Week 17

Fetal Development - Week 17

Your baby is now about the size of an avocado (about 5 inches / 12.7 centimetres long from crown to rump and weighing approximately 6 ounces / 170 grams). In the next three weeks he'll go through a tremendous growth spurt, doubling his weight and adding inches to his length.

In or out of the womb, babies are playful creatures. Yours may already have discovered his first toy — the umbilical cord — which he'll enjoy pulling and grabbing. Sometimes he may even clutch it so tight that less oxygen gets through, but don't worry — he doesn't hold onto it long enough to harm himself. The circulatory system and urinary tract are in full working order, and he's inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid through his lungs.