22 Weeks Pregnant

If you look at you in the mirror you may be wondering how big you are looking now. Your belly is intensely showing that you are pregnant and you have made to the middle of second trimester now by touching the 22nd week of pregnancy. There will be plenty of internal and external changes from now on for you and your baby. By now most of the undesirable pregnancy symptoms are gone. However you have to undergo new symptoms like pregnancy pain from this stage onwards.

Symptoms :

First obvious change is your weight gain. You are expected to gain at least one pound per week from this week. You have to cautious in choosing the right set of nutritious diet for weight gain of your baby. You can discuss with your doctor about the weight gain or loss during this stage. Each woman will vary widely in weight during the entire term of pregnancy. Remember there should not be any sudden weight loss at this stage.

Some women may continue to have vomiting and nausea throughout the term of pregnancy and for them expected weight gain may not be there. Now you can get slight vaginal discharge which is normal at this stage due to increased blood flow. Adding too much of salt in your diet can cause blood pressure and hence monitor what you eat. You will continue to have symptoms of heartburn and constipation which can be managed only by choosing right diet that contains lots of fiber. You will notice plenty of movements from now on at various intervals. And in case your baby does not respond for couple of days you should get in touch with your doctor.

Development of the Baby :

The baby’s growth will be amazing during this period of pregnancy. Most of the systems become functional at this stage but still he may look very thin and frail. It is due to lack of fatty tissues which will change in subsequent weeks. His internal organs are growing in full swing from week to week and his eyelids are now clear. The skin may look little wrinkle and appear colorless due to lack of pigment cells.

At 22nd week of pregnancy the liver of the baby will start functioning on its own and produce special enzyme called bilirubin. Presence of this bilirubin indicates that the baby is capable of breaking down red blood cells on his own. This excess of bilirubin will be passed into the mother’s blood through placenta which is then disposed off by the liver of the mother.

During this period, slowly the baby’s sensory system begins to develop and become functional. He would start realizing the sense of touch and begins to touch his face or neck or legs whenever the doctor examines him/her on ultrasound. At this stage, the baby’s sex organs like ovary and egg cells are fully developed if you have a girl baby inside.

Tips for the Week :

Enjoy this period in every second since you may not get back this beautiful moments later. It is true that some of the pregnancy symptoms are making you uncomfortable and preventing you from eating like before. But remember it is your responsibility to have a reasonable weight gain as expected by your doctor.

It is time to spend time together with your partner and family members. If you already have children explain to them about what you feel and ask them to feel the baby inside your belly. By involving them with your pregnancy they will also learn to share responsibilities about the new member of your family.

Filed in: Pregnancy