17 weeks and you are so close to being halfway through your pregnancy! The umbilical cord that connects you
to the baby, is getting thicker and stronger. Your baby is weighing almost 6 ounces and is around 5 inches long
from the top of the head to the rearend. This week sweat glands are beginning to develop and muscles are
getting stronger. On ultrasound, your baby will be moving more and sometimes appear to smile or frown. The
baby can be seen grabbing the umbilical cord. I am convinced that the cord is the baby’s first toy. The umbilical
cord is extraordinarily strong. Nature has built the cord strong enough to keep babies from tearing it or pulling
it out. Little boy gender parts can sometimes be seen on 3D/4D ultrasound but both boys’ and girls ’ genders
can be clearly seen at this stage in black and white 2 dimensional. Your baby will be trying to make coordinated
movements now. You can also make the baby roll around in there by turning on your side. Gravity plays a large
roll in my being able to move the baby around. From this point on, the baby has gotten big enough for me to
gently move the baby with the probe. Nature knows how to protect your baby and the amniotic fluid acts as a
cushion.
