At this time, she weighs about 117grams and is 16.7 cm long. Her ears are now positioned at the side of her head (the past few weeks, before you were 15 weeks pregnant, the ears have been positioned in the neck). Her legs have started growing longer than her arms taking a human proportion. Her eyes can now sense light but her eyelids are still tightly fused together. If you shined a bright torch on your stomach, she would move in response.
She continues to flex her facial muscles as well as move her joints and limbs. You still can’t feel these movements though because she still weighs so little. You will start to fill those first flutters in the next few weeks. That first time it will feel like bubbles or a butterfly fluttering in your stomach – a truly amazing, tear jerking feeling.
Your changing body
Your 15 weeks pregnant body is now looking pregnant. The excess saliva in the mouth may have subsided but you still need to pay attention to your mouth. Pregnancy causes the gums to swell and thus be more susceptible to infections so pay more attention to your dental hygiene.
If you are light skinned you will notice skin darkening in various parts of your body, your nipples, navel, armpits and even some parts of your face. This darkening will fade a few weeks after delivery. It is hormonal and there isn’t much you can do to prevent it but you can take care of your skin by applying sunscreen and wearing hats in really strong sunlight. This week you might also notice skin tags growing on your neck and face. These may make you feel self-conscious but you will have to wait until after delivery to deal with them.
This week’s tip: You have probably experienced a pregnancy brain episode. You woke up one morning and walked to the supermarket and you couldn’t remember what you wanted to buy? Do not be alarmed it is just a sign of pregnancy. This pregnancy induced brain fog has you forgetting things, places and appointments. You have your pregnancy hormones to blame. Also not having enough sleep can contribute. If you find yourself forgetting even the most obvious things, do not beat yourself up. Your memory will be back up and running after delivery, for now, you can work round it by writing down things that you need to remember. These tips for pregnancy will help you deal with pregnancy brain.