Week 17
Mum:
Your uterus is now about halfway between your pubic bone and navel. Increased secretions all over your body are very common and all will go away after birth. You might also notice pigmentation marks on your face, this is totally temporary as long as it is not caused by the sun. Stretch marks are something which crosses the mind of every pregnant woman. Ninety percent of all pregnant women will get stretch marks in some part of their body or another. The good news is that for most, these will fade to white after pregnancy. You may prevent stretch marks by eating well, exercise prior and during the entire pregnancy, controlling your diet to avoid gaining excessive weight and, whilst most are skeptical about creams, it doesn’t hurt to try them anyway.
Baby:
This week your baby’s unique finger and toe prints are developing. The refinement of his or her existing systems and organs are also underway. At this time, fat deposits are appearing under the baby’s skin. This fat will help him or her regulate the body temperature after birth. Circulation of blood is now established and the umbilical cord lengthens and thickens in response to the rapidly growing needs of your baby. The placenta and foetus are almost the same size.
Your little angel is now big enough to allow you to feel him/her turn around and loud noises may cause the baby to startle.
Dad:
You now start thinking of attending prenatal classes at hospitals/ clinics. Such classes provide deep insight about the overall pregnancy, the actual delivery; including methods of delivery and different pain reliefs available during labour; and emotions that you and your partner will go through during and after birth.
