22 Weeks Pregnant: Symptoms, Baby Development, And Tips

At 22 weeks pregnant, your baby’s vision, grip, and hearing are getting stronger. They can hear your voice inside the womb and sometimes even respond with light kicks. This week, your baby will also achieve one of the major growth milestones—breaking the 400gms mark (they are pretty big now). 

Meanwhile, you will be noticing more physical changes, including a protruding navel, and possibly slightly bigger feet due to fluctuating hormones and pregnancy swelling (edema). You will also feel similar pregnancy symptoms to the ones experienced in previous weeks, such as constipation, frequent urination, and headaches. 

This post discusses your baby’s weekly size and growth progress, and the common symptoms experienced in the 22nd week of pregnancy. Keep reading to know more. 

Your Baby’s Development at 22 Weeks

At 22 weeks of pregnancy, you are five months pregnant, and only have four months to go before you hold your little bundle of joy in your arms. During this week, your baby will have a major growth spurt and almost weigh over 500gms. 

Let’s have a look at some of the other interesting details about your baby’s development and growth progress in the 22nd week of pregnancy. 

How Big is Your Baby at 22 Weeks?

At 22 weeks of pregnancy, your baby will be almost the size of a spaghetti squash. They will measure 27.8cms (10.94 inches) in length and weigh around 500gms-700gms (1-1.5lb). 

If you want to get a deeper insight into your baby’s size and developmental progress each week, then you can consider following the posts published under the pregnancy week-by-week. These posts are information-rich and contain all details about your baby’s weekly development and size. 

These posts also provide self-care tips for mums that come in handy to make you feel comfortable and more prepared for childbirth. 

Foetal Development at 22 Week Pregnancy

In this section, we tell you more about how your baby’s body develops in the womb at the 22nd week of pregnancy and the growth milestones that await this week.

• Limbs: Your baby’s lower limbs are fully developed by this week. You may feel their kicks from time to time.
• Hair: Your baby’s head and body are covered with lanugo.
• Nails: Their toenails will continue to develop this week.
• Eyes: Your baby’s eyebrows and eyelashes start to appear. Their retina will also be fully developed by the 22nd week of pregnancy. 
• Ears: Your baby will begin to respond to sounds as their cochlea is almost developed and acquires adult size.
• Intestine: Your baby’s first poop, also known as meconium begins to form.
• Tongue: The taste buds continue to form this week, and your baby can already differentiate between sweet and bitter tastes.
• Brain: The brain is still developing. However, by this week the nerve endings will be formed, making your baby feel when you touch the belly.
• Skin: Your baby’s skin is now transparent and covered in a waxy coating called vernix.
• Lungs: The lung walls are still developing.
• Genitals: In boys, the testicles begin to descend to the scrotum. In girls, the vagina is fully developed by this week. 

Common Symptoms That You Will Experience This Week

Some of the symptoms that you experience at the 22nd week of pregnancy are similar to the early signs of pregnancy. However, there will be an onset of new symptoms as well, which we have discussed in the list below. 

• Vaginal discharge: Hormonal fluctuations during this time may cause the release of whitish vaginal discharge. This discharge is normal and helps prevent bacteria from entering your uterus. However, if you have an excess discharge that is foul smelling, consult your ob-gyn right away.
• Weight gain: An average weight gain of 500gms-700gms during the second trimester is considered safe and recommended by doctors. But make sure your weight gain coincides with your BMI level to prevent the possibility of excess or unhealthy weight gain.
• Leg cramps: You may experience leg cramps in the 22nd week of pregnancy due to increased blood flow in the lower part of your body. A deficiency of calcium and magnesium may also contribute to this pain. So make sure to consult your doctor to determine the cause and implement necessary relief measures.
• Heartburn: This symptom mostly occurs due to the release of the progesterone hormone in your body. Progesterone relaxes your digestive tract, causing the food to remain in the oesophagus for a longer period. This further leads to heartburn and discomfort in the chest. Heartburn can be prevented by avoiding spicy and processed foods.
• Dizziness: The growing uterus puts extra pressure on your blood vessels, and inhibits the proper flow of blood to your brain, causing dizziness and tiredness.
• Constipation: The relaxation of the digestive tract slows down your intestinal motility, resulting in constipation. Try to include fibre-rich foods into your diet to keep your bowel movements regulated and your metabolism level high.
• Edema: this condition occurs when your body retains a lot of water and causes your hands and legs to swell. If you experience excessive swelling, consult your doctor immediately.
• Rise in sexual desires: Due to hormonal changes, you may notice a rise in sexual desires. 
• Healthier and shinier hair: Hormonal fluctuations can make your hair shinier and healthier during this time. However, this is not the case for all women, as some might experience hair breakage and split ends.
• Backache: The growing uterus puts pressure on your lower back, causing back pain. You need to maintain good posture and engage in regular stretching exercises to soothe backache.
• Varicose veins: The extra blood flow to the lower part of your body causes varicose veins, where the veins in your legs swell up.
• Frequent urination: The pressure put by the growing uterus on your bladder increases your urge to pee.
• Haemorrhoids: The increased blood flow to the rectal area might cause swelling of the blood vessels in that area and haemorrhoids. With proper care, this condition is reversible.

