What a magical moment – in the 22nd week, your baby’s heartbeat is so strong that your partner can hear it with his bare ear when he gently puts his ear on your belly. Isn’t that wonderful? Here we show you what other developments happen to you and your baby during the 22nd week.
Table of contents
Important facts about the 22nd week: What you should know
Your baby is now about 28 cm long and weighs around 475 g.
It grows less quickly from the 22nd week, because it is dedicated to building up fat reserves, which is why your belly continues to grow and is now already a clearly visible ball.
The baby’s skin is fully developed, but still wrinkled due to the lack of fat reserves.
This happens with you
Montgomery glands
The breasts change again in the 22nd week of pregnancy. The so-called Montgomery glands form on the areolas. A slightly greasy, oily substance is released from them.
What may sound unpleasant to you at first is an important part of your body that cares for the nipples and prepares your breasts for breastfeeding.
The mucous membranes are now supplied with more blood, which is why you may experience bleeding gums or nosebleeds more often. However, this is not in itself a cause for concern.
Weight gain
From the 22nd week of gestation, your baby will increasingly build up its fat deposits. It will therefore gain a lot of weight in the next few weeks, which will also be reflected in your weight.
Most of the extra kilos disappear again after the birth, because they are caused by the weight of the baby, the amniotic fluid, the placenta and the uterus. You will also quickly get rid of small fat deposits that form during your pregnancy if you breastfeed after the birth.
If you are worried about your weight during pregnancy, make sure you eat a balanced diet and get enough exercise. This way you can counteract unnecessary weight gain.
Tip for fathers-to-be
You are halfway through your pregnancy. Now is a good time to think about taking some time off. Whether it’s a short trip over the weekend or a longer vacation in the sun. Find a destination together that suits you both and enjoy the peace and quiet before entering the final spurt of pregnancy.
Pregnancy symptoms in the 22nd week and what you can do about it
Heartburn
The growing size of the uterus puts more and more pressure on the sphincter of the stomach. Moreover, the pregnancy hormones additionally loosen the muscles.
Therefore, unfortunately for you, the unpleasant burning sensation in the throat occurs more and more often. Natural home remedies such as the consumption of certain foods like milk, pineapple and mangle help you to alleviate the discomfort because they neutralize the acid.
At night, an extra pillow can help you tremendously because it makes your upper body lie higher and prevents the acid from flowing back out of your stomach. The sleeping position on the left side can also give you relief and relieves your circulation and organs because they are relieved of the weight of the uterus.
Cravings
You probably thought that the time of cravings is behind you. However, you notice that your baby wants to gain weight from the 22nd week of gestation. Therefore, you have a pronounced appetite and may have regular food cravings in between.
Are you afraid of gaining a lot of extra pregnancy kilos? Do not worry about it. It is important that your body can provide your baby with the best possible care. If its need for nutrients increases, so does your need.
And again: With a balanced and healthy diet you can avoid unnecessary pregnancy kilos.
Back and abdominal pain
Due to the still growing uterus, abdominal pain can still occur. These are part of pregnancy and are not a cause for concern, but of course they can still be a nuisance for you.
Back pain is also not uncommon due to the extra weight. Incorrect posture, standing and sitting for long periods of time or heavy lifting can lead to back pain.
Avoid all of these as much as you can and get help in your everyday life. Warm baths, relaxation and unwinding on the sofa can give you relief.
If this is not enough, you can talk to your midwife about it and have yourself treated by a physiotherapist.
If the symptoms are accompanied by fever, irregular contractions, bleeding, discharge or cramping pain that persists, this may be a sign that something is wrong.
Talk to your gynecologist if you are worried that something may be wrong. It’s better to see your doctor once too often than once too little.
Circulatory problems
In the 22nd week of pregnancy, circulatory problems are not uncommon – especially in the morning, the body puts a spoke in the wheel of many expectant mothers.
To avoid falls or a collapse due to weak circulation , you should start the day slowly, especially in the morning, and slowly get your body going. In addition, your fluid balance should always be sufficiently filled.
Cramps
Every step becomes more strenuous, which also leads to a higher strain on the muscles, so that cramps can occur more frequently, especially in the thigh and calf.
A magnesium deficiency is often the reason for the cramps that frequently occur at night. So make sure that your body always has enough magnesium available through foods such as vegetables, whole grain products, fish or meat.
In addition, rubbing with oil or a nourishing wrap helps against tired or heavy legs.
What can be seen on the ultrasound during the 22nd week of pregnancy?
