17 Weeks Pregnant

At 17 weeks pregnant, your baby will now fit perfectly in your hand, weight just 5 ounces. With each week that passes your baby is growing big and strong and getting ready to start life on the outside.

Your Baby’s Development

A lot of movement is happening now. Your baby is happily swimming and flipping around. He or she is making the most of it as the space will soon become too tight. It is unlikely that your partner will feel the movements yet but you can always try. Place your partner’s hand on your stomach with every move that you feel to test – eventually, your partner will feel the movement.

At pregnancy week 17, your baby will be able to hear. The first voice your baby will recognise is your own and he or she will find comfort in that. The second voice will be your partner so make sure you both talk to your little one all the time. You may find that your little one reacts to you and your partner through kicks.

A sense of touch will have also developed by 17 weeks pregnant. Rub your belly regularly to let your baby know that you are there. You will likely be rewarded by kicks and punches to say hi.

Hiccups may occur at this stage while your baby practises how to breathe. These will be rhythmic movements if you do feel them and often feel strange at first. Your baby can get hiccups a few times a day. This is completely normal and nothing to worry about.

Changes in Your at 17 Weeks Pregnant

You may find that you lose balance a bit now. This will be due to your growing bump as your centre of gravity shifts. Be careful when standing up or doing exercise as you do not want to fall. This may be the time that you start looking at the types of exercises that you do, such as avoiding cycling on the road and opting for stationary bikes instead.

You will also find that your bump is getting bigger and may be getting into maternity clothes now. Enjoy this time shopping around with your friends or partner. There is no need to buy too much but definitely buy a range, you will likely find that you still need to wear maternity clothes after the birth of your baby.

Symptoms at Pregnancy Week 17

The most common symptom at 17 weeks pregnant is heartburn. This is due to your growing uterus, causing your organs to move and become squished. The best thing that you can do is eat small meals at shorter periods during the day instead of three large meals. Snack on healthy foods during the day to avoid feeling hungry and help with the heartburn.

You will also feel like you have much more energy during your second trimester so get the nursery sorted now. It may seem like too early but in a few weeks you will just want to put your feet up! This is also the time to go out shopping for everything that you need; however, avoid buying too much as many expectant mothers find they waste money on items that they never use after the birth.