15 weeks pregnant: Hello, energy!

Being Pregnant – 14 May 24 By Fiona Wright

(Image: Getty Images)

You’re feeling less tired, while baby is more active. What else is happening this week?

“Woo hoo” for trimester two! At last, you should hopefully be getting over the nausea and general exhaustion of the past few months.

Meanwhile, your baby, now about the size of a large apple, is becoming more active, though you may not feel the movements yet.

Here’s what else is going on around this time.

What’s happening at 15 weeks pregnant…

Your body at 15 weeks pregnant

At 15 weeks pregnant, your body is likely showing signs of your growing baby, with your belly expanding as your uterus accommodates its increasing size.

Your bump probably isn’t yet big enough to get in the way of most things and you may feel much more energetic after those weeks of working hard to grow your bub (and their placenta!). If you’re lucky, you’ll start to feel even livelier than usual! To help ensure you’re getting the nutrients and vitamins you need, consider a pregnancy supplement such as Perdays Pregnancy Iron & Vitamin C supplement.

A pregnant woman in a pink singlet stretching and exercising in a park. — Your baby is becoming more active, although you might not feel the movements yet. *(Image: Getty Images)*

You’ve probably noticed that a dark line – the linea nigra – has appeared down the centre of your abdomen. You may also find that your skin colour becomes more pigmented: in particular, moles, birthmarks and freckles may darken. The skin on your face may darken, known as chloasma, or the ‘mask of pregnancy’. All these changes are normal and your skin will return to normal after birth. Wear sunblock to prevent the pigmentation becoming more pronounced.

Heartburn and pregnancy

There’s nothing romantic about heartburn, an unpleasant, burning sensation in your chest. It’s caused by over-enthusiastic pregnancy hormones making the valve at the top of your stomach relax, allowing stomach acid to pass back into the oesophagus – which hurts.

Help yourself by avoiding over-eating and not eating just before bedtime. Spicy and fatty foods can also trigger heartburn. You may find drinking a glass of milk just before going to bed helps to ease the discomfort; eating five or six small meals a day instead of three large ones can also help. Burnt out? Ask your pharmacist to recommend an antacid that’s safe during pregnancy.

Pregnant woman's body in white shirt and jeans posing on white background. — At 15 weeks pregnant, your baby is about the size of a large apple. *(Image: Getty Images)*

The size of your baby at 15 weeks pregnant

Your baby is about 9cm long from crown to rump and weighs about 50g. She’s about the size of a large apple and her skin is red and so transparent that bones and blood vessels can be seen through it. Her body and head are now covered with lanugo, a fine layer of downy hair.

The bones that initially formed from soft cartilage are getting harder (ossifying) and retaining calcium, which makes them strong (make sure you are getting enough calcium so bubba doesn’t use your stores – try Perdays Pregnancy Calcium and Vit D).

Most of the major organs are fully formed and starting to function, with facial features becoming more defined and genitals developing. If you were to have an x-ray (not advisable during pregnancy!), your baby’s perfectly formed skeleton would be visible. She’s flexing some of her muscles: she can grasp with her hands, squint and frown. She also starts to ‘look’ around beneath her closed eyelids, scanning to the right and left.