begin to decrease. If you have been experiencing absentmindedness, it may continue.

18 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Your baby measures about 5.2 to 6 inches (13-15cm) from crown to rump and weighs about 7 ounces (200g).

The buds for the permanent teeth are forming behind those that have already developed for the first teeth.

Your baby's nervous system and brain development continue at a spectacular pace. By this week, your baby's motor neurons, which connect muscle to the brain, have grown into place so that your baby can consciously direct her movements. Millions of neurons inside your baby's brain are growing and forming connections and the nerves in her body are being covered in a fatty substance called myelin.

Your baby's ears are now placed on the sides of her head and her limbs are now in proportion. Your baby's tiny foot is just one inch long, but is in perfect proportion to the rest of her leg.

Your baby can hear your voice and recognize it.

Your Body This Coming Week

You have probably gained between 8 and 14 pounds by now, though your own experience may be different.

You may continue to feel fatigued and dizzy at times and you may continue to have a backache and round ligament pain.

People are probably beginning to comment on your pregnancy as it becomes more obvious.

You may have felt movement, or "quickening" as it is sometimes called at this point. You have probably heard your baby's heartbeat by now with an ultrasound device and you may have even seen your baby's heart beating on an ultrasound. Feeling, hearing and seeing your baby in your body can be an important bonding time for you and your baby as you begin to feel the reality that you are carrying a new tiny person inside of you. You may already be feeling strong maternal attachment to your baby. You may enjoy talking to your baby (who can hear and recognize your voice and may even be stimulated by it) and encouraging your partner to do the same (if he is comfortable with doing so) as a way of connecting with him.

17 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Your baby weighs about 5.25 ounces (150g) and now measures 5 to 5.6 inches (12.5 to 14cm) from crown to rump. He is practicing breathing by gulping amniotic fluid into its lungs. This helps the lung's development so they will function at birth. Your baby may also be sucking his thumb.

Meconium is present in your baby's bowels. There is hair present on your baby's scalp and sweat glands are developing.

Your baby is becoming more sensitive to the outside world and is moving around, kicking and punching. As there is still plenty of space in your uterus, your baby can move around a lot, sitting cross-legged, reclining or even turning somersaults!

He can probably hear by now as the ossicles (the bones that pass sound to the inner ear) have hardened and the portion of the brain that receives signals from the brain is under development. Your baby is getting used to the sound of your heartbeat and blood passing through the umbilical cord, but may be startled by loud noises. Your baby is aware of some things in the outside world, including sounds and light. If you let the sun shine on your belly, your baby may be able to perceive a warm red glow.

Your Body This Coming Week

Your uterus is a little bigger than a cantaloupe. Average weight gain by this point is between 5 and 13 pounds (4.5-5.8kg) but your own experience may be different.

Vaginal secretions may increase.

You may begin to experience back pain if you haven't already as your center of gravity begins to shift. You may feel dizzy at times, especially if you get up very quickly.

Your increasing belly size and the pressure of your baby bearing down on your rectum may also cause hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids usually disappear after delivery, but you can ask your doctor or pharmacist for an ointment to bring you relief.

With increasing symptoms, your pregnancy probably has begun to feel very real. This can be a very exciting week, since you might be able to start feeling fetal movement at this time. It's not time to worry if you don't yet feel this though. You may not feel movement for another week or two or maybe more, especially if you are overweight. While some women feel movement by the 14th week, most first-time moms begin to feel movement between the 17th and 20th weeks. Early fetal movement feels more like fluttering than kicks, so you may not be able to identify them or distinguish them from other rumblings in your belly until about the 26th week.

16 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Your baby now weighs more than the surrounding placenta. She measures about 4.4 to 4.8 inches (about 11 to 12cm) from crown to rump and weighs about 3.5 ounces (100g). She is positioned halfway between your pubic bone and your navel.

Fat, which is important for your baby's metabolism and heat production is beginning to form around this time.

The placenta, which will weigh more than a pound at full term, is also developing rapidly. It is now a large and well-established network of blood vessels responsible for exchanging nutrients and waste to support your baby.

Your Body This Coming Week

Your pregnancy is showing more and your lower abdomen probably looks larger. Your uterus can now be felt between one and a half to two inches below your navel. You may also be gaining weight on other parts of your body, such as your thighs, hips and buttocks. It's normal to have gained between 5 and 10 pounds by now, but your own rate of weight gain may be different. Ask your doctor if you think you may be gaining too little or too much weight.

Your body's increased blood supply may give you nosebleeds or may just make your nose feel congested. It can also cause bleeding gums.

You may be sweating more than usual because of your increased metabolic rate. You may experience round ligament pain because your growing uterus stretches and pulls these ligaments. It can be uncomfortable but is not normally a cause for concern.

You may feel the baby moving this early.

15 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Fine hair called lanugo covers your baby, who now measures about 4.3 to 4.6 inches (10.8 to 11.6cm) from crown to rump and weighs about 2.8 ounces (80g).

Fingernails are well formed and the arms and legs may be seen moving on an ultrasound. Your baby already has his own unique fingerprint pattern!

Your baby can hold his head erect and he can also make faces with his slightly developed facial muscles. Your baby may practice squinting, frowning and opening and closing his mouth.

Your baby's bones have enough calcium deposits to show on an X-ray. If your baby is female, her ovaries will be in place in her pelvis and more than five million ova (some of which may be fertilized to become your own grandchildren in another generation!) have formed.

Your Body This Coming Week

Your uterus is increasing in size and so is the amount of amniotic fluid it contains- about seven and a half ounces right now. You should be able to feel your uterus in the lower part of your abdomen.

A small portion of pregnant women are able to feel the baby move this early. When your baby moves, you may feel it like a slight fluttering in your stomach. Don't worry though if you haven't felt this yet as it is still very early.

Your breasts are changing. The milk glands in your breasts may start production, which can cause swelling or tenderness in early pregnancy. The blood flow to your breasts also increases, making the veins more visible and the Montgomery's tubercles more pronounced. Montgomery tubercles are the tiny oil producing glands which appear as bumps scattered around the areolae. They are said to both lubricate the breast to keep the skin healthy and elastic and to prevent the growth of bacteria. They will remain enlarged throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding.

14 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Your baby measures about 3.7 to 4.1 inches (about 9.3 to 10.3cm) from crown to rump and weighs about 1.75 ounces (50g).

Your baby's bones still consist of soft cartilage but they are now beginning to harden and the development of the bones and the marrow continues. Her ears are developing into a more recognizable shape and any hair already on the head and brows will become thicker.

Your baby may already be sucking her thumb.

Her skin is thin and translucent and all her blood vessels can be seen through it.

Her hair continues to grow on her head and her eyebrows. If her hair will be dark, the follicles will start to generate pigment to color her hair.

Your baby is moving more now and is becoming increasingly flexible. She can bend her arms at the elbows and wrists and she can make tiny fists with her hands.

Your Body This Coming Week
Most of the discomforts of early pregnancy, such as nausea and fatigue are behind you for now and you are probably feeling better. The pregnancy is probably feeling like a reality. Any dark pigment on your skin (such as moles and freckles) may become even darker, and you might develop a facial pigmentation known as chloasma which will fade after the birth.