Today I am 16 weeks & 2 days pregnant (4 months)

Your Pregnancy: A Week-by-Week Guide

You are going on 17 Weeks Pregnant!

WHAT WILL BE HAPPENING WITH YOU THIS WEEK:

Halfway between your navel and pubic bone, your uterus is rising up to greet the world. You will also experience an increase in blood volume at this point.

You may be noticing tan-colored spots on your face. Or chloasma may occur on the forehead, nose, upper lip and cheeks. Don't worry, it's not permanent, and it will fade soon after birth. Use sun block to prevent spots from darkening due to sun exposure, and continue taking your prenatal vitamins. Not only are they good for baby, but studies indicate that they may prevent excessive pigmentation.

Two things. 1) I can totally feel my uterus just below my belly button. It's really cool! By the end of this month I think it will be right at my belly button causing it to go from an iny to an outy. It's gonna crack me up when that happens, lol! 2) I just started noticing the chloasma or tan spots on my forehead! I had now idea what that was until I read this! I was gonna ask the dr. about it at my next visit...guess I don't have to now.

WHAT WILL BE HAPPENING WITH YOUR BABY THIS WEEK:

Going forward, growth and refinement of your baby's existing systems and organs occurs. Your baby's ears stand out from his or her head. (More or less depending on heredity.)

At 12 centimeters crown to rump, your baby is large enough to give you a good kick in the belly. Within the next month, you should be able to feel this five-ounce wonder throwing his or her weight around.

Unique fingerprints and toe prints are developing.

Meconium, your baby's first bowel movement is beginning to collect in the colon. Your baby is actually digesting swallowed amniotic fluid. At this time, fat deposits will appear under your baby's skin. This fat will help your baby to regulate his or her temperature after birth.

Circulation of blood is now established and the umbilical cord lengthens and thickens in response to the rapidly growing needs of your baby. The placenta and fetus are now almost equal in size.

I thought I felt something last week but now I don't think it was our little bean because I haven't felt anything since that day (must have just been gas or something, lol!). It's just so hard to tell right now!

FACT OF THE WEEK

Ninety percent of all pregnant women will get stretch marks. The good news is that for most women they'll fade to silvery-white after pregnancy. While a propensity for developing stretch marks is inherited, here are some ideas that can't hurt:

• Eating well and exercising prior to and during pregnancy can help you maintain elastic skin tone, preventing stretch marks.
• Don't gain excessive weight and keep the gain steady to avoid overstretching of your skin.
• Some practitioners don't think creams work, but why not try them anyway? Buy some body lotion and massage away. At the very least, it will soothe your dry, flaky skin.

Here's a homemade recipe for anti-stretch-mark skin cream:

In a blender, combine: 1/2 cup virgin olive oil, 1/2 cup aloe vera gel and six capsules vitamin E oil (opened). Keep this oil refrigerated and massage into areas with stretch marks at least once a day. (You may want to sit this jar in warm water to take off the chill before applying.)

ugh, stretch marks. Haven't experienced them yet, but I'm sure I will. This is definitely one of the few down sides of being pregnant. I'm just using lotion like it's going out of style, lol!