Your Pregnancy - Week 15

It’s Week 15 and you’re almost halfway through your pregnancy.

You’ve probably been told that pregnancy is nine months but it’s actually measured in weeks, with the average baby cooking for 280 days or 40 weeks. 

Your early pregnancy symptoms might have vanished but new niggles can pop up. One of them is round ligament pain. It can be a bit scary when it happens because you get sharp pains on either side of your stomach or pelvis. Your uterus is supported by thick ligaments so as it gets bigger and heavier the tissue stretches and can cause pokey pain. The best thing you can do is take a break and put your feet up or rest on your side with a pillow between your knees. 

Just keep an eye on this pain though because ligaments aren’t always the culprit. If you’re having problems walking, running a temp, have chills, you’re bleeding or have smelly discharge then get yourself off to the GP pronto. 

What does my baby look like?

Last week you had a lemon, now your baby is the size of an apple, about 10cm. Crikey. Their tiny ears have moved to the side of their head and their eyes are at the front of their face. You can see right through to their veins as their skin is almost totally see-through. 

And this week they get vocal cords. Enjoy the silence for a few more weeks as there’ll be plenty of noise in the first few weeks after they’re born.

I really want an egg and jam sandwich

If you’re craving all sorts of weird food combinations you’re not alone. Yours will be totally different from other mums - you might want tons of ice cream, or a block of cheese or something really strange. It’s best to try and eat a healthy, balanced diet but it’s ok to sensibly satisfy cravings too. 

You’ll find your cravings, if you get them, peak in the middle part of your pregnancy and drop off towards the end. 

No one really knows why we crave certain foods, but as long as they aren’t dangerous and you’re not mainlining sugar or caffeine, go for it. There are some foods you need to avoid and if you’re tempted to chomp on non-food things like toothpaste or chalk, you need to get in touch with your GP or midwife to check for vitamin deficiencies.  

In your second trimester and want some help or support? Join us on Facebook, 70,000 mums who know exactly where you’ve been. 

Read: Your pregnancy - week 16