Pregnancy Guide: What You Need to Know at 22 Weeks Pregnant

How are you, mum-to-be? Feeling anxious about what’s to come? Don’t be. Here’s what you can expect at 22 weeks pregnant. 

22 Weeks Pregnant is How Many Months?

When you are 22 weeks pregnant, you are in your fifth month of pregnancy. At this stage, your baby has reached a significant milestone by weighing over 1 pound. During this time, your baby’s senses are developing rapidly, with their grip, vision, and hearing becoming stronger. Learn more about your child’s development below.

Pregnancy Week 22: Baby

The second trimester is well underway, thank goodness! For pregnancy week 22, we’re talking all about the baby’s growth as well as developments in your baby that you can expect at this point.

Does your baby have legs and arms? Is it still the size of a kidney bean? In this week’s pregnancy update, learn how to tell what position your baby’s in, find out how they’re growing, and read about other important changes happening inside you.

Baby’s Growth

It’s a boy! Or is it?

At 22 weeks pregnant, your doctor or midwife will do an ultrasound to find out for sure whether you’re having a boy or a girl.

By pregnancy week 22, your baby is as big as a papaya. They’re around 27.7 cm and weigh about 430 g.

You’re halfway through your pregnancy! Baby is developing the most right now, and you can start to feel it.

Here are some of the major milestones that happen during this week:

• Baby’s heart is beating about 140 to 160 times each minute.
• The baby weighs about 3 ounces (85 grams), and measures about 1 inch from crown to rump.
• The placenta, which helps transport nutrients from mom to baby, grows a lot more during this week. It will continue to grow throughout your pregnancy until it reaches about the size of a grapefruit in late pregnancy.
• Your baby starts moving around a lot more—you might even be able to feel quick kicks or jabs (called “quickening”).

Baby’s Development

In this week-by-week guide for pregnancy week 22, you’ll learn that:

• Your baby looks more like a newborn now, with developed eyes and lips. They also have thin hair covering his head at this stage.
• Their gums are already developing little tooth buds.
• A layer of fat is also starting to form under your baby’s skin, making those cute chubby cheeks.
• Their organs continue to grow, while his pancreas is already producing important hormones.
• If you are having a daughter, her vagina is fully developed by week 22 of pregnancy.
• They have a developed pattern of sleep and wake cycles—can you believe it?

Baby’s Vision

During the 22nd week of pregnancy, a baby’s vision is still developing in the womb. The eyes and brain undergo meticulous development to prepare for visual stimuli they will encounter after birth. By the end of the second trimester, your baby can open their eyes in utero.

At this stage, the developing brain tissue starts forming two optic nerves, while other cells begin developing into the lens of the eye, which aids in focusing on objects at various distances. The retina, responsible for perceiving and processing light, begins to form around week 8 of pregnancy.

Although the baby’s eyelids remain closed, by week 16, they can detect and respond to light by making slight eye movements. It’s interesting to note that shining a flashlight on the growing belly from week 22 onward may elicit a kick or a wiggle from the baby.

Baby’s Hearing

Your baby’s hearing is developing at a rapid pace this week, so it’s important to make sure you are talking to them as often as possible. Even though your baby can’t understand what you’re saying yet, the sounds that you make will get your little one used to hearing and associating sounds with faces and bodies—so the more you talk, the better.

This week is also a great time to start introducing music into your baby’s life. If you’re not sure where to start, try signing up for a music class or downloading a few songs on your phone or tablet. You’ll have plenty of time after your little one is born to let them listen to whatever makes them happy!

Baby’s Teeth

At the end of week 22, your baby’s teeth are forming at the same time as their bones and muscles, but they won’t break through the gums until after birth.

Baby’s Movement

Baby’s movements are typically felt on the outside of your abdomen from about week 16 onward. The baby will move more actively after week 22, often seeming like she’s dancing inside you.

As your baby grows, so do their movements. You’ll notice them more often and feel them more strongly, especially in the morning and evening hours when you’re lying down. Take note of any new sensations or patterns, because they can help you know whether your baby is well and growing normally.

22 Weeks Pregnant: Your Body

This week, you’ve most likely started noticing some differences. Your baby has grown big enough to where it’s now easier to forget you have a bump. It’s hard to believe you have only 12 weeks left till your due date!

As your baby continues to grow, your body is going through a major transformation. So, if you’re not feeling pregnant right now though, don’t worry: you will be soon enough!

