It’s getting crowded in there! Now that you are 22 weeks pregnant, your rapidly growing baby is invading your space. At the same time, your baby just hits another big weight milestone which is about 1 pound/454 gram.
Here is how your baby is growing and how your body is changing throughout this week:
The Size of My Baby
As mentioned, your baby’s size is around 1 pound and almost 7 and half inches long, from head to toe.
Baby’s Development When You Are 22 Weeks Pregnant
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Tooth Buds
Amazingly, your baby’s gums are already developing tooth buds, ready for their first teeth to come through a few months after birth.
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Eyes
Your baby’s eyes are starting to form, but due to a lack of pigment in his iris, he won’t has any eye colour yet. Moreover, your baby’s eyelids are fused shut, yet the eyes are starting to move. Tear ducts are forming and your baby also has eyebrows during this stage.
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Sense of Touch
Your little one is becoming more and more responsive to external stimuli. In fact, his grip is quite strong now, and you might be able to see your baby react to loud noises during your ultrasound this week.
Mommy’s Pregnant Belly
At 22 weeks pregnant, weight gain is probably one of the few things that concern you the most. You may have to stick to a slow and steady weight gain about a pound or slightly more or less per week.
To do that, many people advised eating about 300 extra calories per day. Don’t obsess over calorie counting or anything, it’s just a good guideline to keep in mind.
300 extra calories doesn’t mean you have to eat exactly three meals, plus one or two small snacks.
In fact, you should consider switching it up and eating five or six small meals over the course of your day. That way, it might be easier to stick to a well-rounded diet.
Plus, by eating smaller meals and more regularly, you’ll lower your chances of having drops in energy, heartburn, or indigestion, and other issues when you are 22 weeks pregnant.
Symptoms to Face This Week
- Breathless. Baby continues to crowd your lungs, making it tough to breathe at times. Remember not to take your workouts too far.
- Sex Drive. Some moms-to-be actually find they have an increase in libido around week 22. That is because your hormones are pretty much raging at this point.
- Thicker and Beautiful Hair. During pregnancy, your body sheds hair more slowly than it did before, giving your hair the appearance of being thicker and more lustrous than ever.
- Discoloured skin. You might find some patches of darker skin on your face due to the increased melanin in your body. Make sure you are protecting your face with a high SPF sunscreen, wear a hat and stay out of the sun during the strongest hours.
- Changing fingernails. Different women experience different symptoms: some find their nails grow faster than usual, some find theirs are harder than usual, and others notice theirs get softer or more brittle.
To-Do List
- Slow down: It is quite common to feel dizzy or light-headed during pregnancy. It is because so much blood is being directed to your womb to help with your baby’s development. Get yourself into the habit of getting up slowly so the blood flow can adjust gradually.
- Keep snacking: Make sure you eat regular healthy snacks, carry some nuts or raisins or fruit like a banana, apple or seedless tangerine in your bag and stay hydrated to keep energy levels up and ensure your blood sugar doesn’t rise or fall too quickly.
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Fit in a workout. Apparently, babies of moms who exercise throughout pregnancy score higher (on average) on general intelligence tests by age 4. So your workout will boost your muscle power and also your baby’s brain ‘power’!
Tips When You Are 22 Weeks Pregnant
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Skip the fillers
Thinking of stopping by your dermatologist’s office for a fill or a refill of collagen? Don’t even think of it! Botox, the injectable line fillers during pregnancy hasn’t been established through studies yet, which means you are better off staying unfilled for now.
Besides, at 22 weeks pregnant, you may find that normal fluid retention is plumping up your face nicely, leaving your wrinkles less noticeable without the help of cosmetic procedures.
You are doing so well and will do your best for the coming weeks! Until that, stay tuned with Motherhood Story for more weekly pregnancy updates.