Your Body at The 22nd Week of Pregnancy

You may experience certain physical and emotional changes in the 22nd week of pregnancy, which are quite different from the ones experienced in the first trimester. The changes that you will notice are:

• Stretch marks on stomach
• Enlarged belly with a protruding navel
• Discoloured skin, with some dark patches forming in your skin due to increased melanin
• Bigger and darker nipples
• Changing fingernails
• Increase in mood swings
• Anxiety

22 Weeks Pregnant Belly

Now that your belly appears bigger and more protruded, you will have a lot of well-wishers wanting to touch your tummy and communicate with your baby. And since your baby can feel your touch now, they might even respond with some kicking and wiggling.

In case you are curious to learn more about your baby’s activity inside the womb, and things to expect in the upcoming weeks, you can use the pregnancy month calculator for relevant information and details.

Do You Need an Ultrasound at The 22nd Week Of Pregnancy?

When you are 22 weeks pregnant, you will have a weekly prenatal checkup with your ob-gyn. During this appointment, the doctor will check your blood pressure, weight gain, and foetal heart rate using a foetoscope.

If you already had an anomaly scan at 18-20 weeks of pregnancy, then you may not require an ultrasound this week. However, if it hasn’t been done before, you will need to get one now. An ultrasound scan helps you see your baby up-and-close, and also helps determine if they have any physical abnormalities.

Self-care Tips for 22 Weeks Pregnancy

We have listed some essential self-care tips for the 22nd week of pregnancy that you can follow to stay happy and healthy.

• Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated, at least 8-10 glasses per day.
• Include veggies, fruits, beans, dairy products, and meat in your diet to fulfil your caloric requirements.
• Eat home-cooked meals to prevent heartburn and stomach infections and have smaller meals at frequent intervals.
• Give your body ample rest, and sleep for at least eight hours at night.
• Engage in regular physical activities if there is no contraindication. You can also consider enrolling in prenatal yoga classes.
• Keep stress at bay and remain calm.
• Avoid taking any medications without your doctor’s permission.
• Maintain good posture and avoid sitting cross-legged to prevent backache.
• Use a maternity pillow to offer support and comfort while sleeping.

Pregnancy Checklist at 22 Weeks

A set of checklists for the 22nd week of pregnancy:

• Book a prenatal appointment with your ob-gyn for the next week.
• Schedule an appointment with your sonographer as well.
• Make a list of babycare essentials that you need.
• List down questions that you want to ask your doctor during the next prenatal appointment.

What to Ask Your Doctor?

With your pregnancy progressing rapidly, you may have a lot of questions for your doctor. Some of the crucial questions to ask during your 22nd week of pregnancy are:

• Do I need to gain weight?
• Am I at risk for any pregnancy complications?
• Is my baby growing at a healthy rate?
• Did you find any abnormalities in the anomaly scan?
• What prenatal screening do I need next week?
• Do you recommend any vitamins?
• Can I continue engaging in physical activities like walking and prenatal yoga?

Conclusion

When you are 22 weeks pregnant, you may undergo various physical changes and experience backache, leg cramps, dizziness, and heartburn. You may also experience emotional changes, such as anxiety and fearful thoughts about childbirth. If any of these changes make you severely uncomfortable, consult your doctor right away for proper guidance and treatment.

Additionally, follow a healthy diet, stay hydrated, and get plenty of rest to maintain your health and support your little one’s growth inside the womb.

FAQs

Is 22 weeks pregnant considered six months?

No. The sixth-moth pregnancy mark begins at 23 weeks. 

How should I be feeling at 22 weeks pregnant?

Since your belly is constantly growing, you may feel discomfort and experience pain in your back and legs. In addition, you may experience emotional changes like anxiety and mood swings.

Is 22 weeks considered five months pregnant?

Yes. 22 weeks pregnant is considered 5 months pregnant.

Where is my baby in my stomach at 22 weeks?

At 22 weeks, your baby is lying transverse across your tummy. They may change position to up and down and sideways.

How often should my baby kick at 22 weeks?

There is no set number of baby kicks that you should feel per day. However, if there is very slight to no movement, then you should consult your doctor.

Can I feel my baby’s kicks at 22 weeks?

Yes, you can feel your baby’s kicks at 22 weeks, and they might even respond to you by kicking when you rub your belly.

Also read:

Ovulation calculator: Check out this post to know all the benefits of using an ovulation calculator.

23 weeks pregnant symptoms: In this post, we’ve discussed everything you need to know about the 23rd week of your pregnancy.

Featured image: Freepik.com