Pregnancy Week 17: Development of the baby and Change to Mother

Babyment

Development of the baby

1. Baby is now about 13cm in length and weights about 100grams.

2. The urethra has started functioning. Baby's lung is developing to allow him to adapt to the environment outside the womb.

3. Baby is now able to hear mother's voice and heartbeat.

Change to the expectant mother

1. Fetal movement may appear from this week onwards. If you can concentrate at night, you may feel that there is a little worm crawling in your abdomen. This is the fetal movement. Your baby is now swimming in the amniotic fluid, and he or she will exercise his or her hands and legs frequently. When the little hands or legs hit the wall of the uterus, you can then sense it.

2. Sometimes, the expectant mother may feel that they catch a cold, easily feel thirsty, tinnitus may also occur to the pregnant mother. All these, in fact, are caused by the response of pregnancy.