17 Weeks Pregnant

Wondering what it’s really like to be 17 weeks pregnant..? So did I!

Well, I share my very own pregnancy journal here, so you can compare, along with all the science-based baby development info, belly facts, and pregnancy symptoms you need. Have fun! :-)

My Pregnancy Journal: Week 17

What’s it really like being 17 weeks pregnant..? Here are my very own pregnancy diary notes as a first-time pregnant mom.

How Many Months is 17 Weeks Pregnant?

Pregnancy Week	Months Pregnant	In Which Month	Trimester
17 weeks	3 months	4th month	2nd

Counting weeks and months during pregnancy can be quite confusing. A month is typically not four exact weeks but rather 4.5 weeks. We say that pregnancy is nine months, but 40 weeks. This doesn’t really go together due to the mismatch between weeks and months. This is why most doctors don’t talk about months at all, only weeks!

There is also a difference between which month you are in and how many months pregnant you are. You think of it the same way as with how old you are: You are 30 years old once you complete 30 years of living. You are three months pregnant when you have completed three months of pregnancy.

So when you are 17 weeks pregnant, you are in the last week of being three months pregnant but in your fourth month of pregnancy. (But stop counting months! :-) )

You are in the second trimester.

How Big is My Baby?

Your little one at this stage has grown quite a bit larger, weighing somewhere around 5 ounces (140 grams) and is approximately five inches in length (12.7 cm).

If you were to hold your child at this stage, he/she would rest comfortably in the palm of your hand.

Your baby is now the size of a large onion or pear. You can check out baby fruit sizes for all baby weeks here. I find comparing baby size with whatever real things really helps visualize my baby.

The fetal age of your baby is 15 weeks.

What Does My Baby Look Like?

At this time, I’d say our babies are starting to look kind of cute. While still tiny, they now have eyelashes and eyebrows, and their fingernails and toenails have started to grow. They still can’t open their eyes, but they can open and close their mouth. The baby in the image above is sucking his/her thumb!

Fetal Development

At this time period of the pregnancy, many things are going on with your baby’s development:

The baby’s skeleton, including the cranium, begins to develop bone, replacing the previous soft cartilage.

The little heart pumps more than twenty-five ounces of blood through the body per day. The heart rate is 140-150 bpm (beats per minute), much faster than your own heartbeat.

By now, your child has noticed the joints and the ability to move them, so fetal movement will be more frequent than before, and many moms will start to feel it.

The umbilical cord has become stronger.

The sweat glands have begun their development, meaning that the baby’s skin layers are soon to be fully formed (actually already next week). The baby’s fingerprints are developing.

Your child now has the ability to hear. This is a great opportunity to begin the bond with your child. Because he/she can hear sounds now, some experts say that playing a piece of calming music is a good idea. As a mom, I tend to think that listening to your voice, a lullaby you sing, your heartbeat, and the sounds of your body, in general, are more important, but you can, of course, do both!

Below is an example of an ultrasound scan when 17 weeks pregnant. This little baby is quite big for his fetal age, though. Cute!

Mom’s Belly Growth

At this time of your pregnancy, you are likely to be experiencing big changes. Your growing uterus is no longer attempting to cradle a ball but rather an egg-shaped object. Your internal organs will shift aside as necessary to make room.

You may be starting to show a baby bump, especially if this is not your first baby. As your uterus has positioned itself below your belly button, you may be developing a tiny pooch. You may even feel a little off balance. As your belly grows larger, gravity will begin to have an effect on you.

When riding a car or driving, wear your seat belt but wear it comfortably. Be sure to keep the lap portion of the belt below your tummy; wear it across your hips.

Pregnancy Symptoms

The pregnancy hormones are still affecting your body and symptoms and will continue to do so throughout your pregnancy. Personally, I was very hungry this week. Morning sickness had, thankfully, disappeared, and I could enjoy a cup of coffee again. (Check our survey of when moms report that their pregnancy nausea started and stopped. More than 4000 moms have already answered it.)

