22 Weeks Pregnant

By now you are loving every minute of being pregnant. It is an exciting time in your life especially if this is your first born child. Now you are right in the middle of the second trimester. Most new moms to be have already started planning the baby names, getting things together for a baby shower and planning the nursery. You may have started to gain significant weight by now. Don’t be discouraged; the weight gain is for a good reason. The baby is growing at a much more steady pace. You can also start to feel the baby more and more as the weeks go by.

Though the risk of miscarriage has reduced greatly, there are some things that you should safeguard against. For example, stay away from smoking and try to avoid others that smoke too. Refrain from drinking alcohol. You want to be eating more healthy foods rather than junk foods or friend foods. Remember what you are putting into your body so is the baby. You are going to start hearing more stories from friends and family about their pregnancies. It is fun to compare pregnancies but remember that each pregnancy is different. You will not experience the same things as other moms did.

Baby’s Development

The baby is continuing to gain weight as the weeks go by. The baby should weigh about 12-1/4 ounces, if that is not the case, talk to your doctor and find out if there is a reason why the baby is not on target. Not every baby at this stage will be 12-1/4 ounces; they could be less or more. The baby will measure in at 11 inches long. If you were to have a sonogram, the sonogram would show you that the baby looks like a newborn. The head and the body are fully proportionate.

The baby is thinner and there is not a lot of baby fat. The baby should be gaining weight at a good rate now. All of the baby’s organs are developing at a fast pace. The baby’s liver has started to produce enzymes that will help the baby break down the red blood cells. The baby’s red bloods don’t have a long life while in the womb. The red blood cells travel into the placenta and then into the mom’s blood.

It is the mother’s liver that actually gets rid of the baby’s red blood cells. The baby’s pancreas is starting to develop at a nice rate. You will start to notice eyes and lips at 22 weeks of pregnancy. The baby’s iris is still not developed with color yet. You can see that the teeth are below the gum line and the brain is developing at a very fast pace.

The baby’s sensory system is developing very quickly. The brain has functioning neurons right now and the baby is actually learning sense of touch. He or she may be exploring their face or moving their legs and arms to see how they feel. If the baby is a girl, show will have ovaries and the primitive ova or eggs cells. The baby’s uterus will have been completely formed at this point.

Changes To Your Body

By now, you will see a few signs of physical changes to your body. You will feel hormone levels increasing as well as some tenderness and some tingling in the breasts. You may experience some spotting, abdominal cramps, irritability and mood swings. If this happens, you should immediately call your doctor or go to the nearest emergency room. Some women have signs throughout their pregnancy and others don’t. But it is always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to pregnancy.

By now you should be morning sickness free and fatigue free. Though it is important to listen to your body when it comes to pregnancy. You will have increased the blood flow about 40 to 50%. As the pregnancy progresses you will have frequent urination. As the months go by the baby will start pressing down on the bladder.

What To Expect

You are continuing to experience many physical and emotional changes in the course of the pregnancy. You may want to adjust the way you are eating, try to eat healthier. Stay away from fried foods and processed foods, these can cause heartburn. You may want to take up walking after a meal or swimming every week. They are great for digestion and they are great exercise for pregnant women.

One thing that will help keep you grounded during the pregnancy is to talk with their partner, family and friends during the pregnancy. If you are having any doubts, these are the people that you want to talk to. Just by having someone to talk to can really improve your mood.

It is important to take your vitamins and attend every doctor’s appointment that you set. Try to make these appointments that you can keep. It is important that you have your blood pressure checked at regular intervals. You want to make sure that your blood is checked as well. As long as everything is OK, the baby will continue to grow and develop. Motherhood is a blessing and you should be doing everything that you can in order to make sure that your pregnancy goes smoothly.

Tips/Advice

Follow the doctor’s orders, sometimes when new moms to be think they feel fine they may over do it or try to do things at the pace they used before they got pregnant. Listen to your body and slow down if you need to. Follow up on doctor’s appointments and ask them any questions that you may have at any point in your pregnancy.

You have to remember that if you feel tired the baby isn’t going to get everything they need. If start eating on the run and do not choose the right foods to eat then the baby may suffer for it. Everything you do and everything you eat not just benefits you but the baby as well.