17 Weeks = Large Onion or Small Pomegranate

Baby's first trip to Vegas resulted in my first weight gain! I put on 2 pounds leaving me half a pound down from my pre-pregnancy weight. Making it all the more difficult to listen to my doctor calling me a fat cow...

I had another appointment with the OB. Unfortunately I had my first interaction with a doctor I did not like. Not only did she not talk to me about the baby's heartbeat (nice and strong to my ears) but her attitude was quite hostile. She also told me that I should gain no weight at all for the rest of my pregnancy which is at odds with what all of the other doctors have told me is acceptable. She suggested I follow the Atkins Diet and when I asked for more information on healthy eating without carbs she told me that if I didn't want to change my eating habits for the health of my baby she would help me deal with the health issues later. It was so bizarre to have a doctor with such a bad attitude after everyone else at this office has been so great. I plan to just avoid her in the future. The practice has a large number of doctors and it should be fairly easy to avoid this one doctor and her mean attitude. I plan to do some research on my own and talk to some of my diabetic friends for some diet tips. I do not have gestational diabetes but with my family history I am still at risk. So the idea is that if I start eating now as if I do have gestational diabetes I might be able to delay or stop the onset of gestational diabetes. It was so frustrating to ask the doctor for details on her suggested diet plan only to have her attack me for not being willing to make changes in my diet for the health of my baby. I eat almost nothing but carbs so this is going to be a pretty major change for me. Sigh.


http://www.maternityandbabyshoppingmart.com/pregnancy_week_17.html
By now your baby is quite mobile, and measures in at roughly 4.8 inches long and may be as much as 3.5 ounces! Most babies are roughly the size of your palm by about 17 weeks pregnant. Your baby is quite mobile by this point in time, happily swimming about your uterus. This will change in the upcoming weeks as your baby starts putting on pounds and the space inside your uterus becomes increasingly cluttered.
From roughly pregnancy week 17 on your baby starts hearing things in the outside world. You may notice as your pregnancy progresses your baby sometimes jumps at loud noises. This is a good time to consider playing some soothing music for your baby.
Keep in mind during this time in your pregnancy the power of touch if very strong. Your baby can feel your movements and your touch while in the uterus, so take some time each day to rub your belly and tell your baby just how much you love them. This helps comfort your baby and initiates the bonding process between you and baby.
You can also invite your partner to do the same. You'll find this is a wonderful and bonding experience for both of you, especially if your baby decides to start kicking your partner during touch sessions.

http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-17-weeks_1106.bc
Your baby weighs about 5 ounces now, and he's around 5 inches long — about the size of a large onion. He can move his joints, and his skeleton — until now rubbery cartilage — is starting to harden to bone. His sense of hearing is also developing. The umbilical cord, his lifeline to the placenta, is growing stronger and thicker.

http://www.womenshealthcaretopics.com/pregnancy_week_17.htm
Your baby is anywhere from 4.4 to 4.8 inches by pregnancy week 17 and weighs almost 3 ½ ounces! If you were to hold your baby at 17 weeks pregnant, she would fit snuggly in the palm of your hand. Your baby is about the size of a small pomegranate by pregnancy 17 weeks.

Your baby during week 17 is now very mobile, gleefully moving his joints here, there and everywhere and will continue to do so as you continue your pregnancy week by week. The cartilage making up the skeleton in your baby's body is starting to transform into bone. At pregnancy 17 weeks time your baby should be hearing things. Your baby will start putting on some layers of fat in the weeks to come, though at this point in time your baby is made up of primarily water.
You may be feeling your baby move intermittently after pregnancy week 17, though as your pregnancy progresses you will likely start feeling your baby move more and more.
There are many natural health practitioners that believe in the power of touch. Though your little one is still very small, your touch may do much to help him feel safe and warm inside the womb. If you haven't started already, you might consider rubbing your 'pooch' in calming circular motions. This will not only help comfort your little one, but will help initiate the bonding process with you and your newborn baby throughout your pregnancy and after.
Other women find comfort when playing music to their unborn children. There is evidence suggesting that your baby responds to music even while in the womb. Thus, there is no harm in playing some calm and engaging music to your baby even while they are in the womb.

And it looks like it is also handy that I start my new job next week:
It is important if you work in a stressful environment that you start taking measures to reduce your stress level. Stress can have a devastating impact on pregnancy and childbirth. There are actually some studies that suggest that stress can contribute to complications during pregnancy, including preterm labor. Some studies have also indicated that high levels of stress particularly between weeks 18 and 20 can result in higher levels of a hormone called corticotropin-releasing hormone, which has been linked to preterm labor. This hormone may promote your body to release prostaglandins, which may result in contractions. Thus it is critical you do everything possible to limit your stress whenever possible.