Pregnancy week 16
Trimester 2 · Baby is about an avocado
Facial muscles work, the baby can hear muffled sounds, and growth is rapid.
How your body may feel
- • First flutters — quickening — may begin.
- • Backache can start as posture changes.
- • Appetite is usually strong.
Self-care this week
- • Sit with lower-back support.
- • Talk or sing to your baby — hearing is developing.
- • Keep antenatal appointments.
Milestone
Quickening: first felt movements, especially in later pregnancies.
Seek care urgently if you notice
- • Severe headache that will not clear, or blurred vision and flashing lights
- • Any vaginal bleeding, or fluid leaking from the vagina
- • Sudden swelling of the face, hands or feet
- • Burning or painful urination, or fever
- • Reduced or absent baby movement once a pattern is established
Related resources
Related articles
Related FAQs
Related warning signs
- Heavy bleeding — Soaking a pad in under an hour, or passing large clots
- Severe headache that won't ease — Especially with blurred vision or sudden swelling
- Difficulty breathing — Breathlessness at rest or when lying down
- Chest pain or a racing heart — Pressure, tightness or fluttering that doesn't settle
Ask Nestora About This Week
Your Companion can explain week 16 in your own words — symptoms, nutrition, what to raise at your next visit.
Ask Nestora About This Week