22 Weeks Pregnant
How is Your Baby Growing at 22 Weeks?
Your baby’s facial features continue to develop at week 22 and they now have lips and milk teeth that are waiting to emerge from the gums shortly after birth.
The skin is wrinkled and covered in lanugo that keeps your baby warm until the layer of brown fat has developed.
Your baby’s pancreas is currently developing but the kidneys are functioning to produce urine. Oxygen and nutrients are supplied from your own bloodstream through the umbilical cord at a rate of four miles per hour!
How Big is Your Baby at 22 Weeks?
At week 22, your baby is 28 cm (about the size of a papaya) and weighs 430 g.
What Happens at 22 Weeks?
At this stage in your pregnancy, people will definitely have begun to notice your pregnancy bump.
There are no scans at week 22 but if you have any concerns, don’t hesitate to contact your midwife.
What Symptoms Will You Have at 22 Weeks?
You may start to notice a bit of pre-milk leaking out of your breasts at this stage in your pregnancy. The stretch marks around your lower abdomen and breasts might become more prominent but don’t worry! This is completely normal and over half of all pregnant women develop stretch marks at some point.
If you haven’t already, you will likely start experiencing backache at week 22 due to the increasing size and weight of your uterus.
You may also have any of the following symptoms at week 22:
- Aching joints and muscles
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Indigestion and heartburn
- Leg cramps
- Nose bleeds
- Piles
- Swollen and bleeding gums
- Swollen hands and feet
