Your week 16 guide

The circulatory system is working continuously, pumping blood around a body that is still tiny. The heart is moving a surprising volume of blood each day relative to its size, and the vessels have organised into a complete circuit including the umbilical cord and placenta. Some of that circuit is temporary, with shortcuts around the lungs that close in the first days after birth.

The spine and back muscles are strong enough to hold the head more upright. Until now the fetus has been curled with the chin close to the chest, and straightening out changes both posture and the range of possible movement. It is one of the reasons a scan at this stage shows a much clearer profile.

The eyes move behind closed lids, facial expressions appear and the bowel begins producing meconium. The eye movements are slow and involuntary while the visual system develops, and the expressions are reflexes rather than feelings. Meconium is the dark, sticky first stool made from swallowed amniotic fluid, shed cells and lanugo, and it normally stays in the bowel until after birth.

You may notice the first faint flutters, though many women feel nothing yet. Early movement is easily mistaken for wind or a muscle twitch, and it tends to be felt low down and only when you are still. First pregnancies usually feel movement later, often between eighteen and twenty-two weeks, so an absence now is not a reason for concern.

Backache, blocked nose, constipation and round ligament pain can all occur. The nasal congestion, sometimes called pregnancy rhinitis, is caused by swollen nasal membranes rather than a cold, and decongestant sprays are not usually recommended. Ask a pharmacist which remedies are suitable rather than reaching for a standard cold treatment.

Morning sickness is usually much improved by now. If yours has not settled, or has returned after easing, it is worth reporting rather than assuming you simply have a difficult pregnancy. Persistent vomiting later in pregnancy occasionally points to something other than pregnancy sickness and should be assessed.

Make sure the mid-pregnancy ultrasound is booked if your care team recommends one. This scan checks your baby's growth, the position of the placenta and the development of the heart, brain, spine, kidneys and limbs in detail. It is worth knowing in advance that it is a medical examination and usually a quiet one, rather than the film-like moment people expect.

Bring questions about movement, screening and symptoms to your next appointment. Movement in particular causes a lot of unnecessary worry at this stage, and understanding what to expect now and what to watch for later is genuinely reassuring. Write them down, because appointments move quickly.

Enjoy thinking about names without any pressure to decide. Some couples settle on a name in an afternoon and others are still arguing in the delivery room, and neither approach is a problem. If you would rather keep your shortlist private to avoid other people's opinions, that is a sensible instinct. InshaAllah, choosing a name can be a shared pleasure rather than a deadline.

Help your body absorb plant iron: Vitamin C improves the absorption of iron from plant-based foods, so pairing the two at the same meal is worthwhile.

Vitamin C is found in peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, citrus fruits, berries, kiwi, cabbage and many other fruits and vegetables. There is no need to rely on orange juice or any single fruit, and tea or coffee taken with a meal has the opposite effect and reduces iron absorption.