At 22 weeks pregnant, you are just about at the end of the second stage or trimester of your pregnancy. The baby is now just over a pound in weight and measures almost eleven inches long from the top of its head to its heels. If you were to be able to actually see the baby at this stage, the skin would be quite wrinkly even though the facial features are developed. This is because the baby needs to gain weight now and fill out more. You would not be able to see what color eyes you baby has because the pigment in the irises is not yet developed. The inner organs are still developing and the pancreas is starting to produce hormones. The lungs have not yet developed so the baby would have difficulty breathing on its own. During this stage tooth buds, which will develop into teeth, start to appear in the gums.
Your belly has expanded significantly and you are likely wearing maternity clothes or at least clothes with elastic waists. It is quite normal form expectant mothers to have gained about 15 pounds by the 22nd week of the pregnancy. You are starting to feel much better than you did in the early weeks because the nausea, frequent trips to the bathroom and the tiredness are gone or at least not as intense as they once were. You will likely have a greater appetite for food that you were unable to eat during the morning sickness period and you may start having cravings for foods that you previously wouldn eat. These cravings often occur at odd times, such as in the wee hours of the morning. Once you realize the type of food that you do crave, it is a good idea to have some extra on hand so that your partner does not have to try to find a supermarket that is still open at this time. If you consistently crave junk food, you should try to find a healthier food that you enjoy and can substitute for it.
One of the things most expectant mothers notice at the 22nd week is that they have vaginal discharge. If this is your first pregnancy, you may become alarmed and schedule an appointment with your doctor, but this is a normal part of being pregnant. You may become more susceptible to urinary tract infections because you are not going to the bathroom as often and you may start having haemorrhoids. You should make sure you drink plenty of water and avoid foods that may cause you to become constipated.
During this time, your ligaments and muscles are starting to expand to make room for the growing uterus. This means you may have pains in your belly area and may become alarmed that there is something wrong. These aches and pains are also normal and will eventually subside. You should use creams and lotions to soothe your skin so that you won have too many stretch marks after the baby is born.
