pregnancy | week by week

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Week 15: Your Baby Can Wiggle Her Fingers!

Learn what’s developing now.

Your baby’s internal and external growth continues at a remarkable pace throughout the 15th week of pregnancy.

• When you’re 15 weeks pregnant, your baby is probably about 4 1/2 inches from head to rump and weighs about 2 to 3 ounces. Your baby is about the length of a large apple.
• Hair might appear on your baby’s scalp and eyebrows. Hair follicles even begin to generate the pigments that give hair its color.
• By your 15th week of pregnancy, your baby’s ears probably have reached their permanent position on the side of her head, and her eyes are moving to where they belong -- on the front of the face.
• Your baby’s skin is developing but remains extremely thin when you’re 15 weeks pregnant.
• Your baby’s skeletal system and muscles further develop and strengthen.
• By the end of your 15th week of pregnancy, your baby might be able to wiggle her fingers and toes, make a fist or even suck her thumb.

Handling Pregnancy Heartburn

Learn how to fight this common pregnancy complaint.

If you have heartburn -- that burning or sour sensation in the back of your lower throat -- when you are 15 weeks pregnant, you’re not alone. Heartburn begins when muscles (which are more relaxed than normal due to increased hormones) allow digestive acids to back up into and irritate your esophagus, which connects your throat to your stomach. The bad news? Unlike some pregnancy symptoms, this one might continue throughout your pregnancy. The good news? With a little care and guidance from your doctor, you can find relief from heartburn irritation.

Helpful hints:

• Watch what you eat, and don’t give up the balanced nutrition your body needs.
• Eat smaller, more frequent meals.
• Eat slowly.
  
• Avoid eating late at night and don’t lie down for several hours after eating.
• Ask your doctor about which antacids are OK to take, when they can be used and whether or not they are safe for you to use for heartburn during pregnancy.