At the 17th week of pregnancy, women usually feel calm, their movements are measured, unhurried. Expectant mothers are getting very thorough. There are practically no reasons for unrest, all the risks and dangers of the first trimester have been successfully passed. During this period, a lot of interesting things happen to the baby and his mother. We will tell you about this in more detail.
How many months is it?
If you count according to the usual generally accepted calendar, then the woman is now in the fourth month of pregnancy. However, obstetric months differ from calendar months. In a calendar month, there can be 30 days, and 31 days, and even 18-19 days, and in obstetric it is always strictly 28 days or exactly 4 weeks.
The 17th week of pregnancy by obstetric standards is counted from the beginning of the last menstruation. Consequently, this is 15 weeks from conception, more than 90 days have passed since the start of the delay. The fifth obstetric month has begun, the "equator" of pregnancy is rapidly approaching - its golden mean.
When talking about 17 weeks, it is understood that a woman is now at full 16 weeks, so 16 weeks and 3 days, 16 weeks and 4-5 days is all 17 weeks of pregnancy. 16-17 weeks is the second trimester.
Feelings of a future mother
Feelings at 17 weeks can be different, in general they are quite pleasant and not burdensome.
Appetite
Women do not complain about appetite at week 17: it is usually good, and some even too good.
At this time, it is important to be very careful with the diet: do not overeat, do not eat at night, do not overeat before bed. The extra pounds that will surely appear with such a diet will obviously not benefit mom and baby.
Food "quirks" gradually stop tormenting a woman. If during the first trimester she only wanted cranberries and cucumbers, now such pronounced strange food combinations are no longer so necessary for a woman, and she can start planning a normal, balanced diet, if for some reason she did not do this earlier.
Stirring fetus
The beginning of the 17th week of pregnancy for a third of multiparous women is usually associated with an important milestone - the sensation of baby movements. Women who have already experienced the joy of motherhood, as a rule, are well aware of such movements within themselves and do not confuse them with the movement of intestinal gases.
Primiparous women may not feel anything yet. If the pregnancy is the first, then the movements usually begin to be recognized by the expectant mother at about 20 weeks, but there may be exceptions, for example, in thin and slender girls, fetal movements begin to be recognized earlier.
It is not easy to answer the question of how the baby's first movements feel. Usually women describe this sensation as a light touch from the inside, the movement of a fish or a butterfly. There are no jerks and overturns right away, because the baby is not yet so big as to push and kick in the uterine cavity - it is spacious and does not often touch its walls.
Toxicosis
In most women, the toxicosis of the first trimester has already ended: they are not sick, there is no vomiting in the morning, smells are perceived calmer, which were very unpleasant a few weeks ago and caused bouts of nausea. This is due to the fact that the body of a pregnant woman has accumulated a sufficient amount of hormones necessary to preserve and continue bearing a child.
Now the production of progesterone, for example, has slowed down, and hCG has completely declined since the 13th week of pregnancy. As a result, the state of health has improved markedly.
However, it is at the 17th week of pregnancy that some expectant mothers may experience the first symptoms of late toxicosis, which is also called gestosis. It will be more difficult to guess about it than about early toxicosis, since gestosis rarely manifests itself as nausea and vomiting, its main signs are edema.
If the swelling is visually distinguishable (wrists, ankles, face swell in the morning, lips swell, nose shape changes, favorite worn-out shoes are pressed, wedding ring is not removed), then there will be no problems with diagnosis.
It is much more difficult to recognize internal edema when fluid accumulates in the tissues. You can guess about them by pathological weight gain, as well as by the presence of protein in the urine. That is why it is important not to ignore the urgent requests of the attending physician to take urine before each visit to the antenatal clinic for an appointment.
Psychological and emotional state
The woman has already fully adapted to her new status - pregnancy is obvious to everyone, nothing needs to be hidden. Anxiety, which previously no, no, yes, and overcame even experienced mothers, are now gradually receding. A woman has more confidence in her own strengths and capabilities, which will certainly allow giving birth and raising a small man.
Most women admit that they are now in some euphoria: they want to contemplate natural phenomena for a long time, their thoughts are leisurely, there is increased distraction and forgetfulness. People often call this phenomenon "cerebral edema of pregnant women." There is some truth in this comparison, because under the influence of hormones, there is indeed some swelling of the mucous membranes, but "inhibition" does not start this, but the processes that take place in the brain under the influence of hormones: progesterone, estrogen, hCG.
