Week 15 of Pregnancy: An Apple, and the Week Your Wardrobe Starts to Change
Key takeaways
- By week 15, the baby is about 10.1cm long, roughly the size of an apple, growing fine body hair called lanugo.
- The baby's eyes are becoming sensitive to light, and hearing is starting to develop around now.
- Regular clothes not fitting comfortably anymore is a common, practical sign of this stage — not a symptom to fix.
- Occasional sharp jabbing pains on the sides of the bump, known as round ligament pain, can start around now.
- Small practical changes, like slip-on shoes, can make daily comfort noticeably easier as your bump grows.
Week 14 was about energy and appetite genuinely coming back. Week 15 brought a much more practical kind of change for us — the moment your own clothes stop cooperating with you.
What’s actually happening in your body
The baby is now around 10.1cm long, roughly the size of an apple, and growing a fine layer of soft body hair called lanugo, along with developing eyebrows and eyelashes. The eyes are becoming sensitive to light, and hearing is beginning to develop around this stage too, according to NHS guidance on week 15 of pregnancy. For you, this is also around when some women first notice occasional sharp, jabbing pains on the sides of the bump — known as round ligament pain — which usually eases with rest. Balance can start shifting too as the bump grows, and some women notice skin changes like itchiness or darker patches on the face.
What I actually felt
This was the week we had to actually go shopping for clothes for what was ahead. My regular clothes had started tightening and just weren’t fitting the way they used to. We moved toward looser clothing, things with a bit of extension built in, and I switched to footwear without laces so I wouldn’t need to bend down as much — walking stayed comfortable, which mattered to me since I was still keeping that up regularly.
If your own clothes have started feeling snug or just wrong lately, that’s not something to push through or ignore — it’s a completely normal, practical sign that your body is changing, and it’s worth adjusting for rather than tolerating discomfort out of habit.
Nutrition focus this week
No changes from previous weeks — the same fundamentals apply. Keep up with your prenatal vitamin and the general guidance in our foods and drinks to limit or avoid during pregnancy.
What to discuss with your doctor or midwife
If you’re getting sharp jabbing pains on the sides of your bump, it’s worth mentioning at your next appointment, even though round ligament pain is usually harmless and eases with rest. It’s also a good time to ask about anything related to balance or posture as your bump continues to grow, especially if you’re still walking or exercising regularly.
Frequently asked questions
Is it normal for my regular clothes to stop fitting already at week 15?
Yes, completely. It varies by body and by pregnancy, but tightening clothes around this stage is common, and switching to looser or maternity-friendly options is a practical response, not something to delay.
What is round ligament pain?
It’s an occasional sharp, jabbing pain on the sides of the bump, caused by the ligaments supporting your growing uterus stretching. Resting, particularly putting your feet up, usually helps.
Why do slip-on shoes make sense at this stage?
As bending becomes less comfortable with a growing bump, shoes that don’t require tying laces can make daily movement noticeably easier and safer.
Can hearing really start developing this early?
Yes — hearing begins developing around week 15, though it continues maturing over the following weeks and months.
Is it normal for skin to change during pregnancy?
Yes. Itchiness, darker patches on the face (sometimes called the “mask of pregnancy”), or changes in oiliness are all common and generally not a cause for concern on their own.
References
- NHS — Your Pregnancy and Baby Guide, Week 15. nhs.uk
Found this helpful?
