What Happened In 17 Week of Pregnancy

By this week in your pregnancy, you will find yourself much more relaxed and feeling much more comfortable. You body has adjusted to the hormonal changes as well as the physical changes. Every week or month from now on may bring you more symptoms. For example, during week seventeen, you may experience a rash or some kind of allergies. These usually happen when there is a change in your diet or if you are taking a medical prescription. Talk to your doctor before taking any medication for the rashes or the allergies. There are only a handful of over the counter medications that are safe for you during the pregnancy.

By now you will more aware of the baby’s movements. You will start to feel fluttering in the belly that is the baby. If you don’t feel anything, don’t worry every woman is different. Within the next couple of weeks you will start feeling something more solid than fluttering. You may start to feel cramping or achy if you sit or stand in one place for a long period of time. These can subside by simply changing positions slowly. If you start feeling dizzy or lightheaded, lie down with your feet elevated. Try to keep up your blood sugar with small snacks during the day.

Baby’s Development

Your baby during week 17 is very mobile, gleefully moving his joints here, there and everywhere and he will continue to do so as you continue your pregnancy week by week. The cartilage making up the skeleton in your baby’s body is starting to transform into bone. At 17 weeks, your baby should be hearing things. Your baby will start putting on some layers of fat in the weeks to come, though at this point in time, your baby is made up of primarily water.

You may be feeling your baby move intermittently after pregnancy week 17, though as your pregnancy progresses, you will likely start feeling your baby move more and more.

There are many natural health practitioners that believe in the power of touch. Though your little one is still very small, your touch may do much to help him feel safe and warm inside the womb. If you haven’t started already, you might consider rubbing your ‘pooch’ in calming circular motions. This will not only help comfort your little one, but will help initiate the bonding process with you and your baby throughout your pregnancy and after.

Other women find comfort playing music to their unborn children. There is evidence suggesting that your baby responds to music even while in the womb. Thus, there is no harm in playing some calm and engaging music to your unborn baby. Related information found at 24 weeks pregnant.

Changes In Your Body

Around 17 weeks pregnant your uterus starts changing shape, and start to resemble an egg rather than a large ball. This shape will continue throughout your pregnancy. As your pregnancy continues your uterus will grow into your pelvis and much of your abdomen, pushing your inner organs here, there and everywhere as you continue to grow.

By 17 weeks pregnant you are probably showing a bit, though some women can still hide their pregnancies quite well even through 20 weeks pregnant. Your uterus is between 1 ½ and 2 inches below your belly button by this point in time.

You are likely gaining weight steadily by now. You may find you also start having more vaginal discharge at about 17 weeks pregnant. This will likely continue throughout your pregnancy, and is usually nothing serious to worry about. I found wearing a light days pad often was all that was needed to keep feeling fresh throughout my pregnancy.

Keep in mind vaginal discharge should be, for the most part, clear and odor free. If you notice your discharge is blood tinged, gray or has an unusual odor you should contact your healthcare provider. These may be early warning signs of a vaginal infection.

Part of the reason we have more discharge around this time is our body is producing more estrogen. There is also more blood flowing regularly throughout the genital area during pregnancy.

Sharing Your Pregnancy With Daddy

Some daddies really get excited about their partner’s pregnancy. Other dads are less involved, especially if this is not their first baby. What can you do to share your pregnancy with your partner and help him to feel involved? Here are a few tips.

Include Him In Your Appointments

Don’t make him feel guilty if he doesn’t want to go, but invite him to your appointments. If he can’t make it fill him in on how your appointment went. Learn about pregnancy together- He may not know all there is to know about pregnancy. Tell him how many weeks along you are. If you learn something about your baby’s development share it with him. Share any information with him that your doctor gives you on your changing body. Learn about pregnancy together.

Talk About The Big Day

Let him share some of his feelings on what he would like included in your baby’s birth. Write your birth plan together. You don’t have to bore him or overwhelm him with every detail but ask his thoughts. See if there is anything he feels strongly about and would like included in your birth plan.

Let Him Make Decisions Too

Sometimes us mommies want to have the final say on everything. Let him make decisions too. Perhaps some things he feels very strongly about. Listen to him and be reasonable. He wants to be involved in your pregnancy too.

Making a Daddy Memory Book

Include your partner in your pregnancy by creating a daddy memory book. Create a journal or scrapbook just for daddy. This will be something you can give to your baby once she is older and share with your partner during your pregnancy or as a surprise for later. Here are a few ideas for things to put in your daddy memory book.

• Take pictures of your partner touching your belly. Take a picture of daddy feeling your baby kick for the first time.
• Record any baby names daddy comes up with. Your baby may enjoy reading these later.
• Ask your partner’s feelings before you have your ultrasound. Does he want to know baby’s gender? Does he have any feelings about what gender baby will be? Record these in your daddy memory book.
• Ask your partner if he has a song that makes him think about the baby? Write these down in your memory book or make a scrapbook page with the song lyrics.
• Take pictures of your partner on the big day before your baby’s birth. Have him write down his own version of your birth story to record in your daddy memory book.