Inhibition begins to prevail over arousal for good purposes - to protect a growing small organism from the negative effects of the outside world. If the mother is less emotionally perceiving everything that happens to her, the child will be calmer.
Striking mood swings, moodiness and tearfulness usually recede by week 17, and now both the woman herself and her loved ones can rest and gather strength before the difficult third trimester. The sleep of women, which has recently improved, this week may become worse again, but now not because of hormonal changes in the body of the expectant mother, but due to the fact that sleeping peacefully does not give the need to choose a suitable position in sleep - growing the tummy no longer gives much freedom of choice.
Many women now, more than before, are beginning to need help and attention from their loved ones, relatives, friends. The husband and other household members should remember this, but not turn care into overprotectiveness, because a woman can still do a lot on her own, and so far she needs mainly psychological and emotional support. It is important for her to feel loved.
Pain and common complaints
There should not be any pronounced pain during a normal pregnancy at 16-17 weeks. But minor pulling and aching pains can occur, and they have a very good reason: the uterus grows, and with it the ligaments that hold the main reproductive female organ stretch and become thicker. Because of this, women complain that their lower back, back hurts, their legs "buzz", especially in the evening.
The load on the lower extremities increases every day, because the weight grows, the uterus increases, the center of gravity changes. In addition to the fact that from time to time pulls the lower back, a woman may have short sharp lumbago and tingling inside - this is a consequence of pinched nerve nodes. The woman already perfectly feels the uterus, the movements cease to be light, more and more often she has to choose a position for comfortable sitting and lying.
Frequent urination this week is unusual. The hormonal background has become more stable, and the uterus is not yet big enough to squeeze the bladder. If now a woman again begins to frequent the toilet for little need, then urine should be passed for analysis. Perhaps, against the background of pregnancy, her problems with the urinary system worsened.
Headaches no longer plague a pregnant woman. With the equalization of the balance of hormones, they cease to annoy.
If your head hurts at 17 weeks, then this is a good reason to measure your blood pressure. If a woman has it increased, then she should definitely inform the doctor about it.
Among the digestive disorders, diarrhea and gas formation, which often tormented a woman in the first trimester, are now far from the first place. Constipation takes the leading position. The musculature of the intestine is relaxed under the influence of hormones, which causes disturbances in peristalsis, "stagnation". Also, a woman may be bothered by severe heartburn.
Dizziness this week can accompany a drop in blood pressure. A decrease in blood pressure on the walls of blood vessels is a normal phenomenon for the middle of pregnancy, because the amount of circulating blood in the body of the expectant mother has increased significantly, another circle of blood circulation has appeared - the uteroplacental. If your head is spinning rarely and for a short time, you should not worry.
If the attacks of dizziness are accompanied by loss of consciousness and nausea, you should contact your doctor and ask to prescribe treatment for symptoms of hypotension.
Gait
From this week on, all pregnant women, regardless of their build and weight, begin to walk especially - "like a duck", slightly waddling. This is due to the fact that the uterus entered the abdominal cavity, and the load on the legs increased. The woman now cannot walk from the hip, no matter how hard she tries. The body adapts to the changed center of gravity, trying to create the most comfortable and safe conditions for movement.
The "duck" gait, despite the apparent absurdity, is very popular with men. Right now, the husband of the expectant mother can begin to show more attention to her and surround her with care, because a leisurely and waddling wife really looks very touching.
Runny nose
Difficulty in nasal breathing in the early stages is common. In this case, a runny nose exists separately, there are no other symptoms of a cold or other disease. Such rhinitis is called physiological, since it is associated with the effect of progesterone on the mucous membranes. By week 17, a physiological runny nose usually recedes.
If now a runny nose has appeared for the first time, and a woman feels general malaise (headache, sore throat), then she probably has acute rhinopharyngitis, which has nothing to do with the physiological rhinitis of expectant mothers. A doctor's consultation in this case is required.
Changes in the body
Outwardly, a woman is changing very dynamically: the waist has become rounded, the hips have become wider, the tummy can no longer be hidden, except in very loose clothes.
Dimensions of the uterus
The height of the uterine fundus is making a sharp "leap" forward this week. If a week earlier it was only about 12-13 cm, now the WDM is from 14 to 19 centimeters. As the belly grows, the uterus is already halfway between the pubic bone and the navel line. The length of the cervix is on average 40 to 45 mm, its shortening is considered an alarming symptom, “Short” neck needs qualified medical care - suture or obstetric pessary so that a woman can carry the pregnancy to the end.
