Your Baby
 

Welcome to the 4th month! This might be the time when you start feeling your baby move, though remember, many women won’t feel distinct movements until after 20 weeks. Initial movements might feel like flutters—these are your baby's first moves that you're sensing. Now that fetal bones are hardening, you'll start to feel these movements more clearly. At this stage, your baby’s legs are longer than their arms, so expect to feel more kicks than punches. Fingernails and toenails are growing, sometimes even requiring a trim right after birth. You can learn more about cutting newborn nails here.

If you’re carrying a single baby, they should be about 5 inches long and weigh around 5 ounces. Expecting twins? They’ll be slightly smaller, measuring about 4 inches and 4 ounces each.

Your Body

During pregnancy, your blood volume will increase and so will hormones like estrogen. This can lead to nasal stuffiness and nosebleeds, a common occurrence due to inflamed nasal passages. Your heart is also working harder to pump the extra blood. As ligaments stretch to accommodate your growing baby, you might experience some abdominal discomfort.

By now, your uterus has grown to about midway between your symphysis pubis and your belly button. This doesn’t mean everyone will show a baby bump in the same way—pregnancy shows differently in every woman.

At the Prenatal Visit

Between the 16th and 18th weeks, an amniocentesis may be scheduled if necessary. An amniocentesis involves drawing amniotic fluid from the fetal sac to test for chromosome abnormalities. This test can be either voluntary or highly recommended by your doctor based on your specific circumstances. Read more about amniocentesis here.

Your anatomic ultrasound should be scheduled around the 20th week. If your doctor suggests an amniocentesis, it’s important to discuss the potential risks and benefits. The procedure involves a small puncture in the amniotic sac, but the risks are minimal.

For women carrying multiples, you may notice swelling and waist expansion earlier than moms carrying one baby.

Your Partner
 

Partners, this is your time to shine! One practical step is to secure financial stability for your growing family. Consider life insurance and having a will drafted. This is a critical part of family planning. Meeting with an insurance salesperson or a financial advisor can help you determine the amount of life insurance needed. Taking a structured approach will ensure that you're well-prepared.

Tips for This Week

As your belly grows, you might have concerns about stretch marks. While stretch marks are largely determined by genetics, maintaining a healthy weight can help minimize them. However, special creams or diets won't necessarily prevent them. If you were predisposed to get stretch marks, pregnancy might bring them out. Remember, if you started your pregnancy at a normal weight, it's more likely a genetic factor rather than something you did or didn't do.