Week 15

What’s happening this week

You…

• could start feeling clumsy or have trouble concentrating
• may be feeling better as the placenta has taken over the job of nourishing your baby.

Your baby…

• measures about 10 cm
• starts to become covered in lanugo – the soft, downy hair on your baby’s skin that usually disappears before birth
• has begun to grasp, suck and swallow.

You could feel in an ‘in between’ state around now – too large for your ordinary clothes, not ready for maternity clothes. But perhaps your partner’s shirts suddenly fit?
You may be thinking about maternity leave – how much, when to start and the money side…

Travelling safely in the car

You can keep driving (or being a passenger) when you’re pregnant, but you’ll need extra stops for comfort and stretching breaks on long journeys.

Never travel in a car without a seatbelt. Make sure the lap belt is secured under your bump and across your pelvis. Adjust the shoulder belt so that it goes over the top of your bump and between your breasts. Don’t the belt across your bump.

It’s okay to sit in a seat fitted with a driver’s airbag while you’re pregnant, as long as you move your seat well back from the dashboard or steering wheel. Adjust the steering wheel downwards to move it further away from your bump. Remember, the back seat is the safest place to travel in any car.

If you’re involved in any kind of car accident, even a minor knock, watch out carefully for any contractions, pain or bleeding afterwards. If you notice any of put those signs, see your LCM or a doctor as soon as possible. Also let the doctor know if you are Rhesus-negative, as you may need to have Anti-D (see Week 13).

Food for the middle months

Try to eat a varied, healthy diet with as much fresh food as possible.

Calcium – For strong bones and teeth

Milk, yoghurt and cheese, tinned fish with soft edible bones, white bread, pizza, pastry, baked beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, spinach and spring greens.

Iron – To combat tiredness

Lean meat and dark chicken and turkey meat, breakfast cereals, fish such as sardines,wholemeal bread, baked beans, chickpeas, leafy green vegetables, dried fruits, baked potatoes.

Zinc – For growth and health

Meat, sardines, cashew nuts, lentils, chickpeas, wholemeal bread, milk, eggs.

Aerobics classes

Exercise can put a spring in your step, but in pregnancy choose low impact classes; this is not the time for high kicks and leaps. If you sign up for a class specially designed for mums-to-be, you’ll be sure that the teacher has adapted the class to your needs. If you already go to classes, let your teacher know that you’re pregnant; she can suggest ways to modify the movements to prevent strains.

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