22 Weeks Pregnant: What To Expect?

Before you meet your precious little one, just a few more weeks! There’s still a way to get there, though. This article puts together some suggestions and answers about your 22 weeks pregnant to any questions you might have.

Baby’s Growth During Pregnancy – Week 21

Your baby is increasingly perceiving the world, as his feelings of listening, vision and sensations improve. Increasing grip strength means that your child will hang on his umbilical cord for a good life, but this is normal. Fine hair known as lanugo covers the fetus ‘ body, with wrinkles deep in the skin. In preparation for breathing independently, lung development also occurs rapidly. Your young one can now tell you the difference between night and day, and heartbeats, your stomach and any other music that you may play, can hear and distinguish between various sounds. Fully developed lips have formed, along with teeth buds under the gums. By now, you can feel your baby squirm away or push back if you press against your belly.

What is the Baby’s Size?

Your baby has hit a weight breakthrough, weighing almost 0.5 kg in the end, making it about papaya – sized. The baby’s size is around a foot from head to toe at 22 weeks pregnant and the fetus starts to look like a mini – baby.

22-week Symptoms of Pregnancy

The most common 22 weeks pregnant symptoms are due to the fact that your baby (or babies, if you are pregnant with twins for 22 weeks) is taking over so much territory in your bodily life. This includes the following:

• Stretch marks: These scars are caused if your skin stretches so fast, or tears underneath the surface. What’s not so cool is the fact that the stretches may not be entirely removed, but will decay in color after delivery.
• Outtie belly button: In essence, your innie went inside and you suddenly got an extinction. This is another expanding belly by-product. We know it may be a strange feeling. We promise, your outty’s going to return to an innie!
• Increased sex drive: In reality, some moms find that they have a libido increase of 22 weeks. This is because at this point your hormones are quite raging. (We hope this is a pleasure for you!)
• Increased vaginal discharge: You’ve got a waterworks situation down there — not fun, but don’t worry, it’s just the result of increased blood flow down there. This may be a reason not to feel the sex drive at this phase of the game boost another moms-to-be getting, but we think you should try to get into the mood anyhow. We doubt your partner’s going to worry about a bit of excess… um… lubrication.

• Swollen hands and/or feet: Now that you are pregnant, you have an increase in the number of fluids in your body. Therefore, minor swelling is completely normal and will die down as soon as baby is born. In contrast, severe or sudden swelling is not normal. It could be a sign of a dangerous complication of pregnancy called preeclampsia, so tell your OB immediately if you are suddenly started to be super swollen or swollen.
• Backaches: Because of extra baby pressure and carrying around the extra weight, your back hurts. A heating pad, a prenatal massage and/or sleeping with a body pillow can help relieve pain.
• Hair growth: This is a pretty big symptom when actually the hair is on your head. If it’s not on your head, well, for the tenth time, go ahead and curse those hormones. (And if you want to break the tweezers out!)
• Trouble catching your breath: Baby keeps crowding your lungs, sometimes making it hard to breathe. Remember not to go too far with your workouts and take a break right away when you feel winded.

 

22 weeks pregnant belly

 

A typical 22 weeks pregnant belly measures about 20 to 24 centimeters from the pelvic bone to the top of the uterus — that’s called the “fundal height.” If you’re pregnant with twins for 22 weeks, don’t even consider the height of the foundation, as twin pregnancies are all so different, there’s no real “typical.”

Weight gain is likely to be on your mind at 22 weeks of pregnancy. Your OB will probably tell you to stick to a slow and steady weight gain— about one pound or slightly more or less a week, depending on your type of body. Many people are recommending eating about 300 extra calories a day to do that. Don’t be obsessed with counting calories or anything — it’s just a good guide to keep in mind.

You don’t have to eat exactly three meals, plus one or two small snacks, 300 extra calories. In fact, in the course of your day, you should consider switching it up and eating five or six small meals. Thus, sticking to a well-rounded diet might be easier. Plus, eating smaller and more regular meals will reduce your chances of energy drops, or heartburn, indigestion, and other problems with that 22-week pregnant belly. Sounds great to us!

22 Weeks Ultrasound

Now that the eyes and lips of the baby are more developed, it looks even more like a newborn. Baby sleeping in cycles— around 12 to 14 hours a day (hint: it’s probably the times you don’t feel kicks!). If you haven’t had your ultrasound of mid-pregnancy yet, it’s the week! This 18-to 22 weeks pregnant ultrasound gives you an insight into the major organs of all babies and other parts of the body. At this point, you probably wrapped up the rest of your genetic test. Feel relieved that all this is out of the way!