Fetal Development Weeks 14 Through 17

See what's happening with your baby in the fourth month of your pregnancy.

By the editors of Parents magazine

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Week 14

Pat yourself and on the back -- and give your baby a pat, too! You've both reached the second trimester -- the so-called "honeymoon phase" of pregnancy. Your baby is growing by leaps and bounds, and so is your uterus, which is why you may be sporting a noticeable belly bump at this point, or at least finding that your clothes are tighter. At this point in your baby's development, expressions begin to flicker across her face -- little winces and grimaces. But this is simply a flexing of muscles, not an indication of mood. Mouth-muscle flexing is especially important: these sucking motions are your baby's most basic reflex and will enable her to eat.

Baby now weighs about an ounce, but by the end of this trimester at 28 weeks, it will top two pounds. It will from about three inches to a foot in length. (Keep in mind that all babies grow at different rates -- our figures are averages).

Next: Week 15

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Comments

Comments (43)

anonymous wrote:

Im 17 weeks also and i'm just now starting to show. Im very anxious about going back to see my OB more often to have checkups on the baby. Sometimes I dont feel like i'm pregnant at all and just need some reassurance that the baby is okay. Does anyone else feel like me??? Im just nervous about anything going wrong and besides this is only my 1st pregnancy but i'm just praying that everything will be fine and I hope the same for all of my fellow pregnant moms and moms-to-be!!!

7/24/2011 12:36:46 PM Report Abuse

anangeles70 wrote:

hi,im 17weeks now..im really showing..it's like im back in number one..my first is 15yrs old now...so definitely were all very excited..my son is hoping its a baby girl..till now im having my bedrest for i have spotting in my 9th week.so im taking it easy now..they're treating me now like a princess..im so happy i got a very supportive family..im 41yrs old now...so i need a lot of doctor's care...

6/21/2011 07:28:17 PM Report Abuse

cochranesrawk wrote:

I'm 17 weeks today and I've been showing for quite some time now lol! I felt like I was getting too big too fast at first but I have an extremely small frame so I'm actually right on track. We go on Monday to find out what we're having! I can't wait! We already have two boys, 18 and 9, so we're hoping for a girl this time around!

4/23/2011 11:03:49 AM Report Abuse

lavol777 wrote:

its ok im 16wks and one of mi friends is 8 mths n im showing just as much as she is im nervous that im gaining to much weight but its all baby cuz its nowhere but in my stomach that its showing but were not sure if we are having one or twins will find out may 12th but if it is only one idk im not sure i should b this big...

4/13/2011 10:19:51 PM Report Abuse

doncha_jus_luv_ wrote:

Im 16 weeks and Im definately showing. This is my 2nd child. I already have a daughter so I am hoping for a boy this time. I am supposed to find out what I am having next week. I cant wait! I was a little worried because I thought I wasnt supposed to be showing this soon but now I see I am not the only one. I am definately in maternity clothes and I love it, I am so comfortable!

3/28/2011 04:32:21 PM Report Abuse

aalarcon84 wrote:

Iam now 16 weeks even today and i want to know what iam having so bad I already have 2 grls and I really want to have a boy this time cause this will be my last child. I go to the doctor on thursday the 27th of january and iam having an ultrasound, so hopefully I will knw then wish me luck everyone god bless everyone and to all of you expacting moms good luck with everything

1/22/2011 01:01:13 PM Report Abuse

msmunyell1 wrote:

I have a very small baby bump and this is my second baby i'm 3 weeks away from being 5 months. This is how my first pregnancy was with my first baby i didnt get big until my 7 month i am sooo excited but i will be heartbroken if the Dr. tells us its a girl my fiance wants a boy so bad and i want one also.. At the end of the day we pray whatever it is its healthy and normal..

12/30/2010 10:32:05 AM Report Abuse

redbird51 wrote:

im 11 weeks, this is my 2nd pregnancy. my daughter, when i was this far along with her, you couldnt even tell. with this one i look like how i did when i was 5 months, 20 weeks aprx. with her.

12/23/2010 11:46:55 PM Report Abuse

mayra18051 wrote:

im going to 15weeks and i still wear my size 7 pants and this is my 3rd kid im losing alot of weight is that good? what im having?

12/14/2010 06:14:10 PM Report Abuse

leandrajackson1 wrote:

I am 16 weeks and 1 day and I believe I felt the baby moving or taking very light jabs at me already but not for sure. I am truly excited and it is my husband and my first child. Not 100% what to expect but very eager. I started showing at about 7-8 weeks.

