Video of 18 week baby in the womb

17 Weeks Pregnant | Pregnancy

When you're pregnant, you have lots of questions. Our week-by-week pregnancy guide is packed with lots of useful information. From what's happening inside your body, to how your baby is developing, and tips and advice on having a healthy pregnancy – this is your one-stop pregnancy guide!

• 1st trimester
• 2nd trimester
• 3rd trimester

Our week-by-week pregnancy guide is full of essential information. From staying fit in pregnancy to advice on your maternity rights, you'll find it all here.

• Week 13
• Week 14
• Week 15
• Week 16
• Week 17
• Week 18
• Week 19
• Week 20
• Week 21
• Week 22
• Week 23
• Week 24
• Week 25
• Week 26
• Week 27

You might start to feel your baby move now. You will not be able to tell exactly what your baby's up to, but soon you could be feeling every kick, punch, hiccup and somersault.

What's happening in my body?

Week by week, your baby's getting bigger, and so is your placenta, which is feeding your baby and also removing waste. By the end of your pregnancy the placenta will weigh around 500g, which is as heavy as a packet of pasta.

Your waist will start to vanish as your womb moves up and out of your pelvis. This will make you look more obviously pregnant.

Around 1 in 10 women feel stressed or anxious during their pregnancy, and hormones can make even small problems feel overwhelming. If you feel sad or worried, talk to your doctor or midwife – there's a big support network out there for you.

Your baby's movements

Many women spot the first signs of their baby moving between 18 and 24 weeks. Inside your tummy, you might feel:

• bubbling
• fluttering
• rolling

You might find that your baby moves more:

• after meals
• when you listen to loud music
• when you rub your tummy and talk to your baby
• when you are relaxing

Tommy's has information about baby movements in pregnancy.

Stretch marks

At some point, you might notice red or purple streaks over your stomach and breasts. You could also spot them on your bottom and thighs. These are stretch marks and affect up to 8 in 10 women.

They are usually caused by hormones and your skin stretching. They usually fade to silver and become much less noticeable after your baby is born.

Read more about stretch marks on the NHS website.

2nd trimester pregnancy symptoms (at 17 weeks)

You may be getting a few aches and pains as your bump gets bigger. Your symptoms should be manageable, but talk to your doctor or midwife if they're not.

Your signs of pregnancy could include:

• tiredness and sleeping problems (week 19 has information about feeling tired)
• swollen and bleeding gums (week 13 has information about gum health during pregnancy)
• pains on the side of your belly, caused by your expanding womb (known as 'round ligament pains')
• headaches
• nosebleeds
• bloating and constipation (read about bloating on week 16's page)
• indigestion and heartburn (week 25 talks about digestive problems)
• sore breasts
• leg cramps
• feeling hot
• dizziness
• swollen hands and feet
• urine infections
• vaginal infections (see week 15 for vaginal health)
• darkened skin on your face or brown patches – this is known as chloasma or the "mask of pregnancy"
• greasier, spotty skin
• thicker and shinier hair

You may also experience symptoms from earlier weeks, such as:

• morning sickness (read about dealing with morning sickness on week 6's page)
• weird pregnancy cravings (read about pregnancy cravings on week 5's page)
• a heightened sense of smell
• mood swings (week 8's page has information on mood swings)
• a white milky pregnancy discharge from your vagina and light spotting (seek medical advice for any bleeding)

Read Tommy's guide to common pregnancy symptoms.

What does my baby look like?

Your baby, or foetus, is around 12cm long, from head to bottom, and weighs around 150g. That's roughly the size of a pomegranate and the weight of a ball of mozzarella.

Your baby can:

• move their eyes, although they'll stay shut for now
• react to loud noises
• open and close their mouth

Your baby's fingernails are starting to grow and will have their own unique fingerprints. Even identical twins have different fingerprints.

Action stations

Have you decided where you'd like to give birth? Read more about choosing a hospital, midwife-led unit or home birth. Talk to your doctor or midwife about your local options. It's a big decision but you can always change your mind later.

You don't have to tell your employer for several more weeks, but as soon as you do, you will have maternity rights and can attend antenatal appointments during paid work time. You can also ask for a risk assessment of your work place to ensure that you're working in a safe environment.

It's a good time to tone up your pelvic floor muscles. Gentle exercises can help to prevent leakage when you laugh, sneeze or cough. Get the muscles going by pretending that you're having a wee and then stopping midflow. Visit Tommy's for more ideas on pelvic floor exercises

Ask your midwife or doctor about online antenatal classes – they may be able to recommend one. The charity Tommy's has lots of useful information on antenatal classes and preparing you for birth.

Even if you've had children before, they're still worth going to as you can meet other parents-to-be. The NCT offers online antenatal classes with small groups of people that live locally to you.

To keep bones and muscles healthy, we need vitamin D. From late March/early April to the end of September, most people make enough vitamin D from sunlight on their skin. However, between October and early March, you should consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement because we cannot make enough from sunlight.

Some people should take a vitamin D supplement all year round, find out if this applies to you on the NHS website. You just need 10 micrograms (it's the same for grown-ups and kids). Check if you're entitled to free vitamins.

It's recommended that you do 150 minutes of exercise a week while pregnant. You could start off with just 10 minutes of daily exercise - perhaps take a brisk walk outside. Check out Sport England's #StayInWorkOut online exercises (scroll to the pregnancy section). Listen to your body and do what feels right for you.

