16 Weeks

Funny how everyone who's never been pregnant assumes all the changes you're going through are just located in your uterus. Nobody mentions the stuffy nose, the itchy skin, the sciatica, the outbursts of emotion. But just remember that all the funky things your body is doing are leading up to the big payoff of snuggling up with that little muffin in just a few months.


What You're Thinking:

"I. Only. Have. Five. More. Months. Until. Everything. Changes."

Your Body
No, you don't have a new superpower, although it'll feel like it because you're able to smell pizza, burnt toast or a pulled-pork sandwich from miles away. Your heightened sense of smell isn't the only new trick your nose is doing. You're probably noticing some extra nasal congestion and maybe even some nosebleeds to go along with it.

Clearly your sense of smell is in overdrive, so try to avoid walking past the BBQ Pit or Curry Emporium.

While pregnancy-related nasal congestion is annoying, it shouldn't cause any problems and will go away after the baby is born. If you're getting a lot of nosebleeds, it could be because your partner keeps cheaping out on theater tickets, buying seats located in the top row of the balcony. Either that or it could be an indication of high blood pressure, so check with your medical provider.

Your Baby
Your baby is already mugging for the camera as she practices all sorts of facial expressions, such as squinting, yawning and grimacing, which will come in handy when you introduce her to pureed spinach. Check out what else is happening in utero:

You're just getting comfortable with being a new mom, but you're actually on the road to being a grandma. If your baby is a girl, her uterus is fully developed and the ovaries already hold primitive egg cells. Did that just make you feel a thousand years old, or what?

Your baby's skin is still translucent and wrinkly, not unlike an old man's, but more fat will soon accumulate under the dermas to plump her out. If you could peer inside right now, you'd be able to see all of her veins under her skin. And speaking of veins, your baby's heart now pumps about 25 quarts of blood per day, and she hasn't even seen Orlando Bloom yet! Also, her eyes are now locked and loaded at their final destination, facing forward rather than to the sides. (Whew!)

Your baby weighs about 3 ounces this week and measures between 4 and 5 inches, about the length of your mascara.

16 Weeks Pregnant