The 17th week of pregnancy more than drives the point home that you are going to be a mommy and that you are way into your second trimester. As with the preceding weeks, your body will see changes as will your baby.
It is expected that your nausea and morning sickness must have gone down. You should also be feeling less tired. Your uterus that has already expanded will continue to do so and you will probably face conditions such as indigestion.
This particular week, your yet to be born little one is developing swallowing and sucking skills in preparation for breastfeeding. Your baby’s body is also starting to form body fat and should mature by the time of delivery. On the other hand, your baby’s heartbeat is no longer scattered and can now beat up to 150 beats, controlled by the baby’s brain.
Another big development for your kid at the 17th week is the formation of fingerprints. By the end of the 17th week, your baby may also be covered in vernix, which is a white substance that forms a coating on the baby’s skin.
Well, your little one is basically the size of a turnip now. To elaborate more, at 17 weeks pregnant the baby size should be around 150-175 grams and around 5-6 inches long. In fact, your baby is growing rapidly from last week and will continue to grow rapidly in the coming weeks. For now, your baby may just as well fit into your hand.
You would also be happy to know that your baby’s skeleton is slowly transforming into solid bone from the soft cartilage structure that has formed so far. . Your baby has developed some body fat making it ready for changes as well.
Along with your baby’s body transformation this week, you are bound to see some more body changes during pregnancy in yourself in the 17th week. For starters, you should be feeling better in terms of morning sickness and nausea. Also, your body should feel less tired.
More importantly, you should have your bump in place. However, the size of the bump is different for different women. Another new development in the 17th week of pregnancy is that you will be able to feel some movement inside your tummy but it will barely make any ripples. This, of course, will change in the coming months.
If you have been wondering what sets the 17th week of pregnancy different from the preceding weeks, here is your one-stop guide to find out the same.
As is expected, your belly should definitely be showing that you are pregnant. More importantly, some stretch marks and veins around your belly should start showing as well.
Most women now begin to gain some weight seeing that the baby has grown quite a bit. This weight gain may also be attributed to the fact that most women get their appetite back as morning sickness recedes.
For most of you, the doctor may not schedule an ultrasound, as not much has changed. In special cases though, you might be asked to go for a scan, but it should not worry you too much.
You can continue to see that your baby’s heartbeat has settled in a steady pace and has and the facial features should start showing definition as well. More importantly, your baby’s immune system is in place and is protecting your baby from any diseases. Also, your baby can now feel sharp noises and harsh lights. Hormones will also have started to function in the form of adrenal glands. Best of all, your baby can feel your emotions and can recognize voices.
By now you would have already started eating more calories as compared to your pre-pregnancy diet. Keeping in mind your earlier diet, add essential 17th week pregnancy foods by consulting the list below. Remember that starving yourself at this point of your pregnancy is unacceptable. Also, you don’t have to overeat or eat for two – just maintain a slight increase in the number of calories you normally would consume.
The most important thing at this stage of pregnancy should be to keep yourself strong and cheerful. Since the baby eats what you eat and feels what you feel, make healthy lifestyle choices that can successfully carry you through delivery. Below are some pointers that should come in handy to help you take care.
Shopping for this stage of pregnancy should not be much of a problem. Remember that you have to keep comfort as a priority. Make sure you shop for some nice maternity wear in cotton. Don’t forget to buy some nice body pillows that will help in comforting you. Some comfortable shoes should come in handy motivational books will help you unwind and keep you cheerful. Don’t forget to add some nice healthy snacks in your kitchen because you might need them at any moment.
Don’t panic due to the constant changes and get well equipped to deal with the forthcoming changes for a safe and successful pregnancy.
Read this article in Arabic: الأسبوع 17 من الحمل