Feeling the pregnancy vibe stronger by the day…
At 17 weeks pregnant, you will start to show a little more of your baby bump. As a result, your friends and family will have the urge to reach out and touch your growing belly. If you do not mind, that is fine. However, if you do, speak up kindly and firmly. There are more new developments that you feel during this phase of your pregnancy.
Changes you will feel at 17 weeks pregnant
At 17 weeks pregnant, you will notice that your toilet-hugging days are finally over. In fact, you will feel the exact opposite like you cannot get enough to eat. For many pregnant women, the second trimester brings relief from morning sickness. However, this is also the start of a big appetite. This happens because your baby is getting bigger and hungrier. You should keep in mind that eating for two should not be taken literally and you should eat with caution, keeping in mind that how you eat and what you eat will affect you and your baby. At week 17, you should catch up with your weight loss if you ever lost weight during the first trimester of your pregnancy.
Aside from increased appetite, you will also develop other pregnancy symptoms like heartburn and indigestion. If you ever find yourself feeling the heartburn after eating a big meal, you should avoid lying down after every meal. This way, you can keep your gastric juices in your stomach and prevent it from flowing to your esophagus.
You may feel an increase in gas..
At 17 weeks pregnant you will also feel bloated and gassy at week 17 of your pregnancy. These symptoms occur as your uterus expands and places pressure on your rectum. As a result, you will find it more difficult to control the muscles on these parts of your body. To help prevent and reduce the occurrence of this symptom, you should consider eating slowly, as eating quickly can cause you to swallow air and form gas pockets in your belly.
Occasional headaches are also common during this phase of a pregnancy. There are several causes of this symptom. For instance, this symptom may be caused by fatigue and tension. But, most of the time, this is caused by hormones. It may be okay to take pain medications for this during pregnancy. However, you should first seek consult from your health care provider before taking one. Dizziness and faintness are also common symptoms at 17 weeks pregnant. This is typically caused by dehydration. Thus, you have to make sure that you are properly hydrated all the time.
Backaches are another common symptom at 17 weeks pregnant. To resolve this symptom, you can sleep on a firm mattress at home or use a supportive chair while working. You should consider getting cushions for your chair and place this on your back. This way, you can keep your posture in line.
How your baby develops at 17 weeks pregnant
At week 17 pregnant, your baby has now grown measuring about three and a half ounces in weight and five inches in height. Your baby will also begin to develop body fat and this will continue to accumulate through the end of the pregnancy. At this time, your baby’s heart will now be regulated by his or her brain. This means that there will be no random beats and the beating will be about 120 to 140 beats per minute.
Your baby’s sucking and swallowing skills are now present, as he or she practices them inside your womb at week 17. In addition, your baby’s fingerprints are also starting to form. Within the next few weeks, your baby’s toes and fingers will become adorned with creases and swirls or fingerprints.
During this time, your baby will start to listen and become startled by sudden noises like a barking dog or a ringing doorbell. Your baby’s eyes, even though they are still shut, will already perceive some light and make side to side movements.
What to think about at 17 weeks pregnant
Most of the time, pregnancy brings about a lot of things to think about, causing pregnant women to worry a lot. As each week passes, you will most probably find yourself feeling mixed emotions causing you to become overwhelmed and stressed out. This is a normal feeling. To address such feeling, you should speak about your concerns to your health care provider. You can seek support from your friends and family and talk about your fears, especially if you are a first time mother.
As your belly starts to grow bigger, you might also feel a bit off balance. This is due to the fact that your center of gravity is changing. In fact, most pregnant women at week 17 will start to feel a little unsteady while on their feet. If this is true to you, you should avoid situations that can risk you to fall. In addition, you should wear low heeled shoes, as this can reduce the risk of you falling. Keep in mind that accidental trauma to your abdomen can harm you and your baby. You should also strap on your seat belt while in a car. You should keep the strap of the seat belt under your belly.
At 17 weeks pregnant now is a great time to think about baby names and making a list of the possible names for your little one. Do this activity with your partner. You should trade ideas with your partner and cross out those that you and your partner do not like. Talk about the names that you like and dislike. This is a great time to bond with your partner, making the pregnancy more real by the day. Most of the time, pregnant couples make ground rules for naming their baby. You have to remember that regardless of what you choose, you should not be swayed by the opinion of other people and choose the name that you think will best suit your little one.
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