Significant changes have taken place by the time you are 17 weeks pregnant and they deserve to be paid attention to. At 17 weeks pregnant your baby is the size of a melon as compared to 15 weeks pregnant when it is the size of an orange or perhaps even at 18 weeks pregnant when it has grown further.
In the 17th week be assured to the fact that your baby is growing rapidly. Its skeleton has begun to harden by now moving on from the stage when it was merely rubbery cartilage to bone. Besides, the brown fat on it has also begun to accumulate around the skeleton. This is very crucial to ensure plenty of heat is generated for its body. The joints in its body have become fully mobile and are being constantly exercised.
Your baby’s lifeline to the placenta which is the umbilical cord has begun to thicken and strengthens by now. At this stage in time the foetus begins to weigh about 5 ounces which is quite different to 15 weeks pregnant when its weight is 2.5 ounces which again changes at 18 weeks pregnant when the weight is 7 ounces.
It is very important to know its sweat glands have begun forming though the skin is still pretty thick and transparent. In the coming weeks its eyes will begin to move gradually from side to side beneath the still fused eyelids.
The condition of the mother is equally important as the condition of its foetus. It may seem that sometimes the mother feels off-balance as the centre of gravity begins to shift. This has to be compensated for and the mother has to be extra careful in ensuring she successfully averts situations where she may fall over. That would be disastrous.
It is recommended the mother wear low shoes as they are quite good an idea to thwart any sort of trauma to the abdomen at this stage in pregnancy. Physical strain can be quite dangerous for both the mother and her baby and that has to be accounted for anyhow. It is also advised to the mother-to-be that while she travels in a vehicle she should strap the lower belt below her belly.
The mother may go through a lot at this stage as her eyes begin to feel dry. She may also feel terribly uncomfortable so it is advised by doctors that she have some sort of lubricating eye-drops in hand. Besides, she should try at all cost to avoid wearing contact lenses for longer periods of time and consider switching to glasses for the rest of her pregnancy.
In addition to everything, sticking with proper nutrition and exercise should ensure a smooth transition and healthy latter stages.