Week 17

My Body in the 17th Week

By now, anyone who gives you a hug will feel the swelling in your lower abdomen. By this point, most women have gained from 2.25 to 4.5 kg. This week you may have one of the most exciting experiences of your pregnancy—feeling the baby move for the first time.

Many women describe the feeling as a "fluttering." If you don't feel these movements—known as "quickening"—right now, don't worry. Quickening typically begins sometime between 16 and 20 weeks.
 

My Baby in the 17th Week

Your baby is now about the size of your open hand and weighs about 100 g. His legs are not much thicker than your thumb. During this week and the weeks that follow, your baby will start to accumulate fat, which will help his body's heat production and metabolism.