If a woman has a second or third pregnancy, the uterus stretches and grows somewhat faster, the tummy appears more clearly than in primiparous women. The expectant mother can now feel the boundaries of the uterus herself, since they are clearly protruding.
Weight gain
It is very important to control your gain during this period. Many pregnant women do this on a daily basis and record the results in a pregnancy diary. Daily weighing is optional. It will be enough to weigh yourself on the same day, for example, on Monday or Wednesday, once a week.
At 17 weeks, skinny girls may find that they have gained more than 4 pounds. Such an increase for them is completely normal for the current period. Women of normal weight and slightly overweight at 17 weeks should normally add no more than 3.5 kilograms to their original weight before pregnancy. Overweight women, whose body mass index implies obesity, should not add more than 1.8 kilograms.
Weight gain is inevitable, but it should not go beyond the norm by more than 100-200 grams.
If the increase is higher, you should visit the doctor ahead of schedule in order to exclude the likelihood of developing gestosis and receive recommendations for correcting nutrition.
Chest
The mammary glands stopped hurting, because their growth is now not as intense as before. The chest now continues to increase somewhat in size, so it may feel like itching. It is now very important to wear a special bra with wide support straps. This will avoid stretch marks on the chest and ease the load on the back - walking will become noticeably easier.
If colostrum is secreted from the breast at 17 weeks, there is nothing strange about this. It does not need to be squeezed out if it stains clothes and underwear - it is worth changing the bra to a breast for nursing mothers (it has special places for absorbent inserts).
Discharge and sweating
Many women at this time begin to sweat more intensely, and also note that vaginal discharge has become more abundant. This is completely normal, as the body of a pregnant woman reacts to a new hormonal background. Sweating, of course, is not a very pleasant phenomenon, but it lends itself well to hygienic correction. Discharge, if it does not have an unusual color, blood impurities, "flakes" and veins, does not need any treatment.
The appearance of green or brown discharge at this time may indicate the presence of infection, and white discharge with itching may "signal" about the manifestation of thrush. Normal discharge is light or slightly yellowish, odorless or with a subtle sour odor, homogeneous.
Pigmentation
This week, the face, back and arms of a pregnant woman may "bloom" with bright freckles, if she has a tendency to such a phenomenon, or become covered with age spots of different sizes. This is also a variant of the norm, because the synthesis of melatonin in the body increases.
There is no need to "remove" such stains, there is no medicine or cosmetic product for them. The pigmentation will disappear shortly after giving birth.
Crumbs development
This week the baby for the first time becomes larger than the placenta - now his weight is 115-160 grams, and his growth reaches 17-20 centimeters. It can be compared to a large elongated pear. He is not an embryo for a long time, and from 17 weeks he more and more begins to resemble a newborn.
Appearance
Soon, the thinness that is now inherent in the baby will be over. This week, his first subcutaneous fat begins to be produced. But you will not be able to immediately feel the difference - the process of deposition of subcutaneous fat is quite long, so for now the baby continues to look very thin and very wrinkled. Parchment-thin skin forms folds all over the body except for the face.
As the fat layer accumulates, it will thicken, it will cease to be transparent, bright red and wrinkled - everything will smooth out and become round.
The body of the baby is covered with vellus hair, which is called lanugo. They are colorless and very thin. Their appearance is a sign of the beginning of the work of hair follicles.Together with the original lubricant, which now also covers the entire body of the baby, lanugo for the time being will protect delicate thin skin from the effects of the aquatic environment. Lanugo disappears by the time of birth, but some babies are born with its remnants and get rid of it in the first weeks after birth.
The child's head begins to acquire normal proportions and outlines, the bones of the skull harden, a neck appears, which already copes with its functional duties: the baby turns his head, can hold it straight. In the embryonic period, this was not available to him.
The features of a small face are already individual, they clearly show the father's nose or mother's lips; on a three-dimensional ultrasound, you can already try to see this if the angle is convenient. All parts of the face are fully formed... The facial and jaw muscles are very well developed, so the baby does not skimp on a variety of faces, grimaces and smiles, however, most of them are involuntary muscle contractions during the formation of the nervous system.