22 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms

• Your baby is filling up the space inside your body really fast. The result? They’re pressing against your ribs, thus making breathing difficult.
• You are beginning to attract bump touches because people are drawn to pregnant women. Allow this, but only if you’re comfortable; and don’t hesitate to say ‘no’ when you are uncomfortable.
• You are developing an ‘outie’, which occurs when your growing belly pushes out your belly button. It may look odd through the clothes, but once the baby is out, your belly button will return to normal.
• Those bluish veins around your tummy and breasts may bother you, but they are common at week 22 of pregnancy. However, there are still steps you can do to minimise the appearance of spider veins.
• You may also be feeling leg cramps, especially at night when you’re trying to sleep. It could be due to the extra weight your body is carrying around. You can also develop plantar fasciitis.

Maternal Weight Gain

At 22 weeks pregnant, you should be gaining between one and two pounds per week. If you’re not gaining enough weight or losing weight, talk to your doctor about it.

You’ll also need to make sure that you’re eating a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins like chicken or fish, and low-fat dairy products (like milk or yogurt).

In addition to making sure you’re eating right, it’s important that you stay active during this time—at least 30 minutes every day—to keep your muscles strong enough to support the growing baby inside of you.

If possible, try walking at least 10 minutes every day; this will help reduce swelling in the legs caused by fluid buildup throughout pregnancy while boosting circulation in those same legs (and helping prevent varicose veins).

Nutrition

At this point in your pregnancy, your body is going through a lot of changes. And one of the most important things you can do for yourself is to make sure that your diet is providing you with everything you need to stay healthy and strong.

You may be feeling more tired than usual, and you’ll want to find ways to get the energy you need. A good place to start is by eating foods that contain iron and calcium. These nutrients will help keep your body strong, which will help you feel more energetic!

At 22 weeks pregnant, you’ll also want to make sure that you’re getting enough protein in your diet. Protein helps build muscle, which will help you feel stronger during labour and delivery. In addition, protein helps build red blood cells which carry oxygen throughout your body.

This is important during pregnancy because having enough oxygen can help prevent problems with breathing or circulation later on during labour and delivery!

Prenatal Screening

At 22 weeks pregnant, there are several prenatal tests that can be considered to monitor the health of both the mother and the baby. These tests aim to identify potential risks or abnormalities and provide appropriate care and intervention. Some common prenatal tests that may be recommended include:

1. Amniocentesis: This test is typically performed between 14 and 20 weeks of pregnancy and can help diagnose certain birth defects, such as Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis, and spina bifida.

2. Genetic Screening: Genetic screening tests can detect the risk of genetic abnormalities in the baby.

3. Ultrasound: An ultrasound scan is a common prenatal test that uses sound waves to create images of the baby in the womb. It helps monitor fetal growth, check for any abnormalities, and determine the baby’s position.

4. Blood Tests: Throughout pregnancy, blood tests may be performed to assess the mother’s blood type, Rh factor, anaemia, infections (such as hepatitis B, syphilis, and HIV), and immunity to diseases like rubella and chickenpox.

5. Gestational Diabetes Screening: Screening tests may be recommended to detect gestational diabetes, a form of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy. This typically involves a glucose challenge test followed by a glucose tolerance test if the initial results are abnormal.

It’s important to note that the specific tests recommended may vary based on factors such as the mother’s age, personal and family health history, and individual circumstances. Regular prenatal checkups and discussions with a healthcare provider will help determine the appropriate tests for each individual pregnancy

Pregnancy Care: Your Checklist For Week 22 of Pregnancy

• If you haven’t yet, set an appointment for an ultrasound to find out your baby’s gender (unless you want to keep it a surprise).
• While travelling, take adequate precautions, especially when travelling via air.
• Keep your posture right and support your aching back using a soft and comfortable cotton seat cushion pad.
• If the swelling in your hands and feet makes wearing rings uncomfortable, remove accessories or jewellery for the time being.
• Wear comfortable footwear with sturdy soles to accommodate your growing feet.
• Enjoy your lustrous hair. In most women, pregnancy hormones make the hair thicker and glossier than usual.
• Don’t overdo it with work. Stress doesn’t do good things to mum and baby!
• You can also start planning for your baby shower (or give hints to your partner and friends that you want one), and a maternity photoshoot.
• Have you singled out which hospital you want to give birth in? Visit your gynaecologist for inputs and also to monitor your baby’s growth.

Your next week: 23 weeks pregnant

Your previous week: 21 weeks pregnant

Updates from Pheona Ilagan

Here at theAsianparent Singapore, it’s important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn’t serve as an alternative for medical advice or medical treatment. theAsianparent Singapore is not responsible for those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend consulting your doctor for clearer information.