22 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Your baby now weighs almost 1 lb (450g) and measures about 8 inches (20cm) from crown to rump.

She is becoming plumper as her fat is being laid down at a high rate, but her skin is still wrinkled and reddish. The wrinkled and loose appearance of her skin is due to the faster production of her skin than the fat that fills it out. The reddish appearance of her skin is due to the deposition of pigment as her skin loses its translucent appearance.

Your baby can kick and punch vigorously by now, but she may also be gently feeling the umbilical cord and rubbing her hands and face against the inside membrane of the amniotic sac that holds her.

She is still swallowing amniotic fluid (which provides an important nutritional supplement to the nutrition she gets from you via the placenta) and is passing some of it as urine. The swallowing of the amniotic fluid may cause your baby to get the hiccups and you may even be able to feel this as her body jumps inside yours.

The lanugo hair on your baby's body may turn darker at this time.

Your Body This Coming Week

Most women have gained between 10-15lbs (4.5-6.8kg) by this time, though your experience may vary. Your doctor should be able to tell you what is the best weight gain for you.

Your doctor or midwife can feel the different parts of the baby through your abdominal wall by external palpitation.

Your legs may feel swollen. Heartburn, round ligament pain and fatigue may persist or may disappear.

As your uterus enlarges, it puts pressure on your bladder and you feel the need to urinate more frequently.

You may have an occasional stitch-like pain down the side of your belly. This is the uterine muscle stretching and the pain generally goes away if you have a rest.

You may begin to feel Braxton Hicks contractions around this time. These are "practice" contractions that help your uterus to prepare for labor. You may notice them getting stronger as your pregnancy progresses, but they are rarely painful or regular like real labor contractions. If you are not sure whether you are experiencing real labor contractions or Braxton Hicks contractions, it is best to talk to your prenatal care provider.