Week 15: Your little hairy baby

Fetal development in pregnancy week 15:



fetus in fourth month
Your nearly four-inch long gymnast is happily mobile inside your womb
and if you're really lucky, you’ll notice a point when your sneezing,
coughing or laughing results in a little kick here or a poke there.
Still, many women don't feel anything until the 17th week or later.
Although the poking and kicking isn't very charming during sleeping
hours, it’s a good sign as it means your baby is actually reacting to
outside events. Yay! You’ve got yourself one active healthy baby! Their
little elbows and knees are bending more freely this week and their
little legs are finally growing longer than their arms and getting
pumped up for prenatal Richard Simmons. Many of their major organ
systems are increasing in capacity—particularly that amazing tiny heart
and complex circulation system, which is now pumping about 25 quarts of
blood per day, and will increase to a very impressive 200 quarts per
day by the end of the pregnancy. As far as hair goes, we’ve got some
new scalp patterns beginning to develop on the head, although actual
head hair is not yet present.

And how's mom doing?
Have your cheeks been rosier lately? (No,
no, no-- we’re asking about your face.) Are you feeling especially
radiant? This famed “glow” is brought to you courtesy of the pregnancy
fairy who has waved her magical “rosy tinge wand” over you. Seriously
though, your body is experiencing an increase in be aware that increased blood flow might cause your blood vessels to expand, resulting in a series of not-so-magical nosebleeds
blood flow and you probably do have flushed skin and cheeks. Just be
aware that increased blood flow might cause your blood vessels to
expand, resulting in a series of not-so-magical nosebleeds for some
women, which although perfectly normal, are a bit gory if you’ve got a
day job. If you find the nosebleeds especially irritable, consider
purchasing a humidifier to ward off future nose bleeds. Also, do your
best to avoid irritants, such as aerosols, smoke, and dust.. Even
though the placenta is regulating your babe’s hormones, you are still
producing additional estrogen, which often causes swelling of the
mucosa membranes, leaving you with a stuffy nose—potentially throughout
the duration of the pregnancy. These are just a few of the charming
physical experiences you can chalk up to the pregnancy fairy!