Now we are at 15 weeks. At this stage, your baby, from the top of its head to rear end, is about 4
inches long and weighs about 5 ounces. This is the week that your baby is starting to breathe and swallow the
amniotic fluid. When the baby breathes in the fluid, they are not getting oxygen from it like we do from
breathing air. They get oxygen through the umbilical cord. They practice breathing the fluid to develop the lung
tissue. They will continue to practice their breathing until the very moment they are born. That is why it is so
important to be drinking as much water as your medical provider tells you. We always say about 5 bottles of
water every day. Babies are swallowing the fluid to keep everything homeostatic, or, flowing smoothly. When
your baby swallows the fluid, it gets processed in that tiny body and then is ‘urinated’ out into the amniotic
fluid and over and over. It is nature’s way to keep things developing. Your little baby’s legs and arms are getting
longer, and the joints and limbs are working fine now. The bones are getting more calcium and harder, so they
are clearly defined on the ultrasound now. The baby can now sense light. If you could shine a light in there, the
baby would move away from it. There is not much for your baby to taste at this point, but they are forming
taste buds.
