Week 16

Happy August everyone! The Meyer household has been pretty busy lately which is nice because all in all, we've had a pretty slow summer. Let's see. . . most of you know this but Nathan started back to work 2 weeks ago after his carpal tunnel surgery. He's doing well and the surgeon commented that he really hasn't seen anyone heal that quickly. He continues to get his strength back more and more each day. He's extremely happy to be riding his motorcycle again!

My Aunt Mare (Mary) from FL came to the STL in June and my cousin, Mark, came last week. It was nice to see both of them. We had dinner with Mark on Monday and Tuesday and he actually stayed at our house on Tuesday night. This week, my cousin, Kim, is coming in from Wednesday - Sunday so I'm really looking forward to that as well. We are having a Marino family get together at our house this Sat. Should be fun. Hopefully, I will take some pictures because I've been really bad at that lately.

Friday night, Nathan and I went to the Fairmount Horse Races with some friends. I did not know this but that place is shutting down for good in about 2 weeks so I'm glad we got to go one last time. Nathan and I never made official bets but Nathan won one of the side bets we had going with our group. I wish we could have stayed longer but I wore flat, non-supportive shoes and all the standing was killing my feet. Plus, I could actually feel my stomach stretching or something and it didn't feel too good.

Saturaday I went to prenatal yoga (love it!) and then we went to a diaper shower for our friends, Ann and Tim, who are due with their second (yes, second!) set of twins in a few weeks. We wish them the best. Ann looked great and I'm glad they have a good have a good stockpile of diapers ready!

Sunday I went to the pool with Chrissy for about 4 hours. It was pure bliss! Then, Nathan, my mom and I went to dinner.

I haven't been good about taking pictures lately again. I haven't even taken any of myself as I progress through my pregnancy. I guess I need to start doing that since I now have a small baby bump. Sometimes it's more visable than others - depending on what I'm wearing. Today I have maternity capri pants and a maternity top on. I think it's the first time I've worn maternity on the top and botton at the same time. It's just more comfortable even though I can still wear some of my normal clothes.

Here's what's going on with our baby with my comments in (BOLD AND PARENTHESES).

Week 16 (15 weeks and 3 days)

What changes are occurring with your body?
Your uterus is continuing to grow and weighs approximately 8 ½ ounces. Your placenta is also growing, and your body is producing an increased amount of amniotic fluid that helps protect your baby during your pregnancy. Right now your body has about 7 ½ ounces of amniotic fluid surrounding your baby.
When you are pregnant, your body produces 50% more blood, resulting in more blood circulation through your body. This increase in blood circulation causes your face to be brighter. Your body is also producing hormones that cause your oil glands to work in over-drive, leaving your face shiny. Both of these things can result in a "pregnancy glow". What can you do about it? If your skin becomes too oily, you can use an oil free cleanser to clean your face. Other than that, do nothing but smile!*

How big is your baby?
By the end of week 16, your baby is approximately 5.31 inches (CRL) and weighs 2 ½ ounces. (WOW! I get a ruler out each week and hold it up to me stomach to really get a good idea of how long this baby is inside of me!)

What is happening with your baby?
Your baby is preparing himself/herself for a growth spurt over the next several weeks. (Uh-oh!) Your baby’s head is more erect now than it has been in the previous weeks of pregnancy. His/her ears and eyes are situated in their final positions. These three things are giving your baby a more “normal” appearance than he/she has had up to this point. ("Normal" is good!)
Several of the more complicated body systems are also beginning to function including your child’s urinary and circulatory system. Your baby’s heart pumps around 25 quarts of blood per day. However, by week 40 this amount will increase to 1,900 quarts per day!*

Tips for making your pregnancy better:
You can begin to feel your baby’s first movements between 16 and 20 weeks. If this is your first pregnancy, it may be 20 weeks before you feel your baby move. These first movements are often described as fluttering or gas bubbles. You may have felt these sensations and not even realized it was your baby. (I felt this off and on since Week 14! I knew it was the baby!!!) The amount of movement and when it occurs can vary from one pregnancy to the next, so it is not helpful to evaluate your current pregnancy experience on what you experienced in previous pregnancies.

Sleeping on your side is becoming even more important since many health care providers will tell you that you should not sleep on your back once you reach 16 weeks. This is why it is important to begin using pillows to support your body to help ensure that you do stay on your side during the night. (I have a hard time with this. I prefer my back or my stomach. I guess it's time to get some more pillows!)

I am on vacation from Wed. - Fri. since Kim is in town. I have my next Dr. appt. on Wednesday. I hope everyone has a great week!

-Dawn