Pregnancy Guide: Week 15

Your baby has thin skin right now, so you would see blood vessels developing underneath if you were to see him in the flesh. Her bones are ossifying now, so her skeleton would show up on an x-ray already. Your baby’s eyes and ears are still migrating slowly into place.

15 weeks pregnant is how many months?

At 15 weeks pregnant, you’re in your fourth month of pregnancy now with just over five months left to go.

Your Baby at 15 Weeks

Your baby continues to look more and more like a baby every week. The ears are in the right spot now, and the eyes are migrating from the sides of the head to the front. Your fetus is spending its time-sucking, swallowing, and breathing. This practice will come in handy when he must do it for real.

Kicking, moving arms and legs, and curling toes are keeping your baby busy, too. Your baby doesn’t weigh enough yet for you to feel these movements, but they’re happening all the time, and soon they’ll keep you up at night.

How big is a baby at 15 weeks?

You finally look pregnant because your baby is growing so rapidly. He is as big as a pear, though not quite as oddly shaped. He is 16.4 centimetres long and weighs about 4.1 grams.

Your Body at 15 Weeks

Most of your first trimester symptoms have disappeared, or at least the ones that had you the most uncomfortable. You have more energy now, and you may even be in a much better mood. You may notice fights expectant couples may have could become a bit more frequent than normal, but that’s usually ok. You both have a lot to think about and get ready for.

As your appetite increases and you shovel food into your mouth, you may also notice that your gums bleed a lot more than they used to. Pregnancy hormones can trigger gingivitis, inflaming your gums and making them sore and sensitive. Benign growths called pregnancy tumours may start showing up, too.

Don’t worry, they’ll go away on their own, but make sure you take care of your teeth because poor dental hygiene can lead to preeclampsia and premature labour. Go to your dentist, brush twice every day, and floss regularly. This will reduce swelling and bleeding.

It doesn’t matter how much weight you gained in the first trimester. You’re going to gain weight now. Your baby is going to start getting a lot bigger, and you are, too. If you do find you are losing weight during pregnancy, you can always consult your health care practitioner for guidance.

Slow and steady wins the race because you’ll gain weight from now until the end of your pregnancy.

Weigh-in at home to keep track. If you gain more than expected in one week and less the next, that’s fine. Just make sure your weight gain is from healthy foods and a growing baby rather than junk food.

Symptoms

Eating a lot of food at once leads to heartburn and indigestion, but you are hungrier now, so eat small meals more often. You may not need to quell nausea anymore, but you still need to accommodate other annoying symptoms.

Varicose veins won’t hurt you, but they can be annoying. Relax and put your feet up to keep blood from clotting in your legs or keep moving with exercise to maintain healthy blood flow. 

Just be careful, because you’re likely struggling with dizziness at this point. Lying down will help with this symptom, too.

Headaches are common during pregnancy due to fatigue, hormones, and stress. Use cool compresses, rest, and acetaminophen to help with the pain. Sit in a cool, quiet, dark room and wait for the pain to subside.

The ligaments and muscles that support your growing belly can cause you some pain as they stretch. It’s normal to feel round ligament pain as you change positions rapidly, but if the pain is severe, rest and check with your practitioner.

Are you starting to feel forgetful? Your brain cell volume is decreasing, so this is normal. Keep lists everywhere to keep you from forgetting things you should remember. 

It can be frustrating, but after you become a mom and you have another tiny human to think about, it likely won’t go away.

Tips/Things to do

If you’re at risk for preeclampsia, ask your doctor about it. It typically develops after week 20 and involves severe swelling, high blood pressure, and abnormal organ function. You may be able to take a low dose of aspirin to reduce your risk.

You may also need to learn about amniocentesis to decide if it’s something you want to consider. Obtaining amniotic fluid during pregnancy can tell you a lot about your baby’s health as well as abnormalities that may be present. Between 16 and 20 weeks, you can perform these procedures, but not without risk, so make sure you talk to your doctor.

It may be time to consider easy snacking at work now that your appetite is increasing. Bring portable snacks you can eat at your desk or during the strategy meeting without disrupting everyone else. 

Don’t make other people accommodate your dietary restrictions. After all, it’s not their fault you are pregnant. Do make sure that you’re prepared for the day, though, with some food in your bag for when you get hungry.

In addition, even if you’re not a breakfast person, you’re going to want to make sure you don’t skip that meal. Prepare your breakfast at night so you don’t have to get up early, but make sure you eat something to get your day started off on the right foot.

You should also consider eating before you go to the gym. Allow about thirty minutes for your snack to settle before exercising, but eating before you work out can give you a quick boost of energy that will encourage you to work out before you’re so completely exhausted that you can’t.

This may also be a fun time to guess your baby’s gender. Even though you won’t know for a few more weeks, some people say you can tell a lot from the heart rate. 

If your baby’s heart rate is slower than 140 beats per minute, you’re having a boy. If it’s higher, it’s a girl. No, it’s not a reliable measure, but it’s fun to try and guess.

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