Monday, September 3, 2012

17 Weeks

Our baby will begin to form fat this week. The fat begins to deposit under his skin and is important in heat production and metabolism. At delivery, fat will account for 2-6 percent of our baby's total body weight. This will help him maintain his body temperature when he is born. Our baby is approximately 5 inches long and weighs in at about 140-145 grams (5 ounces). This means that the baby now weighs more than the placenta.

If we were to get an abdominal x-ray (which isn't recommended and could be dangerous), our baby's skeleton would be visible. His movements are becoming stronger and more frequent now. Reflex movements are fully functional as our baby will regularly suck and swallow and loud noises outside the uterus may actually cause the baby to startle.


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