You should be gaining weight at a steady pace. If you are curious about what a healthy weight gain comprises of, check out the breakdown by weeks of pregnancy here. (It is not just that layer of fat that is increasing, but other things too, like the baby, obviously, your blood volume, the uterus, and more! 

Increased vaginal discharge is common and frequent. It appears as a white milky substance. This is normal and your body’s way of keeping your vagina clean to avoid infections. The odorless substance is all part of the change. If it does possess an odor, it could be a yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis and should be discussed with your healthcare provider immediately.

Some pregnant women notice a vertical dark line on their lower abdomen this week – the linea nigra. According to research, the line usually appears at around week 23, but again, I’ve seen moms reporting it before week 10 and other moms who don’t get one at all. 

In addition to linea nigra, darker pigmentation may occur on other body parts, too. Melasma, as it is called, is common in pregnancy, and if you notice dark, larger freckles or patches on your face, this is melasma – or as often called when it appears during pregnancy;  chloasma, or the “mask of pregnancy.” This is NOT a health concern at all, but just a somewhat annoying pregnancy symptom related to hormonal changes. Use sunscreen to minimize it and possibly even a wide-brimmed hat or a cap when you head out into the sun. 

Leaking milk? Don’t be shocked! Some pregnant moms will notice that milk production has started already as early as week 16 or 17. During this first stage of milk production, your breasts will grow fuller and start producing colostrum.

Things to Do and Buy

Don’t forget to talk to your baby; your little one can hear you, and many parents will talk to their babies well before they are born as part of their own way to make that parental connection before birth. Talking to your child will strengthen the bond, along with rubbing your tummy in slow, circular motions. Even though your child is still pretty small, your touch can be felt.

All of these actions can assist in not only bonding with your child but keeping him/her and you (!) calm.

If you want to get serious with caring for your baby’s mental well-being and development already, check out the WavHello BellyBuds Baby-Bump Headphones (The Link opens in a new window to Amazon, where you can read reviews.)

These headphones provide the possibility to play music for your baby-to-be. You simply strap on the apparel; very easy to use and quite an interesting opportunity to try out, even though it is, of course, impossible to say if your baby’s rapid development after birth has been improved by using BellyBuds.

You might want to reassess your life. Stressful situations for work and/or personal reasons should be avoided. Studies have shown that stress can cause difficulties during pregnancy, premature birth, difficulties during labor, and more. You can read more about stress during pregnancy here.

Of course, some stress just cannot be avoided. In this case, take the opportunity to listen to some calming music with your little one and relax as soon as you can.

Some women (me, for example!) find that keeping a journal helps them remember those questions that they think of between appointments but can’t seem to remember when the time comes. A pregnancy journal is also great fun as a memory. This special time never comes back! (You can read my journal above, and afterward, I am SO thankful that I wrote it.) And if you want, go ahead and share something from your own diary in the comments below; lots of moms would love to read it!)

Some expectant parents start preparing their new lives as a family; drawing up a will, changing beneficiaries, or getting life insurance, since these are important aspects that need to be addressed once you have dependents to take care of.

Prenatal vitamins continue to be important.

Iron deficiency is common in both the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, so if you feel weak, you may want to have your Hb level checked to know if you need iron supplements.

A not-so-nice side effect of iron supplements is constipation. If you do experience that, try to drink more water, increase fiber intake, and move around a lot! (And, of course, talk to your health care provider if the situation gets problematic.)

Start creating a baby registry, if you haven’t. I personally love Amazon for that!

Week 17 Video

I honestly love watching video clips about the pregnancy journey. What do you think?

Are you also 17 weeks pregnant? Please share your experiences and thoughts by leaving a comment below!

Read Next

• Weight gain during pregnancy, what is normal and not
• See what your baby is up to in these fetal development videos
• Poll: How is your body changing during pregnancy?