Track your pregnancy week-by-week

Join Now

Pregnancy week by week

First Trimester

Second Trimester

Third Trimester

17 Weeks Pregnant

Length of baby: 13cm (130mm)
Weight of baby: 150g (0.15kg)
At week 17, your baby’s soft skeleton is changing from cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord, which is the lifeline to the placenta, is also now growing stronger and thicker.

17 WEEKS PREGNANT

And so, 17 weeks in, you will need to make an important decision with your hubby! Because gender reveal is around the corner! At this time, it is good to have a discussion with your husband if the both of you are open to learning the gender of your little one or to keep it a surprise until the delivery. And should the both of you want to learn of the gender, a little party for the gender reveal perhaps (because there can never be too many parties)?

Because having a newborn can be challenging and overwhelming, you and your hubby can start to sign up for childbirth classes to learn of ways to care for your little one after the delivery. 

It is wise to attend these classes soonest possible to get one of the many preparations out of the way so that you and your husband can be a lot more ready for when the little one arrives. 

 

17 WEEKS BABY SIZE

How big is baby at 17 weeks? Your baby is the size of a pomegranate, which is about 130mm (13cm).

The current weight of your baby is about 150grams (0.15kg).

 

17 WEEKS PREGNANT WEIGHT GAIN

This is the weight gain that you must achieve this week.

Underweight(BMI <18.5)  0.44kg to 0.58kg
Normal weight(BMI 18.5 to 24.9)0.39kg to 0.50kg
Overweight(BMI 25 to 29.9) 0.23kg to 0.33kg
Obese(BMI ≥ 30) 0.16kg to 0.25kg

During the second trimester, you will need to eat an extra 340 calories a day.

 

17 WEEKS PREGNANT SYMPTOMS

The symptoms that you will be experiencing this week is mostly caused by your rapidly growing baby and belly. You will find that you’re rummaging your fridge for food more often these coming weeks but that is no surprise since your baby is getting bigger and he or she is consuming the food you are taking in.

Being 17 weeks pregnant, here are some signs and symptom that your body might be experiencing:

  • Feeling off balance. As your baby grows bigger and so does your belly, you might feel that you’re not as steady as before since your centre of gravity changes.
  • Faster weight gain. You might have gained up to 5kg by now as your baby grows bigger. However, sudden or excessive weight gain could be a problem and if this happens, do inform your obstetrician doctor.
  • Affected vision and dry eyes. Changes in hormones, metabolism, fluid retention and blood circulation can affect your eyes and vision. If your vision does blur slightly (which affects about 15% of all pregnant women), it will probably be minor and temporary. Not to worry as your vision will resume normalcy after delivery.
  • Stretch marks. As your belly gets bigger and your skin stretches, do expect stretch marks to make an appearance. To help alleviate the presence of stretch marks, drink lots of water to keep your skin hydrated, and use a good quality moisturiser to moisturise the skin.
  • Increased discharge. Due to your hormonal changes in your body, you will get more vaginal discharge and other bodily fluids.
  • Itchy Belly. As your belly expands, your skin is getting thinner (which also explains the stretch marks) and it can be more sensitive. Resist the urge to scratch to protect your skin, and use a good cream to remedy the itch.
  • Vivid dreams. This might be caused by the changes in hormonal levels and also due to the fact that pregnancy is a time of heightened emotions for the mother. Not to mention, you’re spending less time in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep as you wake up more often due to the pregnancy symptoms. Waking up during REM sleep makes you more likely to remember your vivid dreams.

 

Stretch marks are inevitable as your belly gets bigger, so do drink lots of water to keep your skin hydrated, and use a good quality moisturiser to moisturise the skin.

 

17 WEEKS THE PREGNANT BELLY

You might be starting to feel off balance because your belly (and baby) is growing rapidly, thus affecting your centre of gravity. So be careful about your footing and watch where you’re going!

It is also wise to wear flats to reduce your risk of falling, as trauma to your belly could be disastrous for you and your baby.

A tip for when travelling in a car – put on your seat belt with the top part of the seat belt between your breasts, and the bottom part of the seat belt under your belly to secure your bump.

It is also a great time to create some memories between you and your little one during your journey with him or her so you can look back and reminisce about the pregnancy period.

 

HOW IS MY BABY 17 WEEKS PREGNANT?

Your baby’s soft skeleton is changing from cartilage to bone, and it is also growing meat on the bones. Brown fat, which is a special type of fat that helps in body heat generation, is also growing.

The umbilical cord, which is the lifeline to the placenta, is also now growing stronger and thicker. Your baby can also now move the joints, and the sweat glands is also starting to develop.

 

WHAT TO DO AT 17 WEEKS PREGNANT

Reminders for the week:

  • Start a baby naming list
  • Start planning for your nursery
  • Start planning your maternity leave