Pregnancy Week 17
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Pregnancy Week 17
At 17 weeks pregnant many babies start hearing. That means it's time to get out the recorder and play some music for your baby. Gentle and soothing music may be just what you need to relax and enjoy your pregnancy. You can also start talking to your baby during pregnancy. Don't feel shy about talking out loud. You want your baby to hear you. Your baby can also sense your touch throughout pregnancy, so as you continue your pregnancy week by week be sure to rub your belly gently during pregnancy. You may notice your baby responds by fluttering here and there during pregnancy week 17 and beyond. While relaxing music is nice, some women prefer to play music with a little spice to it. You never know, your baby may grow up to be a great dancer and lover of music, so why not enjoy this time with your unborn baby? Your Baby and Balls... By pregnancy at 17 weeks your uterus is probably about the size of a small round ball, one that will grow into the space where your abdomen normally resides. As your uterus continues to grow during your pregnancy week by week, you may experience some discomfort as your internal organs including your stomach get pushed slightly out of position. Don't worry, this won't cause long term damage in most cases. It may however, result in some pregnancy heartburn. Around pregnancy week 17 and beyond many women notice they develop another side effect of pregnancy - pregnancy heartburn. This happens because your digestion is slowed as more blood is pumped through your body to the uterus to support your baby. Your uterus also continues to grow during pregnancy weeks 17 and beyond, placing pressure on your stomach. To help prevent heartburn, you should eat smaller meals several times each day. This makes it much easier for your stomach to digest the foods you do eat. You may also find you have more energy, though during 17 weeks pregnant you are probably more energetic than anytime during your first trimester and certainly more energetic than you will be during pregnancy weeks 30 and beyond. During pregnancy week 17 your uterus rises to just below your navel. Many women enjoy the look and feel of their slightly larger tummies and breasts. You might as well enjoy it while you can! During the second trimester, many women find intimacy much more pleasurable because of the increased blood flow to their reproductive organs and because they are still not large enough for their belly to get in the way of sex. Common Sense Intimacy While Pregnant While pregnant it is important you use common sense when having sex or when cleaning, dusting or engaging in other activities that may prove toxic or harmful. When having sex, it is important your partner avoid breathing into the vagina. You also want to be sure you relieve yourself as often as you need to including after intercourse. This will help reduce your odds of developing a urinary tract infection or other vaginal infections during pregnancy. During pregnancy weeks 17 and beyond you'll also want to avoid using harsh chemical cleaning products. Don't bend over the tub if you don't have to, get someone else to clean it instead. If you have a kitty, you want to avoid inhaling or dealing with the kitty litter. Handling kitty litter can put you at risk for a condition called Toxoplasmosis, a dangerous condition during pregnancy. If you don't have someone readily available to help you with the kitty during pregnancy, make sure you glove up and put a mask on while changing the litter, and clean your hands thoroughly after. If you find you are nesting early in pregnancy and want to clean everything in sight, be sure you do so in a well ventilated area. Glove up and avoid inhaling toxic fumes to prevent passing those chemicals to your baby.
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