Legs and arms grow, they become more proportional in relation to each other, whereas earlier the arms were much longer than the lower limbs. Small fingers have nails, they grow constantly, and an individual unique pattern has already formed on the fingertips - prints. On the head of many babies at the current time, hair flaunts - the hair is thin and colorless until the pigment that will dye them is produced.
Sense organs
All the foundations for the child's five senses have been laid, most are already functioning. So, the ears, the formation of which was completed a few weeks ago, are already taking their place. The outer part of the auditory analyzers - the auricle - is exactly the same as in adults, only very small. The inner ear continues to develop, so a child's hearing is now based on the perception of vibrations that create sound waves of different ranges and frequencies. At 17 weeks, familiarity with the world of sounds expands somewhat: the inner ear begins to pick up and convert the first sound waves into signals.
This process will take another 2-3 weeks, and very soon the child will hear in the same way as all people hear, but only with the amendment that he is still in the water. The fact that perception is now more vibrational in nature does not in the least prevent the baby from perfectly distinguishing the mother's voice from the voices of strangers, and familiar sounds from unfamiliar ones.
Therefore, reading fairy tales, singing lullabies and talking to a baby is now not only possible, but necessary.
Vision is still absent, although all structures of the eye and the optic nerve are formed. The eyeballs are covered by the already divided upper and lower eyelids. Now, through thin eyelids, the baby is able to catch only bright light. Soon he will learn to open his eyes and blink. At 17 weeks, the eyes of the fetus begin to make rapid movements under the eyelids. This is how the oculomotor muscles are trained, say physiologists. And neonatologists, for the most part, assure that this is how the baby reacts to the first dreams. What a little man dreams of, no one will say; most likely, this is his usual habitat: the umbilical cord, mother's voice, his own feelings.
The baby has well developed tactile abilities, he senses. He learned to distinguish shades of tastes a long time ago, and now it is a familiar phenomenon for him. But he still cannot distinguish smells, because there is no nasal breathing, and the baby receives oxygen through the placenta from the mother's blood.
Nervous system
At 17 weeks, the baby begins to coordinate well the movements of the hands and head, both separately and in combination. Now he can start sucking his fist not because he accidentally ended up in his mouth, as it was before, but quite consciously - simply because he wanted to. At the current time, the cerebral cortex is developing most actively. The gray matter consists of six layers, and some of them have already formed. This week the baby can safely "boast" of the first grooves and convolutions.
The development of reflex connections continues. Now the baby demonstrates the instinct of self-preservation: when external circumstances change (for example, with a loud, sharp sound), he is frightened and shrinks into a ball. He knows how to suck, swallow water, push off with his legs and arms from obstacles, for example, from the wall of the uterus, if he swims too close to them. If liquid gets into the mouth, he can not only swallow it, but even spit it out.
Internal organs
The placenta is fully formed, now its average thickness is 19.4 mm. The baby is closely connected with it by a reliable and elastic umbilical cord, its length is almost 0.5 meters, and its diameter is more than 2 centimeters. It is the placenta that now provides the baby with everything he needs: nutrients, minerals, oxygen. Its degree of maturity is 0.
Almost all organs function normally: the kidneys produce urine, the stomach holds the swallowed water, the intestines contract, the liver participates in hematopoiesis and digestion, the heart pumps over 23 liters of blood per day. The baby's heartbeat is now easily listened to through the most ordinary stethoscope, and now the obstetrician-gynecologist will listen to it through the mother's front abdominal wall at each visit. The heart rate is on average 150 to 170 beats per minute, which is almost 2 times higher than the frequency of the mother's heart.
The gallbladder produces bile, part of it enters the intestines. It is due to bile that the original feces, which will be deposited in the rectum, will be colored dark green, almost black. The pancreas produces insulin, the thyroid - thyroid-stimulating hormones, the endocrine glands, sweat and sebaceous glands work properly.
Sex determination
Sex is fully determined, organs are formed, the probability of getting an accurate answer from an ultrasound specialist to the question of what gender the child is, at 17 weeks is close to 90%. True, for this the baby must be located comfortably, intimate places should be accessible for examination with an ultrasonic probe.
Girls develop a little faster than boys. They already have sex glands - ovaries - sank into a small pelvis. In boys, the sex glands - the testicles - while they continue to remain in the abdominal cavity, they will begin to descend into the scrotum very soon, and this process should normally be completed by childbirth. But so far only boys have their own sex hormones - they produce testosterone. In girls, estrogens are not yet produced, they have to be content with maternal hormones, which are now quite enough in the body of a pregnant woman.
