Week 15 of Pregnancy

Week 15, that in between stage where you are not quite big enough for maternity clothes but are now becoming too big for your normal clothes.

Fetus

The fetus is about 4 inches long now from head to rump and weighs about 70 grams. The fingernails are fully formed and all the baby's joints and limbs can move.

The external genitals should be developed enough now so it may be possible for you to find out via ultrasound whether you are having a boy or girl. Your baby will probably get regular bouts of hiccups from now on. This helps prepare the baby's lungs for breathing.


Mother

You may have gained around 5 to 10 pounds by now (2.2 -4.5 kilograms).
Your placenta is now 1cm thick and about 7cm in diameter. You will also be carrying around a small cup full of amniotic fluid.


Health

Try to eat a varied helathy diet. Make sure you get a lot of calcium, iron and zinc.
Calcium - for strong bones and teeth. Good sources include milk, yogurt and cheese, tinned salmon or sardines, white bread, baked beans, chick peas, kidney beans, spinach and spring greens.
Iron - To combat tiredness. It can be found in lean meat, dark chicken and turkey meat, breakfast cereals, sardines, wholemeal bread, baked beans, chick peas, leafy green vegetables, dried fruits, baked potatoes.
Zinc - For growth and health. This id found in meat, sardines, cashew nuts, lentils, chick peas, wholemeal bread, milk, eggs.


My Experience at 15 weeks

I felt that I was at an in between stage now, too large for my normal clothes but not quite big enough for maternity clothes. This did make me feel a bit down at times as I never had anything nice to wear that fitted. I bought a small pair of maternity black trousers that did not look like maternity trousers but I found during the day when my stomach was not swollen they kept falling down and I constantly had to keep pulling them up. Oh well I am sure they will come in handy in a few weeks or so.