11/16/2010 08:56:29 AM Report Abuse

reneabingham1 wrote:

IM 15 WEEKS 3 DAYS AND OMG IM DEFINATLY SHOWING! I GO IN THIS SATURDAY FOR A 3 D ULTRASOUND AND HOPEFULLY I WILL KNOW WHAT IM HAVING THEN! CANT WAIT IM STOKED!

11/14/2010 10:31:32 PM Report Abuse

wwwcasdusjay08 wrote:

jaydasmommy2010 well im only 11 weeks and i started showing at 8 weeks this is my second baby tho

9/30/2010 03:01:57 PM Report Abuse

ashzim87 wrote:

Well I'm 15wks w/ my 2nd child. This pregnancy has been very different from the 1st. With my daughter I was sick for the whole 1st trimester, had vaginal spotting and I didn't start showing til I was about 5mon. With this baby I started wearing showing @ 12wks. LOL! I haven't been very sick though and I hoping w/ my next dr. appt we'll find out what the baby is. I haven't felt any movement, but w/ my daughter I was 22wks whn I 1st felt her move. Good luck to all u mommy's to be. :)

9/5/2010 11:50:08 PM Report Abuse

eao_1973 wrote:

Hi i'm 17 weeks 1day I found out this week we are having a BOY! I feel him move once in a while. I'm defenity showwing I started wearing maternity clothes @ 15 weeks.

9/3/2010 09:36:30 PM Report Abuse

andul89 wrote:

Well right now i'm 17 wks and i feel the baby move not too much but it feels like flutters, like a fishy inside you moving... i was told i'm having a girl at 15 wks but i have to go re-check when i'm 21 wks.

9/1/2010 09:10:25 AM Report Abuse

kaldridge12 wrote:

I am 17 week and very much showing and can feel a lot of movement. I am wearing maternity clothing now because I fit my regular clothing anymore. This is my third child I have two children 18 and 14 years old. I have forgotten everything there is about being with child. I love the feeling but I don't even know how many months I am, can someone please shed some light. Everything is different from my first children now it goes by weeks it once was by month.

8/26/2010 03:09:52 PM Report Abuse

cervantesvanes1 wrote:

well am 15 weeks and i dont feel no movement yet should i be concern and its my first child and am 17yrs old i show a little bit i have that little baby bump but i cant wait to know wat am having cuz i went to get an ultra sound wen i was 14weeks and still couldnt tell wat am having does anyone knows wen would i find out. 15weeks 6ddays

8/16/2010 07:36:17 PM Report Abuse

jennlorenzo wrote:

The first time I felt the baby move was at 16 weeks. It was an unusual feeling I've never felt before and I wasn't sure if it was the baby because this is my first. Now I am 17 weeks and I am feeling it move a lot. I think it feels like bubbles popping just above your pubic area. A very different feeling than gas or digestion.

8/13/2010 11:36:43 AM Report Abuse

beatriz_spring wrote:

im 17 weeks and i will find out what im having this monday i would like to talk with moms or moms to be that are on the same week as i am my due date is jan 12 of 2011

7/31/2010 01:52:04 PM Report Abuse

youngmama912 wrote:

well ladies i am 17 weeks with my third baby and i look like im 30wks. and they know fro sure that im not prego with twins. The baby is moving like crazy. Do you think all that is normal?

7/30/2010 07:46:37 PM Report Abuse

kenna71 wrote:

I am 17 weeks along and this is our first child. I don't have a big belly, but it does look like I ate a bit too much; ) I thought I may have felt a little movement, but my friends all say it's too early... is that true? I guess I really don't know what to expect with this entire experience, but I am excited to learn!!

7/21/2010 04:40:03 PM Report Abuse

cmrobins82 wrote:

I am 17 weeks and will be 18 weeks in two days this is my first and i have a lil bump that... its looks like i ate a cheeseteak and it just sat there lol. I barely look pregnant I can tell because I use to have abs but if I dont tell people im pregnant they would never know and when i tell them how many motnhs i am they look suprised. I hope by week 20 I starting showing because materninty clothes are still too big for me:).. Im so excited and in two weeks i find out what the baby is ... yaa!

5/30/2010 06:03:43 PM Report Abuse

FirstXxMom wrote:

this is my first baby and Im 15 weeks I heard about this IntelliGender Prediction Test that you can buy at walgreens you peeon it and its supposed to tellyou if your havin a boy or girl. But yu gotta be atleast 10 weeks im a little skeptical but im also very impatient about what im gonna hve i really want a girl. If anyone has taken this test and it came out to be acurrate plz email me renee_smiles@ymail.com

5/7/2010 10:40:03 PM Report Abuse

tiasallis wrote:

Dear Kaylacash74, the reason why your cousin is showing faster than you is because this her 3rd child and her uterus is stretched out more than yours due to her previous pregnancies and this is your first so your uterus is a lot smaller than hers. Okay, enjoy your months to come. This is my second first preganancy because I've waited 11 years to have the second one.

