At this stage of pregnancy dizzy spells are becoming stronger as the hormonal changes are taking place in your body. Your body is making room for the growth that is about to take place at a very rapid rate. You are still in your second trimester of the pregnancy.
Your baby at week 17
Your baby is now over 5 inches long as it is growing at a rapid rate. This is the size of a big onion. During this stage, the umbilical cord is thickening to provide nutrition and blood flow to your growing foetus. Your foetus is starting to respond to sounds like conversation and music as the bone formation in the ears is changing and growing daily. The eyelashes and eyebrows are also starting to form as the eyes still remain shut but small movements may be visible.
Fingerprint formation is about to start as the fingers are developing small lines.
Symptoms
With body changes being more visible each week, here are a few you might have noticed;
● A dark streak running down the middle of your stomach.
● Baby movements are becoming more and more visible to the eye.
● Your hair looks thicker.
● Pain in the lower back and also down in the legs
● Stuffy nose leading to snoring at night.
Exercise
At this stage of the pregnancy, aerobics is advisable to help you keep your lungs, heart muscles and physique healthy. If it was already a part of your exercise routine, you can still continue in the 17th week but in less duration periods of about thirty minutes.
What can you do during this time to ensure your baby stays healthy?
Prenatal Visits
Scheduled visits to your doctor are very important at every stage of the pregnancy. This keeps you up to date on how the foetus is growing and any changes that may cause harm.
Visit Jacaranda Maternity hospital at Umoja branch (Wallet centre, opposite Shujaa Mall) or Kahawa West branch (Kamiti road, Kiamumbi, Chief’s stage) for your antenatal clinic. The Midwife will take you through the danger signs, plan for your OGTT visit (Oral Glucose Tolerance tests for elevated blood sugar levels, which could indicate Gestational Diabetes) and book you for a nutrition clinic
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