Ultrasound errors in gender determination are rare this week... It is more difficult to confuse a boy with a girl, but anything can happen to little princesses - the umbilical cord, squeezed between the legs, is often mistaken for a penis. Less common are especially "shy" boys who heal their masculine "dignity" between the legs, and he is mistakenly considered a daughter. With good visualization on a modern device, the probability of error is minimal.
What can a kid do?
The little one is adding more movement to her previous skills this week. Now he sleeps a little less than before, and is actively engaged in something while awake. He plays with the umbilical cord. Now he not only squeezes it in a fist, but can also wind it on his hand. As the legs have grown, the baby begins to catch them and try to drag them into his mouth. This skill of a newborn will be demonstrated for a rather long time after birth.
Your son or daughter already knows how to stretch and yawn, spit and write, swallow water, hiccup, make disgruntled mines if he doesn't like the water. He actively studies the sounds coming to him, as well as the noise background of the mother's body: the beat of her heart, the work of the intestines, the sounds of blood flow. The baby loves to feel herself, and also touchingly hugs herself by the shoulders in a dream. The twins, by the way, at this time begin to hug each other in a dream, as evidenced by ultrasound images.
Baby on ultrasound
An ultrasound scan at 17 weeks is not considered a mandatory diagnostic study. The woman will go to the second prenatal ultrasound screening a little later, but for now there may be other circumstances for scanning: the emergence of a threat, atypical pain, strange discharge.
Also, a woman has every right to visit the ultrasound diagnostics room of her own free will, in order, for example, to determine the sex of the child or find out how he is growing.
Fetometric data speak about the growth rate this week - the main dimensions that are subject to mandatory measurement during the procedure, regardless of the purpose for which the expectant mother came to the ultrasound office. For week 17, the following parameters are characteristic:
Fetal head and tummy at 16-17 obstetric weeks
Limb bone length at 16-17 obstetric weeks
Bones of the nose at obstetric week 17
An ultrasound diagnostic examination this week allows you to establish the location of the fetus, the height of the location of the "child's seat" relative to the internal pharynx, the length of the cervix, determine the tone of the uterus, if any, and also evaluate almost all internal organs of the child. It is still not easy to draw diagnostic conclusions about the correctness of the formation of the lungs and the brain - their formation has not yet been completed.
The rest of the organs are examined carefully and thoroughly. The CTE (coccygeal-parietal size) of the baby is no longer determined, because the child has grown noticeably.
Dangers and risks 17 weeks
The woman does not want to think about the possible risks now, because the first trimester full of anxiety is already far behind, and she wants to relax. Indeed, the likelihood of a threat of termination of pregnancy is now minimal. But the risks cannot be underestimated, they cannot be considered mythical, because they are quite real. The slightest change in the well-being of a pregnant woman should be a reason to immediately consult a doctor.
And do not be afraid to look like an alarmist in the eyes of others; in matters of maintaining pregnancy, it is better to be safe. What dangers can threaten the expectant mother and baby now?
Frozen pregnancy
Week 17 refers to a critical period for the risk of fetal freezing. Science is not yet fully aware of the true reasons why the baby simply stops developing and dies. This can happen at any time up to 28 weeks. However, doctors have noticed that there are three most risky periods: 3-4 weeks, 8-10 weeks, and then 16-18 weeks of pregnancy.
A woman can guess that the irreparable has happened by a change in her state of health. Some of the symptoms of pregnancy as such may disappear. If the expectant mother has already begun to feel the movements of her child, then the main sign of a non-developing pregnancy is the complete cessation of movements. If there are no movements yet, and there is no toxicosis or there was no toxicosis at all, then it will be very difficult to guess about fetal freezing.
The corresponding diagnosis is established on the basis of ultrasound diagnostics. The doctor does not detect signs of the baby's heartbeat, does not register motor activity. Unfortunately, it is no longer possible to save the baby in this situation. The woman undergoes mechanical cleaning of the uterine cavity, particles of the fetal tissue are sent for genetic testing to try to find out if any genetic or chromosomal abnormalities caused death.
