Guide Happy parents
Week 17
Now your body changes. The uterus starts to grow bigger and higher, your breasts are a size bigger again, and little veins are visible through their delicate skin. During this week you may feel hardening and tension of myometrium. These are so called Braxton Hicks contractions and they prepare the muscle for the labour. These contractions are not painful and usually last for 30 seconds. When you experience them, try to lie down and rest or stand up and walk a little.
Your baby in this week:
Now the baby is about 13 cm long and weights 100 grams. First fat tissue (brown) appears in order to keep body temperature after the baby’s birth. The brain is developed. The heart beats intensively, twice as fast as yours! If it’s a baby girl, this week the uterus, fallopian tubes, vagina and vulva are formed. If it’s a boy, the penis is formed and prostate starts to develop. Your baby’s favourite toy now is… the umbilical cord. The baby intensively practices its grasp reflex on it.
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Week 19
If you go for an ultrasonography this week, you will probably be able to find out your baby’s sex.
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