Your Baby
Sitting tall. The appearance of body hair and possibly head hair was the big story last week. This week, thanks to strengthening muscles, your little one is working on lifting the head and neck from their curved position. Being able to straighten out a bit makes sitting up a possibility.

Action figure. Your foetus is also moving those arms and legs frequently. These workouts could even get a sweat going, since the sweat glands have already formed (of course, your uterus will keep things at just the right temperature). Sometime between now and 20 weeks, you may be able to feel movement for the first time. But don't worry if you can't sense anything yet. Your little one is still very small - about 11- 12 cm (about 4.5 - 5 inches long and about 80 grams (about 2.8 ounces) - and the cushion of amniotic fluid can make it difficult to feel movement at this time.


Your Pregnancy
The side effect. Most GPs or midwives recommend that you sleep on your side during pregnancy. It's thought that lying on your back can increase pressure on the vena cava, the blood vessel that returns blood to your heart. Plus, sleeping on your back may make backaches worse, especially as you get bigger. And, of course, your growing belly makes it difficult to sleep on your stomach even if you wanted to. So it's worth your while to get used to sleeping on your side. Lying on the left is best since it increases your circulation, which can help minimise your chances of getting oedema (swelling), varicose veins, and other complaints that arise from poor circulation. Many women find that a full-length body pillow makes side sleeping more comfortable. You can also try crossing your top leg over the bottom one to keep you on your side.

Spare on air. Do you find yourself huffing and puffing like the wolf in "The Three Little Pigs"? Breathlessness is another normal symptom of pregnancy. The pregnancy hormones are making you breathe more deeply than you are used to. This helps the baby get plenty of oxygen but may make you feel uncomfortable. Later in pregnancy, your growing uterus will compound the problem by placing pressure on your diaphragm and reducing the space in which your lungs can expand. Breathlessness won't harm you or your baby. But if your shortness of breath concerns you, talk to your doctor or midwife.

Feed me! As the nausea and discomfort of early pregnancy subside, you may find that you have your appetite back-and then some! This is the time when many women report feeling that "the baby is hungry." Be sure you're eating enough, but don't feel you actually need to "eat for two."

From the experts. "The latest research shows that it's around this time - 16 weeks - that your baby begins to hear and respond to sounds," says Dr. Suzanne Dixon. "In about two months, your baby will be able to respond to your voice!"