Week 17

The Mom:

Having trouble finding a comfortable way to sleep? It's a common complaint in pregnancy as they progress. It's recommended that pregnant women not sleep on their backs. As your uterus grows, when you lie on your back, it puts pressure on several important blood vessels. This can decrease circulation to your baby, and yourself.


You may find it more comfortable to sleep on your side, with a pillow between your knees. This helps keep your hips in alignment. Some women find comfort with placing a pillow under their growing abdomen, or in using body pillows.

Experiment with what works best for you.

You may also have already felt your baby's first movements by now. This is called quickening. It feels like a butterfly fluttering in your stomach. It's also been describes as "bubbles". It will be a few more weeks before you start feeling kicks and punches.

Your uterus is about 1 1/2 to 2 inches below your navel at this point.

SYMPTOMS YOU MAY EXPERIENCE

* Breast Changes, tenderness, fullness, darkening of the areola
* Frequent Urination
* Constipation
* Indigestion or heartburn
* Occasional headaches
* Stretch Marks (cocoa butter can help with these)
* Itching

The Baby:
This week, your baby is starting to develop fat layers. Did you know that by the time your baby is born, fat layers will be about 3/4 of his total weight? Speaking of weight, your little one now weighs on the average 3.5 ounces and is almost 5 inches long.