Your Pregnancy at Week 17

By week 17, you may feel like you're in this strange middle place where you've gained a little weight, but your overall look doesn’t yet deliver that "I'm pregnant" message. On top of that, you could feel clumsier than usual now that your baby's belly is carrying weight in a higher, more out-in-front-of-you position. It's normal if you sometimes feel unbalanced in a bewildering, wobbly-in-my-heels way. It may be time to put away your high heels and take out your comfy flip-flops, sneakers, and snuggly warm boots.

Yes, you are eating for two. But that isn't a permission slip to eat the world on a silver platter. At 17 weeks, you should be consuming about 2,200 calories per day. Fill these calories with nutritious choices, including lean protein, whole grains, and healthy fats.

Because of your body's increased estrogen, your melatonin production has increased, too. This sometimes leads to a darker, more sun-sensitive complexion, such as a "mask of pregnancy" on your face or a "linea nigra" down the middle of your stomach. Both of these are normal, and any badges of human-growing honor will fade after childbirth. Your stomach and breast/chest may feel itchier as your skin stretches. Give some love to your sensitive skin, and use a good lotion or cream to help minimize your desire to get scratchy.

Have you felt the quickening yet? Often described as feeling like little flutters or bubbles of indigestion, those gentle, first fetal movements are hard to recognize because they're well-surrounded and cushioned by amniotic fluid. If you haven't felt anything yet, there's no need to worry because every pregnancy is different. Recognizing those first fetal movements at any point between 16 and 22 weeks is considered normal.

Gather your patience; soon, those little wiggles will grow strong, and you'll feel and recognize them regularly. If you have an anterior placenta (when the placenta attaches to the front of the uterine wall), the amniotic cushioning may prevent you from feeling fetal movements until later in your pregnancy.

At 17 weeks, the nausea of the first trimester is a thing of the past and the discomfort and sleeplessness of the third trimester are yet to come. This means you are in the golden phase of pregnancy. Here is a list of symptoms you may experience this week.

Weight gain: typical weight gain at this point will be somewhere in the range of five to ten pounds. Your healthcare provider will monitor your weight throughout your pregnancy and be able to tell you if there is anything to be concerned with.

Itchy stomach and/or breasts and stretch marks: there are many skin changes throughout pregnancy, and itchy stretch marks is just one of them! As your baby continues to grow and your body grows to accommodate, your skin may experience stretching, leaving marks and causing discomfort. You can utilize lotions and creams to soothe irritated skin; but stretch marks are largely genetic and not something you should feel guilty for not “preventing”. 

Crazy dreams: vivid dreams can be some of the more interesting pregnancy symptoms. While the cause is unknown it may have something to do with hormones, or the fact that nausea or frequent urination means you are not sleeping as deeply and can remember your dreams more easily. 

Increased clumsiness: if you find yourself falling off-balance a little more than usual, you are not alone! Your expanding belly causes a dramatic shift in your center of gravity, which can cause increased clumsiness. 

Increased vaginal discharge: increased vaginal discharge during pregnancy is called leucorrhoea. This symptom can serve as a protection for your growing baby as it prevents infection from traveling up the vagina and into the womb. You can wear a panty liner if it makes you more comfortable, but do not use tampons or insert anything into your vagina during pregnancy.  

Stuffy nose and/or nasal congestion: pregnancy rhinitis is a common symptom where the mucous membranes lining the nose become inflamed. Additionally, increased blood volume can lead to enlargement of veins (including those in the nose.) This can result in congestion, a runny nose, and even nosebleeds. Check with your healthcare provider before medicating any congestion, and be sure to familiarize yourself with best practices for nosebleeds.

Increased appetite: as your baby continues to grow, your appetite may be growing too! Many foods may taste better than ever during pregnancy, so enjoy indulging your cravings (within reason)! 

Headaches: a common pregnancy symptom, headaches can be caused by hormonal changes and increased blood flow. Take time to be sure you are well-hydrated and getting enough rest. Talk to your healthcare provider if headaches and dizziness is frequent, especially if accompanied by additional symptoms such as blurred vision or heart palpitations. Some individuals may also experience severe headaches, called migraines, which your healthcare provider should be made aware of in order to find relief.