4/24/2010 10:32:10 AM Report Abuse

marta_dragomir wrote:

i am 17 weeks pregnant and i do not feel the baby yet at all... this is my first baby. is it ok that i havent felt my baby yet? i hope it is :)

4/12/2010 11:26:06 AM Report Abuse

sweetred023 wrote:

here you go ladies , if this will help this is my 2nd child and the reason you go 40 weeks is b/c the regular weeks that we count by 4 is a month is way different ....1 to 4wks is 1 month,5 to 8wks is 2 months, 9 to 13wks is 3 months, 14 to 17wks is 4 months, 18 to 22wks is 5 months, 23 to 27wks is 6 months, 28 to 31wks is 7 months, 32 to 35wks is 8 months, 36 to 40wks is 9 months .......thats the doctor's way of it ...I'm 17wks ....so I'm 4 months ....@ mowezo1....girl you are just turning 4mth

4/11/2010 05:20:47 PM Report Abuse

ardejesus241 wrote:

to:kaylacash74 that is the reason, usually 1st belly are small

3/24/2010 03:18:51 PM Report Abuse

kaylacash74 wrote:

i am 16 weeks thats 4 months... but my cousin is 3 months and she is showing way more than me...its her 3rd child and my first.. could that be the reason??

3/23/2010 01:43:00 PM Report Abuse

mowezo1 wrote:

i am so confused on the months and weeks myself....im currently on week 17 yet have no clue if im 4 or 5 months.

3/16/2010 03:34:32 PM Report Abuse

tanyamikitin wrote:

im 17 weeks pregnant and i can feel alot of movement in my belly.

3/8/2010 04:23:52 PM Report Abuse

heatherlakeside wrote:

well I'm 16 weeks and definitely showing-- can't wear my jeans anymore but I'm still not big enough for maternity clothes, so I'm wearing soft pants and sweatpants. We think its a girl-hopefully cuz my 3 1/2 yr old daughter wants a sister!

3/7/2010 08:32:28 AM Report Abuse

famalikhan wrote:

is there any way to find out either its a baby girl or baby boy without ultrasound. please advise by the way I am 14 weeks.

3/5/2010 05:46:39 AM Report Abuse

kpowell2046 wrote:

i dont know why they say you are pregnant for 9 months...i think it is 10 months....because you are pregnant for 40 weeks and 10 times 4 is 40.....i am 16 weeks and that would make me 4 months and i am not even showing....

2/23/2010 01:27:38 PM Report Abuse

araceli-chilita wrote:

i fell my baby moveing and iam only 14 weeks and i think is a girl

2/17/2010 02:37:53 AM Report Abuse

mrsglenn628 wrote:

meaganj881 if u are 16 weeks that mens you are exactly 4 months....you calculate by the 1st day of your last period not the actual conception date. For example the 1st day of my last period was Oct 17th so counting from that day to today I am 15 weeks (I am another week every Sat) and I'll be 16 weeks this Sat Feb 5th....hope that helps :-)!!

2/1/2010 10:03:50 AM Report Abuse

purelyapostolic wrote:

well thats crazy because i am 14weeks and i can't wait till my baby bump is noticable... and for shannon... i feel you girl!!!

1/15/2010 06:53:06 PM Report Abuse

anonymous wrote:

I am 17 weeks and I am beginning to feel little things in there but I don't know if I should be feeling it more than what I am. This is my fifth pregnancy and you think I should know this by know but honetly I don't remember how often I should be feeling the baby move at 17 weeks. It has been 6 years since my last pregnancy.

1/14/2010 01:08:17 PM Report Abuse

xxjrwilliamsxx wrote:

@meaganj881 this is my second pregnancy & I dont get how they do how far along u are as well..my best bet is just to ask your doctor.

1/13/2010 10:10:43 PM Report Abuse

meaganj881 wrote:

I am 16 weeks along. How do I determine how many months along i am? This website says weeks 14-17 is month four, but if i count from my conception to now i would be 3 months not four. Which do i go by???

12/29/2009 09:07:01 PM Report Abuse

miss_loosie wrote:

dont feel bad shannon i'm right there with you.

12/22/2009 03:19:12 PM Report Abuse

shannon860510 wrote:

i'm the total opposite!! i feel huge!!! i'm only 15 weeks and i have a friend that is 25 weeks and i almost look as far along as she is.

12/18/2009 09:32:00 PM Report Abuse

beautifulcreations2 wrote:

well how far along are you?

12/18/2009 08:46:25 PM Report Abuse

youngmelissa46 wrote:

i feel like i should be showing and im still not :(