Week 17: Protecting yourself and your baby
Image: @blackandolive
Welcome to week 17 of the Happy Parents Happy Baby guide to pregnancy, birth and beyond.
This week we'll be covering:
We hope you enjoy it!
Vaccines in pregnancy
You will be offered a number of vaccines during pregnancy including flu, whooping cough (pertussis) and the Covid vaccines.
Flu
This vaccination is recommended as during pregnancy you can be more susceptible to complications if you catch the flu.
It’s offered during the winter months and is safe to have at any stage of pregnancy.
You can read more about it here.
Whooping cough (Pertussis)
Whooping cough is an illness which can be serious in young babies. Being vaccinated in pregnancy reduces your baby’s risk of being seriously unwell if they were to catch whooping cough as a newborn.
When given in pregnancy the vaccine allows your body to produce antibodies which are then passed onto the baby via the placenta to protect them until they have their own routine vaccination at 8 weeks old.
It is recommended that you have this between 16-32 weeks for maximum protection.
You can read more about it here.
Coronavirus/Covid-19
COVID vaccination in pregnancy is recommended by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Royal College of Midwives.
Pregnant women have been found to be at higher risk of complications and hospitalisation from Covid-19, particularly in the later stages of pregnancy.
The vaccine is considered to be safe and effective at any stage of pregnancy.
To help you make a decision about having the vaccine during pregnancy you can check out these resources from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Your baby’s development in week 17
Size of a large onion
Weighs around 150g
Around 12cm in length
Your baby’s eyelids are still closed but their eyes can move around and their eyebrows and eyelashes are beginning to grow.
Your baby’s individual fingerprints have now formed and their fingernails and toenails are also growing.
Amazing stuff!
Week 17 Checklist
You might like to:
Research buggies. Have you had a look at buggies yet? Now might be the time to start doing some research and thinking about your preferences. You might want to buy one second hand or go and try some out in the shops. Either way, it’s best to push a few so you get an idea of their weight, size and manoeuvrability. Also, there can be long lead times on popular items so it’s worth ordering the one you want sooner rather than later so it has arrived in time for the birth.
Spotlight on: Greasy/spotty skin
Each week we'll be delving into the common symptoms of pregnancy and bringing you top tips for managing them from our team of specialists and parent community.
Greasy/spotty skin
For some women pregnancy can bring glossy hair and glowing skin but of course, as with everything, this is not the case for everyone.
For some, androgens and progesterone can stimulate your glands to create more oil on the surface of the skin. This may mean that your skin is more greasy and spotty than usual.
Why?
The increase in oil on your skin can cause your pores to become blocked which can lead to more spots, and in some cases pregnancy acne. Fortunately, like most of the symptoms we have outlined so far, the greasiness and spots should clear up once your baby has arrived.
Top tips:
There’s plenty you can do to help minimise the oil and spots. Take a look at the skincare products you’re using and swap to less oily ones if you’re getting spots. Wash your face twice a day with a soap-free, gel-based cleanser and moisturise with an oil-free cream after. Blotting paper or sheets can be useful for removing some of the oil if you’re suffering with a shiny forehead or nose.
Avoid using any acne treatments or retinoids or retinols as they’re not thought to be safe during pregnancy. This is also the case if you’re breastfeeding too. Choose water-based make up as this will help keep your skin moisturised without being more greasy. Regularly washing your hair, towels and bedding will also help reduce oiliness.
Birth story of the week
This week we catch up with Hannah and Steve from our live online course and they share the birth story of baby Nathan James
“Just after 1am my waters broke while I bounced on my ball, using gas and air. I got on the bed to be examined and told the midwife I was feeling the need to push but didn't want to tear. She reminded me my body was designed for this and I should listen to it. My hubby set up my music and held a fan on me. My midwife coached me brilliantly & hubby helped with breathing. 5-6 big pushes later and he was here at 2.31am.
We would definitely recommend the Happy Parents Happy Baby antenatal course - mainly due to the excellent descriptions of birth & all the possible interventions/pain relief options."​
Welcome to the world Nathan James!
Treat of the week
The Body Shop Peppermint Intensive Cooling Foot Rescue is perfect for tired, hot or swollen feet.
Massage the cooling peppermint foot cream onto hard skin and heels at night to soothe and refresh your feet. It is Infused with English peppermint essential oil, meaning it smells as fresh as your feet will feel after using it.
Products are based on suggestions from our specialists and community of parents. We may earn commission from shopping links.
Join our community
Happy Parents Happy Baby is here to support you through every step of your pregnancy, birth and parenting journey.
Connect with other parents-to-be and learn everything you need to know, by joining our award-winning antenatal classes.
That's all for now...
Thank you so much for joining us!
Have a great week.
Team HPHB x
Information you
can trust
Our articles are based on the latest-evidence based guidelines and scientific research and are written by our team of medical experts. Learn about our team here.
Coming up
next week
Looking after your teeth in pregnancy
Spotlight on: feeling hot
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