17 Weeks Pregnant

17 Weeks Pregnant Podcast 🎧

Baby at 17 Weeks Pregnant 🚼

Baby’s skeleton has been pretty much all cartilage up to this point, but now it’s beginning to harden into bone—around 300 bones, in fact, compared to just 206 in an adult skeleton. These bones will continue to grow and harden, fusing together in a process called ossification, until baby reaches maturity. For now, though, they’re soft and malleable—the fetal skull, for example, is actually several plates that will shift and mold as he squeezes through your pelvis. Your precious one is also packing on the pounds, weighing in at around 6 oz. and measuring 5 inches long (think pomegranate ). All of this scrumptious fat will keep him warm, support optimal brain function, and help keep him resilient until he learns to crawl, wobble, and walk some of it off. In fact, babies are made up of nearly 70% fat when born! All of your wonderful prenatal nutrition is going directly into those adorable rolls and folds and kissable cheeks. ☺

You at 17 Weeks Pregnant 🚺

Feeling any baby flutters yet? This phenomena is called “quickening,” and many mamas experience it around now. Sometimes it can feel like gas, nerves, or an upset tummy, but it’s really your tiny dancer shaking his groove thing in the disco ball that is your belly. The flutters will graduate to full-on kicks after week 20, so you’ve got that to look forward to. If you’re not feeling baby yet, DON’T WORRY! Some mamas won’t feel movement for a few more weeks. Just know that it’s coming soon! Here’s more info on when you’ll feel baby begin to move. Also, know that the position of your placenta can majorly affect when and how well you feel your baby move. I felt my first child move right around 18 weeks (oh the J❣Y!). With my second pregnancy, I didn't feel her consistently move until the 3rd trimester! That's because I had an anterior placenta, which means the placenta is positioned on the front wall of the uterus as opposed to the back, and it interferes with mom's ability to feel baby's movements. Pregnancy-week-by-week-mama-at-17-weeks-pregnant-Mama-Natural