How does my baby grow at 16 weeks?

Your baby is now around 11 and a half cm long, about the size of an avocado, but do remember that the rate at which your baby grows can vary. Over the next few weeks, they’ll go through a key growth spurt.

Your baby’s facial muscles have developed, which means they may start to make faces, although any facial movements are completely random because they don’t have control of these muscles yet. Their nervous system also continues to grow.

As their nervous system develops, they can move their arms and legs around. They can even make a tiny fist with their hands! While you won’t be able to feel anything just yet, from week 17, you might be able to feel them kicking.

What are the pregnancy symptoms at 16 weeks?

You might start to feel aches and pains in your back, hips, and groin. This may be the start of pelvic girdle pain (PGP). This is caused by your joints moving unevenly, a result of pregnancy hormones relaxing the ligaments in your pelvis. If you’re finding it too uncomfortable to sit or stand for a long time, contact your doctor, who may refer you to a physiotherapist. If you don’t seek help or advice now, it could worsen as your pregnancy continues.

One type of pelvic girdle pain is symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD).

What are the symptoms of SPD?

Back pain, pain at the back of your pelvis, or hip pain

Pain down the inside of your thighs or between your legs.

Pain along with a clicking or grinding sensation in your pubic area

Pain that gets worse by parting your legs, going up or down the stairs, or moving around in bed

Pain that is worse during the night and stops you from having a good night's sleep

Pain that can make it difficult to get up to go to the toilet in the middle of the night.

What causes SPD?

When you’re pregnant, your body has to adapt to support a growing baby. Therefore, it produces a hormone called relaxin, which helps a baby pass through the pelvis by making the joints in your pelvis more relaxed.

Although most of the time your body will cope with the changes, sometimes it will find it difficult to cope with the looser ligaments caused by relaxing. This condition can often be caused by changes to the way your muscles work to support the pelvic girdle joints, by the joints in your pelvis moving unevenly, or by pelvic joints not working properly and causing knock-on pain in the other joints within the pelvis.

How can my SPD be treated?

Exercises to strengthen your spinal, pelvic girdle, tummy, hip, and pelvic floor muscles This will naturally improve the stability of your back and pelvis. For example, kneeling squats, seated ball squeezes, side-lying hip abductions, and quadruped keels

Acupuncture. This can help reduce the pain caused by SPD and is a safe, natural remedy to use during pregnancy.

Osteopathy. Another natural remedy you can use is osteopathy. Make sure you see a registered practitioner who is experienced in treating pregnant patients.

Use pelvic support. This can give you relief when you’re active or exercising.

How can I ease the pain of SPD?

There are several things you can do to make your pain and discomfort easier.

Be as active as you can. However, think about which activities you’re taking on, and don’t push yourself so far that you’re in pain.

Ask for and accept offers for help with daily chores.

Plan ahead so you can reduce activities that are problematic when it comes to movement.

Avoid any heavy lifting or pushing.

Try to sleep on your side with a pillow between your knees, and keep your legs bent.

What else do I need to know about being 16 weeks pregnant?

If you’re feeling the effects of constipation, remember to eat foods that are high in fibre and drink lots of water!

While most weight gain happens after 20 weeks, you’ll probably have found that some of your favourite clothes don't fit anymore. Treat yourself to some lovely maternity clothes, as this can help relax you and your body. Remember, it’s not just the added weight of your baby, but their amniotic fluid and placenta that’s adding some numbers to the scales! Add that to the extra blood pumping around your body, the increase in breast size, and the extra muscle around your womb, and it’s no wonder you’ve gained a little weight! Just remember, this is all part of pregnancy, so don’t be too hard on yourself and your body image. You look amazing!

What Does My Pregnancy Look Like at Sixteen Weeks?

Pregnancy symptoms, SPD and what to expect when you’re 16 weeks pregnant.