15 Weeks Pregnant

You and your baby have achieved so much over the last few months, and now comes the rewards of feeling floaty and fabulous! High five to you!

Baby’s Development

• At week 15 of your pregnancy, your amazing body is adapting to the rapid growth of your beautiful growing baby. By this week your baby’s legs have sprouted in length and are finally in proportion, being longer now than his / her arms. Your baby is now very busy enjoying being able to move all joints and limbs, so the fluttering feeling may be increasing. Over the next couple of weeks those flutters will become more regular and noticeable. If you’ve had an ultrasound, you may have seen first hand just what an active life your little one is enjoying. At 15 weeks of pregnancy, the sex of your baby would now be able to be determined through ultrasound. If you are keen to keep the sex of your baby a wonderful surprise for yourself until after the baby is born, make sure that you make this clear when having an ultrasound, so there aren’t any surprise announcements made.
• Your baby is now busy practising breathing, sucking and swallowing, and the delicate air sacs in her lungs are beginning to develop. Your baby moves the amniotic fluid through his / her nose and upper respiratory tract to strengthen the development of these air sacs. Little tastebuds are forming (not that there is anything too tasty to enjoy as yet), and he/she is becoming more sensitive to light. Although your baby’s eyelids are still fused shut, if you were to shine a light up to your belly, your baby may move closer or away from the light depending on their level of curiosity.
• Don’t forget to be talking to your baby each day and building on the bonding opportunity. Your baby is now learning in utero, and developing a sense of security and feeling loved, as well as building language skills. There’s ample evidence that baby’s are picking up information from the outside world. They are especially receptive to sounds from the mother’s body and the external environment from 15-16 weeks of pregnancy, and there is a a well-known study conducted by Anthony DeCasper at the University of South Carolina that seems to prove the existence of prenatal learning. In this study, mothers were instructed to read Dr. Seuss out loud while they were pregnant. When the babies were born, researchers tested to see if they recognised Dr. Seuss against other stories, and their mother’s voice against other readers. In both cases, the infants were able to pick up on the vocal patterns they’d become familiar with in utero! So grab a Dr Seuss book and start reading to your baby now!

What’s Happening For You

• This is a wonderful trimester for most women and by week 15, you may be surprised by an unexpected symptom now and then. Generally you will be feeling pretty great by now, and enjoying the new energy the second trimester gifts you!
• Now that you are in the second trimester, your baby will be developing and gaining weight consistently, which means that you will also be growing! Weight gain is normal, and we don’t recommend weighing yourself constantly, as that can cause you undue stress. Continue with daily exercise and ensure that you are eating a balanced and nutritious diet. It is normal to feel more hungry now, but it may be helpful to have smaller more regular meals to help your digestive system, and to reduce your likelihood of indigestion. You will have your weight taken at your monthly check ups, so your health care provider can keep an eye on weight gain for you. It’s not just your belly that you may find growing, many women report that their feet are also growing! By the end of pregnancy, your shoe size may increase by half a shoe size due to the incredible hormone, progesterone. Pregnancy is such an incredible gift, and your body shifts and changes as it needs to to accommodate your new little person. Embrace these changes, and love your new shape, as it is an honour to become a mother and carry a child.
• Your incredible hormones may seem like they have taken a siesta, but they are still at work ensuring increased blood flow to your mucous membranes, which can increase your susceptibility to nose bleeds and even sore gums. Good oral hygiene, which includes regular dental care, brushing at least twice a day and gentle flossing once a day, will greatly reduce gum swelling, bleeding and soreness.
• Talking about siesta’s, are you getting enough sleep? Did you know up to 78% of woman suffer insomnia or sleep problems during pregnancy-that is 8/10 woman! Research shows that this sleep deprivation of course will follow through into the birth of your newborn, meaning you are sleep deprived BEFORE your little bundle of joy arrives. So read our in-house sleep experts tips on sleep in pregnancy blog, and make sleep a priority for you and your partner now!
• Finally, if you are feeling very calm, peaceful and in love with the world right now, that’s great, and a sign that your hormones are in perfect balance. Use this energy productively to really embrace the relationships you have with those close to you. This may be the week that your partner is needing some extra love and reassurance as he or she navigates this new road to parenting too.

Read more about what to expect next week.