There's no need to eat for 2. You don't need any extra calories until the third trimester, which starts in week 28. Try to eat healthily, with plenty of fresh fruit and veg, and avoid processed, fatty and salty foods. You may be able to get free milk, fruit and veg through the Healthy Start scheme.

You and your family should follow the government and NHS guidance on coronavirus (COVID-19):

To find out about about COVID-19 and pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, have a look at advice on the:

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Bonding with your baby during pregnancy

5-minute read

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You don't need to wait until your baby is born to bond with them. Pregnancy can be the perfect time to start forming an attachment with your baby, which is very important for their development once your baby has actually arrived.

What might babies experience in the womb?

Sound

At around week 18 of your pregnancy, your baby will begin to hear the sounds of your body, such as your heartbeat and your stomach rumbling. At 26 weeks, a baby may react to noises both inside and outside the mother’s body, and may be soothed by the sound of her voice.

The outside noise your baby hears inside the uterus is about half the volume we hear. However, unborn babies may still startle and cry if exposed to a sudden loud noise.

Language development

After 32 weeks, your baby may start to recognise certain vowel sounds from your language. Some research suggests that very early language development may begin before birth.

Memory

As well as remembering certain sounds from their mother’s language, babies may remember certain music played to them in the womb.

Sight

Unborn babies’ retinas are developed at 20 weeks, and they open their eyes and can see light from 22 weeks. However, babies’ eyes continue to develop after they are born.

Sensation

After around 18 weeks, babies like to sleep in the womb while their mother is awake, since movement can rock them to sleep. They can feel pain at 22 weeks, and at 26 weeks they can move in response to a hand being rubbed on the mother’s belly.

Ways to bond with your baby during pregnancy

Here are some things that might help you and your baby to start forming an attachment before birth.

• Talk and sing to your baby, knowing he or she can hear you.
• Gently touch and rub your belly, or massage it.
• Respond to your baby’s kicks. In the last trimester, you can gently push against the baby or rub your belly where the kick occurred and see if there is a response.
• Play music to your baby. Music that mimics a heartbeat of around 60 beats per minute, such as lullabies, is useful. You can also search online for relaxing or calming music.
• Give yourself time to reflect, go for a walk or have a warm bath and think about the baby. You may like to write a diary or stories to the baby about what you are experiencing.
• Have an ultrasound. Seeing your baby moving inside the womb can be a poignant experience for parents, and can help them to bond with the baby since it can suddenly seem ‘real’.
• Relax, look after yourself and try not to stress. Evidence shows that if a mother feels less stressed during her pregnancy, the health outcome for the baby is better. Your partner or a close friend may be helpful if you need someone to talk to.

How dads and caregivers can bond with the baby

If you are the baby’s father or other significant caregiver, here are some things you can do to help you become attached to the unborn baby.

• Massage the baby bump if the baby’s mother is happy for you to do so.
• Feel the baby kicking as often as you can.
• Attend ultrasound appointments with the mother.
• If you’re planning to be a support person at the birth, go to the prenatal classes, as well. Understand and discuss the birth plan with the baby’s mother and meet the maternity team. The more confidence you have in the pregnancy and birth process, the easier it will be for you to bond with the baby.
• Read and talk with the baby so they get used to your voice.
• Talk to other parents. Share your thoughts and feelings, and allow them to share theirs about their pregnancy and birth experience.

Older siblings can bond too

By preparing your toddler or child for the upcoming birth, you can help them to bond with the baby. This may involve talking to them about the baby, reading stories about pregnancy and babies, allowing them to touch your belly to feel the baby kicking, and preparing a gift together for the baby.

You could involve your child in preparation for the birth by taking them shopping for baby supplies or setting up the nursery. Your child may also like to put a piece of their art on the wall of the baby’s room.

Your feelings and the baby

You may find that instead of being excited about the birth of your baby, you are feeling stressed and confused. Your feelings during pregnancy can affect the baby too. For example, if you are feeling stressed, the baby’s heart rate will respond to this and potentially increase.

Talk to someone about your feelings and ask questions when you see your maternity team. Try to increase your support network and meet other expectant mums to share your experiences. Try to look after your own health and wellbeing, and make sure you get enough rest and relaxation.

If you have had a mental health issue before, or you are experiencing feelings that differ from those you usually have, you should visit your doctor as soon as you can. A range of treatments can help, including psychological therapy and certain antidepressants that can be used safely during pregnancy for moderate to severe depression. Your doctor will tell you which ones are safe or suggest another way to help you.

If you were already taking an antidepressant before you became pregnant, your doctor may advise you to stay on the antidepressant. You and your doctor may decide this is the most effective way to help your baby get the best start in life and it may give you the best chance of bonding with your baby.

Where to go for help

• Talk to your doctor, child health nurse or midwife.
• Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby on 1800 882 436 to speak with a maternal child health nurse.
• Find a parenting helpline that suits you here.
• Call Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Sources:

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Last reviewed: February 2021

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Related pages

• Bonding with your baby

Need more information?

Bonding With Your Baby During Pregnancy | HealthEngine Blog

Bonding with a baby during pregnancy refers to a process through which a pregnant woman experiences feelings and emotions for her foetus, interacts with her foetus and develops a maternal identity during pregnancy.

Read more on HealthEngine website