Mom’s Tip of the Week 17
Did you know ... ?
It might be time to adapt your workout. Though exercise (with your doctor’s approval) is generally good for you and your baby, there are certain types of moves that you’ll want to avoid after the first trimester: contact sports, activities that include any jarring movement, moves that require you to lay flat on your back, and sports that raise your risk of falling or hurting your growing belly. That still leaves lots of great options—check out a few now.
Your Baby at 17 Weeks Pregnant
What’s Happening in There
- Your baby is about the size of your palm. When you’re 17 weeks pregnant, crown to rump (from the top of his head to his bottom) he’s about five inches long and weighs about 5 ounces.
- He’s plumping up. Your tiny baby is developing the adorable baby fat that he’ll need to keep him warm and provide energy once he’s born.
- He’s mastering reflexes, such as sucking and swallowing, to prepare for feedings after birth.
- He’s becoming more active. You may be feeling “quickening,” or your baby’s very first movements. This can occur any time after week 14 but usually happens between weeks 17 and 22. You may feel it as a flutter or twitch. These motions may deepen your connection to your growing baby.
Baby Brain Waves
Your Baby’s Brain Is Developing
That intricate swirl of gray matter is now working to regulate the steady pumping of your baby’s heart, which is beating at a pace of 140 to 150 beats per minute.
Pregnancy Health
Real Issues, Real Solutions
The issue: A healthy weight during pregnancy benefits both you and your baby. Obesity is a risk factor for pregnancy complications, such as gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. It also increases the risk of having a high-birth-weight infant—and a more difficult delivery. But becoming overweight isn’t the only issue: A large study has shown that when pregnant mothers gain either too much or too little weight, their child has greater potential to be overweight later in life.
The solution: Know your target weight gain, where the weight goes, and ways to help manage.
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