The majority of the pregnant females relax by the fifteenth week of pregnancy or in the second trimester of pregnancy. This is because the annoying symptoms of nausea, fatigue and morning sickness of the first trimester are reducing gradually as the days pass. The pain associated with delivery is quite far off, so you can actually sit back and enjoy the joys of motherhood.

What Are the Pregnancy Symptoms at 15 Weeks?

During pregnancy, the body’s immunity is slightly impaired; hence, your frequency to develop coughs and colds may increase. Although you may get annoyed and tired by these infections, these are not harmful to your baby. However, there are some other infections including chicken pox, slapped cheek disease or German measles (rubella) that can harm your baby. The harm that is caused by these infections depends upon the stage of your pregnancy at the time of infection.

You should not worry, because you may have already developed immunity against these infections, either in childhood or as a result of vaccination. In case you develop shingles, it will do no harm to your unborn baby. However, if you have shingles, you should keep distance with other pregnant females as you may transmit shingles to those females, which may manifest in them as chicken pox.

How Does Your Baby Grow?

By this time, the length of your baby is around 4 inches as measured from crown to rump. Her/His weight is about 2-1/2 ounces (the size of an apple). Amniotic fluid moves freely through her/his nose and upper respiratory tract. This helps in the beginning of the development of primitive air sacs in her/his lungs. By now, your baby is able to move all of her/his limbs and joints. The length of her/his legs outgrows the length of her/his arms. Your baby can sense light despite her/his eyelids being fused shut till now. For instance, if a flashlight is shined at your tummy, you will feel that your baby is moving away from the beam of the light. The taste buds start forming during this time. Finally, you may be able to find out the sex of your baby on an ultrasound. However, it depends on the clarity of the picture and also on the position of your baby as she/he may lie curled up or turned in a way so as to make the determination of sex difficult.

You can watch this video and get more information about how your baby grows when you are 15 weeks pregnant:

How Does Your Life Change When You’re 15 Weeks Pregnant?

You may have gained about 5 pounds when you are 15 weeks pregnant and are well adjusted to your pregnancy. However, you may be surprised if an unexpected symptom springs up now and then. For instance, if your nose is blocked, you may be having the combined effect of hormonal changes and increased flow of blood to the mucous membranes of your nose. The condition is quite common and is often referred to as rhinitis of pregnancy. You may also get a nose bleed, which happens due to the combined effect of increased blood volume and expansion of nasal blood vessels.

If you are going for an amniocentesis to rule out genetic and chromosomal disorders, it is most likely to happen between 15^th week and 18^th week. You may feel anxious about the results of the test; however, the test results are usually negative in most of the females.

You and your partner may feel increased stress and worry for both the well-being of their baby and how they will manage the things ahead. However, due to decreased physical symptoms and an increase in energy, the second trimester is a wonderful experience for most of the females.

Recommended Foods for 15 Weeks Pregnancy

Foods	Descriptions
Broccoli	Broccoli is an excellent source of calcium, folate, fiber and antioxidants. It is also rich in vitamin C and helps your body absorbs iron when broccoli is eaten along with foods rich in iron.
Fortified breakfast cereal	Vitamin B needs are high during the whole duration of pregnancy. You should get at least 400 micrograms daily by way of fortified foods and supplements. Fortified breakfast cereal can help you fulfill your daily requirement.
Dried beans and lentils	Beans and lentils are an excellent protein source and should be included in your diet as you require at least 10 grams of extra protein daily.
Non-fat milk	Including non-fat milk in your diet is important to meet your daily calcium needs. Drink at least 38 ounce glasses of non-fat milk per day.
Bananas	Bananas are a rich source of potassium and give you instant energy if you are feeling fatigued.
Lean meat	Lean meat is a rich source of iron that is easily absorbed by the body. Iron needs are almost doubled during pregnancy.
Cheese	Cheese is rich in calcium and protein. You can go for mozzarella and cheddar; however, avoid eating soft cheese.
Eggs	Eggs are an excellent protein source as they contain all the essential amino acids required by the body.
Oatmeal	Oatmeal is a healthy choice and is recommended during pregnancy because the complex carbohydrates present in it keep you feel full longer and the oat bran helps in lowering your cholesterol levels. Avoid high-sugar flavored variety. Instead, cook the plain oatmeal and add some maple syrup or jelly to sweeten it.
Leafy greens	Leafy greens such as spinach, kale and turnip greens are rich sources of nutrients including folate, iron and calcium. Include darker colored lettuces in your salads to increase the vitamin content of your meal.
Whole-grain bread	Swap your traditional white bread for whole wheat or whole grain bread and you can ensure that you are consuming your recommended intake of fiber of 20 to 35 grams. Whole grain variety is also rich in zinc and iron.
Oranges	Oranges are also recommended during pregnancy due to their high content of vitamin C, folate and fiber. 90% of an orange is water; hence, they will also help meet your fluid needs of the day.
Nuts and nut butters	For the development of your baby’s brain, you need to eat sufficient amounts of fat. It is recommended to swap saturated fats with the unsaturated variety such as that found in nuts and nut butters.
Soy foods	Soy foods such as tofu are an excellent source of protein and are especially recommended for vegetarian mother-to-be.
Dried fruits	Dried fruits are especially helpful when you crave something sweet to eat. Choose from dried cherries, apricots and cranberries; however, avoid dried bananas.

What Can You Do When You’re 15 Weeks Pregnant?

1. Know How to Sleep

This is a good time to start teaching yourself the better way to sleep on your side, to sit, stand and walk with the correct and better posture. You may be forced to make these changes during the latter half of pregnancy so as to relieve pain; hence, it makes sense to start practicing these things from now onwards.

2. Talk to Your Baby

Start talking to your baby to bond with her/him. You can talk to her/him about your daily activities, or read a book, newspaper or magazine to her/him. You can also share your secret wishes with her/him. The best way to help babies develop language skills is to talk to them.

3. Tips for Your Partner

Your partner can help adjust pillows for you to make you comfortable while sleeping. He can also offer you a foot rub or a back massage especially before going to bed to make you relax and fall asleep easily. Your partner should be sensitive to your sleep needs and to the fact that you may get up at night and do not feel sleepy for some time after that.