17 Weeks Pregnant

*Counting from the first day of your last menstrual period

Your Baby at 17 Weeks

Size: 5.12 inches (13 cm)
Weight: 4.94 ounces (140 grams)

With pronounced ears, your little one is now able to sense the sounds in his environment; like the reassuring sounds of your heart beating above him and like the reassuring sounds of your voice. Talking to baby or playing music is often a great way to get his attention; in the coming weeks you will find that he'll become a lot more active when he hears music or hears your voice murmuring to him.

Growing longer and much more active, your little one is practicing his soccer kicks, his karate chops, and is learning more about how his body can stretch and move around.

Mom at 17 Weeks Pregnant

Feeling those kicks now? Your baby is growing bigger and longer so it is much more likely that those fluttering sensations you weren't sure of are actually him kicking about. Your partner may be able to feel some of the kicks with a hand on your belly; but keep in mind that your baby is still very small and not all kicks are going to be strong enough to be felt externally.

Have you started eyeing the baby's bedroom with visions of pink and blue dancing about in your head? In another few weeks your well-trained ultrasound technician just may be able to tell you which color palette you should be leaning towards for decorating and shopping. Until you find out for sure, now is the time to start clearing out the nursery and working on the small projects that need to be done in preparation for his or her pending arrival. Rather work on them now while you still have a relatively good amount of energy. In the coming months your energy levels are going to plummet something fierce.

As your pregnancy hormones play havoc on your body you might find yourself an emotional mess over the silliest of things. If it is affecting your ability to function then consider mentioning it to your doctor. Some women require antidepressants to get them successfully through pregnancy. This is nothing to be ashamed of; pregnancy and the accompanying emotions can really be a lot to handle.

Common Symptoms:
As your skin on both your belly and your breasts is stretching in response to your pregnancy you may find that the skin feels incredibly itchy. Keep your skin well moisturized and try not to scratch too much. Stretch marks might start to make their appearance now; whether you get them or not depends entirely on your genetics and your weight. Women who gain too much weight too fast during pregnancy are much more likely to develop stretch marks. Keep in mind that creams and pills will do little to nothing to help prevent or reduce stretch marks; they are tears in your skin as it stretches.

If it hasn't started to already, your back may very well start to ache. As your belly grows larger and heavier, it is going to affect your posture. This, in turn, can lead to an aching back.

Swelling in your legs and feet might be getting annoying at this point; while swelling is an expected part of pregnancy, you can do your part to reduce the severity by drinking plenty of water. Keeping your feet up as much as possible can also help to reduce swelling.

A dark line may start to appear on your belly; stretching down from your belly button to your pubic area, this dark line is known as the linea nigra. It will vanish shortly after delivery, however. About three quarters of women develop this line so it is nothing to worry about.

Weight Gain:
If your scale is inching up a fair amount this week it might be due, in large part, to all of the swelling that you are experiencing.

Keep doing the right things to keep your weight in check. Eating healthy food options, taking your prenatal vitamins, getting in plenty of fiber and fluids, and keeping up with your doctor-approved exercise routine.

Tips/Advice:
What's PUPPP, doc? The itchy hormone-triggered skin rash known as PUPPPS can happen for many women. If you find yourself looking for relief, avoid hot showers and perfumed soaps then slather down in aloe vera, or anti-itch creams to treat the symptoms.

Videos - 17 Weeks Pregnant

** Note: Every baby develops at a different rate. The numbers provided are averages based on a "typical" pregnancy. Your baby's size and weight may vary significantly. Your healthcare provider is the best person to interpret information on your baby's size, weight, health and development during your ultrasounds and pregnancy.

	Comment from michatiff » Posted Jul. 7, 2014 8:49pm 17 was 1 day :)
	Comment from hippieperson8909 » Posted Jan. 23, 2014 11:32am 17 wks with twins :-) hopefully gonna find out what I'm having next week :-)
	Comment from princessvdmerwe » Posted Nov. 27, 2013 9:58am 17 weeks!! Felt my first real kick yesterday!! Amazing... cant wait to hold this one in my arms!!!
	Comment from ati2002 » Posted Oct. 25, 2013 7:54am 17w 2 days. Excited!!
	Comment from bita92 » Posted Oct. 15, 2013 4:58am it is going so fast. I love it. i am waiting for another sono since at 13 w one said girl and on 16 w another said 90% boy!!!