At 17 weeks
At 17 weeks pregnant, your baby is about the size of a pomegranate (anaar), around 12 cm from head to bottom (NHS). Fingernails are growing, unique fingerprints are forming, and your baby can react to loud noises and tell sweet from bitter. Your waist may start to disappear as your womb rises out of your pelvis.
Your Baby at 17 Weeks
Your baby can now move their eyes, which stay shut for now, open and close their mouth, and react to loud noises. Fingernails are starting to grow, and each finger will carry its own fingerprint; even identical twins have different ones (NHS).
A layer of fat called the adipose layer is developing, helping your baby gain weight and define their features. Taste buds are working well enough to tell sweet from bitter, and your baby may now be bigger than the placenta (Pregnancy, Birth and Baby).
Your Body This Week
Your waist will start to vanish as your womb moves up and out of your pelvis, making you look more obviously pregnant, and the placenta is growing too, reaching around 500 g by the end of pregnancy (NHS). Stretch marks may appear as pink, red, purple or brown streaks depending on your skin colour; they affect up to 8 in 10 women and usually fade after the birth.
With your uterus moving higher, you probably won't need the toilet as often. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby notes that hormones can also bring a stuffy nose and snoring, a dark line from the belly button to the pubic bone (linea nigra), and more vaginal discharge, which panty liners can manage.
When to call your midwife or doctor: See your doctor or midwife if discharge changes colour or smells unpleasant, as it could mean an infection, and check with your doctor before using antihistamines for a blocked nose (Pregnancy, Birth and Baby). Around 1 in 5 women feel stressed or anxious in pregnancy, so tell them if you feel sad or worried (NHS).
Garbh Sanskar This Week
A small daily practice for this stage, from Mamta’s 1:1 sessions. It is tradition and gentle self-care, not medical advice, so keep every check-up and follow your doctor or midwife first.
- Mantra: The Mahamrityunjaya mantra, from the Rig Veda (7.59.12), honours the three-eyed one as fragrant and the giver of nourishment, asking to be freed like a ripe cucumber from its stem. Chant it slowly in a low, comfortable voice for a few rounds before sleep; the meaning is set out in the Garbh Sanskar mantras guide.
- Music: Choose soft music or a bhajan you love for winding down at night, at an easy volume. Let it become a gentle signal that the day is ending.
- Gentle movement: Mamta suggests a slow walk followed by a few minutes seated in sukhasana (easy cross-legged pose) on a folded blanket, breathing evenly without holding your breath. Practise only with your doctor's or midwife's clearance.
- Food: Traditionally, this is the last week of Charaka's fourth month, when milk with a small amount of fresh butter is the suggested food. Take it alongside the iron, calcium and folic acid your doctor recommends.
- Garbh samvad (a line to say to your baby): Your tiny fingers are making prints that belong only to you.
Questions About Week 17
What does it feel like when the baby first moves?
The NHS describes early movements as bubbling, fluttering or rolling, and says many women first notice them between 18 and 24 weeks. You might find your baby seems to move more after meals, when you rub your tummy and talk, or when you are relaxing.
Are stretch marks normal at 17 weeks?
Yes. The NHS says stretch marks affect up to 8 in 10 women and are usually caused by hormones and the skin stretching. They can look pink, red, purple or brown depending on your skin colour, and usually fade to silver after the birth.
Why is my nose blocked at 17 weeks pregnant?
Pregnancy, Birth and Baby explains that changing hormones can cause a stuffy nose and even snoring at night. A saline spray may help, but talk to your doctor before using antihistamines.
Practise With Mamta, Wherever You Are
Mamta guides expecting mothers through private 1:1 Garbh Sanskar sessions online, scheduled in your own time zone, from the first trimester to the last week. Start with a free conversation on WhatsApp or read how sessions work.
Sources
Mamta is not a doctor. Medical points on this page come from the sources below, checked in October 2026. Sizes are approximate and babies vary; your scan report is what matters.