As a first time to-be-mother, pregnancy was a completely new experience for me. I had a lot of questions and was fondling to understand the changes taking place in my body. I was equally worried about the growth of my baby inside my womb.

With this blog series, “Pregnancy Week By Week”, I hope to extend a helping hand to all expecting parents by telling you about my journey.

There might be some things that you would be able to relate to and would even give you solace to know that someone went through the exact same thing as you. Hope I’m able to help!

Disclaimer – This is entirely my personal experience. The intent of this blog is not to advice but only to share. Any medication, medical examinations, dietary intake or exercise, mentioned in this blog, were prescribed as per my pregnancy and my body. Please do not perform these without consulting your medical adviser.

Feeling Energetic in Week 17 of Pregnancy 

This week was a lot similar to the last one. Slowly I started feeling more active. While I was feeling more energetic than the previous weeks, I would still feel very fatigued during the day. 

Since nausea had nearly disappeared, I was pretty active in the first half of the day. This was especially true if I had a good night’s sleep. However, if the previous night I had a troubled sleep where I was waking up or moving a lot, I would certainly wake up tired. 

Managing Work From In Pregnancy

On good days, I would have very productive first halves. I tend to wake up around 7:30 am and start working by around 8 am. Until noon, I wouldn’t feel too tired, however, by lunch time, that is 2pm, I would get highly fatigued. 

This is when I would need to lie down and take a break from work. If I was able to get a nap of 30 to 45 minutes that would feel very helpful. Simply lying down without getting sleep also worked at this time.

Another thing that I was finding hard was to work on a table and chair. One, it would put pressure on my abdomen and cause discomfort. Second, it would lead to leg pain. 

Using a Foot Rest

To overcome this, I incorporated two things. First, I bought a foot rest for my desk and chair set-up. It turned out to be very helpful for the times I had to take video calls and work from my study. 

Bed Table

Second, I also got myself a bed table. Sitting on the bed while working would ensure I don’t get too much leg pain.

Sitting in Vajrasana

Also, sitting in Vajrasana pose after having meals helped in digesting food. I would also use my bed table to work while sitting in Vajrasana. 

Exercising In Week 17 of Pregnancy 

This week onwards I also resumed my evening walks. To start with, I took it light. Walked for 20-25 minutes at a slow pace, and then would sit on the park bench and do my breathing exercises. 

I was only doing two breathing exercises at this time. These were taking 10 deep breaths with closed eyes and Anulom Vilom.

I would also carry a flask of cold water and keep sipping it to control my nausea. 

Baby Movements in Week 17 of Pregnancy

In Week 17 if Pregnancy I felt a butterfly or fish-moving type sensation in my stomach. I felt this sensation about three times in a quick gap.

I wasn’t sure what this meant so I did a quick google search. It seems like it could have been the baby’s first movement. These are called quickening and feel like flutters or sensations in the stomach. Many first time mothers might misconstrue them as gas bubbles. Note that not everyone feels these at this time.

Many expecting mothers feel these after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Also, at this time they aren’t too frequent and can be easily missed.

Contractions in Week 17 of Pregnancy

Another change that I observed this week was tightening on my belly. For about 2-3 days, I felt that my belly was stretched and hard. It felt different than usual. This could have been for a variety of reasons like bloating from gas or the uterus stretching to make space for the baby. 

The most common one though is the Braxton-Hicks contractions. These are false labour pains and are body’s way to prepare for delivery. 

This week again my weight increased by around half a kg or 1 pound. This is definitely a good sign, given that I had lost over 4 kgs or 9 pounds in my first trimester.