17-Week pregnant: Development and Diet
Your little one now weighs more than 200g and is looking more and more like a “real” person every day. Read more about this week.
WEEK 17 DEVELOPMENT
Grit your teeth: many older women still tell pregnant women stories about teeth falling out during pregnancy. Good news: That is outdated nonsense! For some women, the bump is now showing. If you are very slim, or have had given birth before, it is more likely that there is something to see. In other words, no one can tell by looking. But this is the time when trousers or skirts get hard to fasten and waistlines are harder to discern.
As always, lots going on this week. Your child's skin is still very thin and quite transparent, with small blood vessels visible through it. Your child’s intestine continues to develop and is now in its permanent place in the abdomen. All is as it should be.
NUTRITION
Satisfying sugar cravings during pregnancy requires a little more creativity than it normally would, especially if yours seem stronger than usual. There is no harm in eating desserts, if you don’t overdo it. To satisfy your sweet tooth while meeting your nutritional needs, choose fresh fruits, desserts made with milk, plain yoghurt, and dried fruits. Moderation is key. Instead of ice cream, indulge in sorbets or frozen yoghurt with lower sugar content.
TIPS
Artificial sweeteners also known as ‘non-nutritive sweeteners’, ‘sugar replacements’, or ‘zero-calorie sweeteners’, commonly include aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame K, saccharin, and sugar alcohols (e.g. xylitol), as well as plant-derived compounds (e.g. steviol glycosides). Although they are increasingly consumed by pregnant women around the world, their long-term health impact has been questioned. Some nutrition authorities indicated that within acceptable intake limits, these types of sweeteners are safe for women, and their unborn child during pregnancy. Other evidence suggests that early-life exposure to artificial sweeteners may adversely affect body composition and cardio-metabolic health. As such, for the latest recommendations, check with your healthcare provider if you want to include these products in your diet.
Related articles
Is it Time? Learn About the 6 Signs of Labour
Giving birth is a difficult, painful experience that marks the beginning of a new happy, exciting adventure, even more so for a mom who’s experiencing it for the first time.
3 mins to read
11-Week pregnant: Development and diet
If you could look inside, you’d see thin little hairs developing on your little love’s eyebrows and above her lip. Read more about this week.
2 mins to read
28-Week pregnant: Development and diet
Your little one is around 35 cm long from crown to toe and already weights about 1.3 kilos, a third of her birth weight. Her feet measure nearly 6 cm – yes, they are tiny!
2 mins to read
Working out your birth plan
Giving birth is less daunting if you have an easy birth plan in mind to help the day go as smoothly as possible. See our birth plan guide below.
2 mins to read
6-Week pregnant: Development and diet
Your child’s growth is in overdrive right about now. So many exciting developments on such a tiny little being! Read more about this week.
2 mins to read
23-Week pregnant: Development and diet
Your child’s feet are now 4.5 to 5cm in length now, and she weighs considerably over 700g. You have got around 16 more weeks to go! Read more about this week.
3 mins to read
39-Week pregnant: Development and diet
You might have felt a few contractions already and were wondering if that was “it”. Don’t worry, you won’t miss the start of labour! Read more about this next to last week.
3 mins to read
C-sections: What you need to consider
How you bring your junior into the world is a very personal decision, with different factors at play. Here are a few things to consider about an elective caesarean, also known as a C-section.
2 mins to read
Diet for Pregnancy
Pregnancy can be a wonderful period of discovery and learning for parents, especially if it’s the first child.
3 mins to read
18-Week pregnant: Development and Diet
Lots of leaps and bounds happening in week 18, from nerve cells multiplying to the beginnings of fingerprints. Read more about this week.
3 mins to read
34-Week pregnant: Development and diet
Things are slowing down a little in your belly now. That’s because everything is getting close to being developed! Your little one is around 45 cm long and weighs well over 2 kilos.
2 mins to read
10 Early Signs of Pregnancy
For the young families who are planning for pregnancy, it can be an exciting challenge and experience to look forward to.
4 mins to read
12-Week pregnant: Development and diet
You’re coming to the end of your first trimester. Congratulations! Read more about this week.
3 mins to read
29-Week pregnant: Development and diet
As you inch your way towards the finish line – you will be giving birth in about ten weeks! – your little one is still growing by leaps and bounds, even opening her eyes wide now.
2 mins to read
Your hospital bag checklist
Not sure what to pack in your hospital bag? We have put together a simple hospital bag checklist with all the essentials. Forget packing light, it’s about packing right.
3 mins to read
How to cope with pregnancy pains and discomfort
As your body changes, pregnancy pains and discomfort can occur, especially in your back, legs and feet. The good news is, there are ways to ease your pregnancy aches and pains.
2 mins to read
3 Tips to Overcome Fatigue during Pregnancy
Much like the wind changes direction, the journey of motherhood is filled with ups and downs.
4 mins to read
7-Week pregnant: Development and diet
Your unborn child is already a pretty impressive 18 mm long. Though you won’t feel it yet, she’s on the move. Read more about this week.
2 mins to read
24-Week pregnant: Development and diet
Can you feel your little one reacting to noises and your caresses yet? Towards the end of the second trimester is when some women report that this starts to happen, so be on the lookout.
3 mins to read
Related tools
Ovulation calendar
Determine when you are likely to ovulate can improve your chances of conceiving.
Pregnancy week
Find out what changes you can expect in your body, your emotions, your life and your little one.
