Week 16: Listen Up!
Your baby's ears are developed enough to start hearing! They can hear your heartbeat, your voice, and sounds from the outside world. Start talking and singing!
Medically reviewed by Samantha L. Fox, RN, BSN, MSN
Nursing Informaticist · United States Navy Nurse Corps · Last reviewed
Your baby is the size of a...
🥑 Avocado!
👶 Baby Development
- ✓Baby can hear sounds — your heartbeat, voice, and music
- ✓Toenails are growing
- ✓Head is more erect (less chin-to-chest)
- ✓Eyes are making slow movements
- ✓Patterned scalp hair is appearing
- ✓Circulatory system is fully functional
💊 Common Symptoms
- •Baby bump is clearly visible to others
- •Backaches as posture changes
- •Possible first flutter feelings (quickening)
- •Constipation and bloating
- •Varicose veins may appear
- •Pregnancy brain (forgetfulness)
🩺Clinical Context — From a Nurse's View
Around week 16, some people start noticing what's called 'quickening' — the first faint flutters of fetal movement, often described as bubbles, tiny taps, or gas. Second-time parents tend to feel it earlier (sometimes 14-15 weeks) because they recognize the sensation. First-time parents may not feel anything definitive until 20 weeks, especially with an anterior placenta cushioning the front wall. Don't worry yet if you haven't felt anything. Your blood pressure typically dips to its lowest point in the second trimester before rising back toward your baseline at term. That's part of why dizziness on standing peaks now. Hydrate, change positions slowly, and eat regularly. Begin to think about screening for gestational diabetes (week 24-28) and the anatomy scan (18-22) — those are the next two major touchpoints. The amniocentesis window opens this week (15-20 weeks) for those who need diagnostic testing.
Written by Samantha L. Fox, RN, BSN, MSN — Emergency Department nurse, US Navy Nurse Corps officer.
🚨 When to Call (or Go to the ER)
- !Vaginal bleeding — call
- !Severe headache with vision changes — call
- !Severe one-sided pelvic pain — call
- !Fever with pelvic pain — call
✅ Normal — Even If It Feels Worrying
- ✓First flutters of movement (or none yet — both fine)
- ✓Lower blood pressure / dizziness on standing
- ✓Visible varicose veins
- ✓Forgetfulness ('pregnancy brain')
✅ To-Do This Week
- Start talking, reading, and singing to your baby
- Create a pregnancy playlist of your favorite songs
- Schedule the anatomy ultrasound (usually weeks 18-22)
- Begin researching daycare or childcare options
- Set up a prenatal exercise routine
- Start a baby memory book
🩺 Questions for Your Doctor
- ?Is it normal to feel slight movements already?
- ?Should I worry about varicose veins?
- ?When is the best time for the anatomy scan?
- ?Is my blood pressure within normal range?
- ?What should I do about pregnancy-related forgetfulness?
- ?Are my iron levels adequate?
📚 References
- [1]ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 175: Ultrasound in Pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol. 2016;128(6):e241-e256.
- [2]ACOG Committee Opinion No. 762: Prepregnancy Counseling. Obstet Gynecol. 2019;133(1):e78-e89.
Editorial review: Samantha L. Fox, RN, BSN, MSN. Last reviewed: see footer.
Your baby is the size of a...