After a frozen pregnancy, the chances of conceiving and carrying out and giving birth to a baby are there, they are high, just a pregnancy will be considered complicated from the very beginning by an obstetric history. Control over the woman will be more thorough, tests and examinations for her will be assigned according to an expanded list.
Hemorrhoids
Violation of blood circulation in the lower veins, including hemorrhoids, often leads to the development of hemorrhoids in the second trimester. This ailment is very delicate, and women are often embarrassed to talk about it. However, it is not worth keeping silent or treating hemorrhoids in the second trimester with folk remedies, otherwise the probability of the disease becoming chronic is high.
Modern pharmacology can offer a fairly large number of medicines for the treatment of pregnant women, especially since there are much more such drugs in the second trimester than in the first.
But self-treatment is dangerous for the child and mother! It is imperative to consult a doctor and together choose a specific drug or several funds as part of complex therapy.
Prevention of constipation will help to avoid hemorrhoids and to cure it at the initial stage. To do this, a pregnant woman's diet should have a sufficient amount of raw vegetables and fruits rich in fiber. Be sure to drink enough water, lead a moderately active lifestyle, do gymnastics, and walk.
Viral infections
There is always a risk of contracting the flu or ARVI. But at 16-17 weeks, it is highest. This is due to the fact that the immunity of the pregnant woman is critically reduced by this week. From the first minutes after conception, the hormone progesterone does everything possible to ensure that the embryo, and then the embryo, is not threatened by anything, including maternal immunity, which by mistake can perceive the embryo as a foreign element and reject it. As a result, the immune system begins to be suppressed.
By the 17th week, physiological immunosuppression reaches its maximum, and the woman's body is simply not able to resist even well-known viruses. Therefore, getting sick now is as easy as shelling pears. But this should not scare a woman too much - the placenta already protects the baby, so there should be no serious consequences.
The most dangerous factor for a cold or viral illness is a high fever. If it exceeds 39.0 degrees, it becomes unsafe for the state of the placenta and uteroplacental blood flow. It is possible to properly reduce fever, relieve the symptoms of fever with the use of antipyretics. Now many of them, with the exception of aspirin and other drugs based on acetylsalicylic acid, are already allowed, but treatment should be started with the consent of the doctor.
Currently, there is an opportunity to resist even more formidable diseases and complications, for example, angina - for example, taking antibiotics such as "Amoxiclav" or "Flemoxin". A pregnant woman should not take any medications without a doctor's prescription.
Digestive problems
Indigestion or heartburn is most often accompanied this week by women who have not yet been able to resolve the issue of organizing proper nutrition. But those who try to eat in a balanced way, often in small portions, may face such troubles as constipation, diarrhea, heartburn. Internal organs, including the organs of the digestive system, are already beginning to experience the pressure of the growing uterus, and therefore their work is somewhat disrupted.
The acidity of gastric juice may change or any chronic ailment that has previously taken place, for example, colitis, cholelithiasis, gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, may worsen.
Women who have a predisposition to such diseases now need a gastroenterologist's consultation and a special diet.
Analyzes and examinations
At 17 weeks, the first stage of the second prenatal screening begins. This examination will be done differently than it was in the first trimester. Now there is no longer a need to donate blood and do an ultrasound scan strictly on the same day.Blood is taken for research this week or next, but the ultrasound will be sent a little later, after 20 weeks.
Now the woman has to donate venous blood for the so-called "triple test". It will determine the concentration of chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), free estriol and alpha-fetoprotein. Based on the quantitative content of these substances, it will be possible to calculate the estimated risks of congenital chromosomal abnormalities, as well as to suspect possible neural tube abnormalities. Laboratory data will later be supplemented by ultrasound scan results.
Of the rest of the tests at week 17, only a general urine test can be prescribed if the woman has a scheduled visit to the doctor.
Recommendations for expectant mothers
A woman can greatly facilitate the period of bearing a baby if she is careful and attentive to her own health. Also simple and accessible recommendations will come to her aid. This week, in general terms, they remain the same as before: a woman benefits from walking away from gas-polluted city highways, taking vitamins and minerals, and a healthy lifestyle. Some of the tips require a separate explanation.
Proper nutrition
Do not assume that everything is prohibited for a pregnant woman. Pregnancy is not a disease, therefore it does not require strict diets. But a woman must adhere to important rules: do not overeat, do not eat at night, do not eat anything that will not benefit the child. In order not to overeat, it is enough to reduce the usual portions by about one and a half times, and increase the number of meals up to 6 per day.
