Your baby is still quite small and if you were to hold it in your hands at this time it would perfectly fit into your palm. It is a little more than five inches long from the head to the rump and weighs about five ounces at 17 weeks pregnant. It can breathe on its own helped by the diaphragm and it is getting used to breathing by moving it up and down. The fluid that is packed inside his lungs also get to get moved out of his lungs. This very simple exercise of breathing is very important for the baby.
The baby’s skeleton that has been made up of only cartilage begins to harden into bone at 17 weeks pregnant. This process is done with the help of calcium that you take in as a mother and will continue throughout the rest of the pregnancy. The skin of the baby is very thin and still transparent because there is no fat stored below the skin at 17 weeks pregnant. The baby is already moving around your belly and turning summersaults by the time you are 17 weeks pregnant. You may not realize it yet because his movements are restricted to floating inside the amniotic fluid.
You can feel the reality of carrying a baby by 17 weeks pregnant because the baby’s heart beat is growing stronger and beating at twice the rate of your heart. An ultra sound can detect the heart beat so that you hear its strength at 17 weeks pregnant. The doctor may advise you to rub your belly so as to help your baby feel safer and more relaxed in the womb.
The mother is way into the second trimester at 17 weeks pregnant and you may notice that you are having more vaginal discharge than usual. This is common during this time of your pregnancy and many women experience it. The discharge should be clear in color or milky whitish.
This is usually caused by the high level of hormones in your body and increased blood flow in the genital area. You can put on panty liners if this is a bother to you but avoid tampons and douching. A discharge that produces a foul smell or one that is accompanied by a burning sensation should raise a red flag so tell your doctor about these types of symptoms.
You will also begin to feel out of balance with the size of your belly increasing as well as your weight at 17 weeks pregnant. Another amazing development at 17 weeks pregnant is that the baby can hear what is going on around you as the mother. His/her ears are developed by 17 weeks pregnant and is good for you to talk to it or put on a soft music for it to listen to; this will help you bond with the child even before its birth.
The safety of the baby as well as your health is top priority at this time, therefore you must know to avoid harmful substances and stay away from flammable products that may cause nausea. Always have proper ventilation and watch out what you put into your mouth.