Before going to bed, so as not to be tormented by thoughts about the contents of the refrigerator at night, you can make a small snack - fermented milk products, an apple, and kiwi are perfect for this.
Foods that do not benefit the child are all fried and pickled, fatty, as well as excessively salty and sweet.
Your diet should be based on meat, fish, milk, cereals, cereals, fresh vegetables and fruits.
If you want something sweet, it is better to replace cakes and cakes with cream for Turkish delight or good marshmallows. A piece of salted fish will also not cause problems if the woman knows when to stop. It is better to limit the amount of salt at this time to 5 grams per day - this will help to avoid edema.
Sex
It is possible to have sex during this period if there are no obvious contraindications. In case of a problem pregnancy, the doctor will definitely warn that a woman should limit sexual activity. If gestation is going well, then intimate pleasures are even useful: an orgasm improves the blood supply to the walls of the uterus, and the emotions of a sexually satisfied woman will certainly benefit her.
It is important for spouses to remember that now is not the time for daring experiments in bed.
The position should now be chosen more carefully, avoiding such positions in which deep hard penetration occurs.
The missionary position also becomes uncomfortable, because the tummy is already in the way. Now you should not practice anal sex, the use of lubricants. It is important to remember that the occurrence of any pain or unusual discharge after sex is a reason for an immediate visit to the doctor.
Bathhouse, sauna, solarium
With the increase in the amount of circulating blood that a woman is experiencing right now, the load on the heart, kidneys and lungs of the expectant mother has approximately doubled. It is for this reason that you should not aggravate the situation and create additional difficulties for your internal organs and systems.
Taking a hot bath, bath and sauna at week 17 is strongly discouraged.
Sunbathing should also be strictly limited, and experts recommend that you refuse to visit the solarium at all, because its effect on the body of a growing baby is still not fully understood. Overheating now will not lead to anything good, because jumps in blood pressure at this time are quite dangerous.
Clothes and footwear
The clothes of the expectant mother, no matter what season of the year outside the window, should be sewn only from natural materials. Increased sweating and synthetics are incompatible. Now a woman should avoid tight things, especially squeezing at the waist and hips. This not only disrupts heat transfer, but can also cause circulatory disorders in certain parts of the body.
Shoes should be worn flat or with a small, stable platform heel. From "stilettos" and just high heels should now be abandoned. Women who risk wearing such shoes at week 17 note that their uterus is more likely to tone up. This is due to a violation of the center of gravity. You can already start wearing a special bandage that will gently support your belly from below and reduce the load on your legs and back.
Courses for pregnant women
A woman can receive even more information about the gestation period, the upcoming birth and the postpartum period at courses for expectant mothers, which operate completely free of charge on the basis of any antenatal clinic. Doctors: gynecologists, pediatricians, neonatologists, as well as psychologists - will tell you how to do gymnastics, how to prepare yourself for childbirth, what to do if the water has departed or contractions have begun, how to behave during childbirth, how to take care of a newborn.
You can attend classes with your husband - there are also many interesting things for future dads in the courses.
Reviews
At 17 weeks, expectant mothers most often discuss the topic of fetal movements. Those who have already felt them share their experience with those who still only dream of feeling them. Complaints about difficulties with choosing a sleeping position prevail among complaints at this time. The need to roll over from the right side to the left all night, waking up along the way, is very painful for women who, before pregnancy, happily slept on their stomach or back.
Many people note another feature of the night's rest this week - dreams become brighter, more memorable, there may be nightmares or fantastic colored adventures. Somnologists (specialists in the prevention of disorders and the diagnosis of sleep problems) argue that now this is due precisely to the "ragged" rhythm of dreams.
To make your sleep more pleasant and comfortable right now, you can get a special pillow for pregnant women that will support your legs and stomach. In the third trimester, you will be able to re-evaluate all the benefits of such a device, since problems with sleep will begin in the last weeks.
Often women at 17 weeks claim that they have periods when they have no appetite at all, and they are replaced by periods when they want to eat everything that is bad in any quantity. The reasons for this strange behavior in the second trimester are not the whims of pregnant women, but an elementary violation of the diet. As soon as a woman makes it a rule to eat at certain hours, even if she doesn't really want to at the moment, her body will very quickly rebuild itself to a normal routine.
You will learn even more interesting facts about 17 weeks of pregnancy in the following video.