In the 22nd week, your baby is a miniature of the newborn you will hold in your arms in a few weeks.
At the right moment, you can see your baby exercising its muscles. He can fold his hands, touch his face with his little fingers, play with his little hands and feet and pull the umbilical cord.
What is the risk of miscarriage in the 22nd week of pregnancy?
You do not have to worry about a miscarriage in the 22nd week of pregnancy. The risk of pregnancy termination is at a minimum value of 0.5% since the 14th week of gestation. It remains like this until the 24thweek.
What happens to the baby
In the 22nd week of gestation your baby is about 28 cm long and weighs 475 g. Compared to last week, when the baby weighed about 350 g, this is quite an increase in weight.
This is due to the fact that from the 22nd week of gestation your baby no longer grows so quickly in length, but concentrates on weight gain. Right now, his body fat percentage is only 1%, but he is now gaining body fat very quickly.
The skin has now become thicker and not as transparent as before. Since the fat pad is only built up from the 22nd WOP, it will still be somewhat wrinkled in the coming weeks.
The fatty tissue that your baby is now building up is not normal fatty tissue, but brown fatty tissue. As an expectant mother, you also put this on during pregnancy. This can be converted into energy very quickly and enables your baby to manage its own heat balance.
The brown adipose tissue only serves to regulate the baby’s body temperature and regresses in the course of life. The “normal” white fatty tissue remains throughout life.
From the 22nd week of gestation, your little darling can also develop hiccups. This is caused by drinking amniotic fluid. You will also notice them by feeling a twitching in your abdomen.
Even after birth, babies have hiccups more often than normal. This is because the diaphragm is not yet fully developed.
How your baby develops during the 22nd week of pregnancy
Your baby’s face is fully developed in the 22nd week – small lips, eyes and eyelids are already formed. However, the iris does not have any color yet. It will take until the 18th month of life until the exact eye color of your little treasure is determined.
The eyelashes, eyebrows and hair on the head are also still colorless. In the 22nd week of gestation, the roots of the milk teeth are already present under the dental ridges.
Your baby is still actively training its muscles and reflexes in your abdomen and is continuing to develop its movements. Through regular training, it also diligently exercises its sense of touch.
Other sensory perceptions such as smelling, tasting and hearing are also becoming more and more pronounced. When drinking, for example, your offspring tastes the aromas in the amniotic fluid and will recognize them in your breast milk after birth. Your eating behavior thus has an influence on your baby’s taste experience.
Your baby’s internal organs are fully present and continue to mature as they begin to work. In the 22nd week of gestation, the pancreas continues to develop. It is already responsible for the production of hormones.
In addition, something very special happens for you and your partner: Your baby’s heartbeat is now so strong that your partner or other trusted people can hear it with their bare ears.
Let him gently put his ear to your baby’s belly and, with a little luck, your partner will be able to hear your baby’s heartbeat.
You will remember this magical moment forever.
This is important now
Birthplace
From the 22nd WOP, it is time to start thinking about the place of delivery . The most common place of birth in Germany is the hospital. Many expectant mothers already have a midwife in the 22nd WOP, who accompanies them not only during and after pregnancy, but also during the birth.
If you do not have a high-risk pregnancy, you can have your baby at home. Your midwife will be with you during the birth. If there are complications, you will of course be taken to a hospital.
A third option is to give birth in a birth center. In addition to midwives, gynecologists also work there. Birth centers are more private than hospitals, but still have a high medical standard.
If your pregnancy is very complicated, your gynecologist may recommend a birth in a birth center. If you give birth in a birth center, you will be in close contact with the midwives and gynecologists before the birth and can also be treated and cared for there after the birth.
This is how you can support your body in the 22nd week of pregnancy
Magnesium
In the 22nd week of pregnancy, your need for magnesium increases. Magnesium is an important trace element that ensures that nerves, muscles and the immune system run smoothly.
Normally, you take in enough magnesium through your diet if you eat meat, fish, green vegetables or dairy products.
During pregnancy, you need 310 mg of magnesium daily for your baby. Due to the increased demand during pregnancy, a magnesium deficiency can occur. This makes itself felt in you through aching muscles, as well as stomach and muscle cramps.
In the worst case, a magnesium deficiency could trigger early labor or result in a miscarriage.
But you don’t have to worry. During the examinations, your gynecologist will examine your blood count and can determine a deficiency if necessary and decide how much additional magnesium you should take.
Midwife tip
In the 22nd week of pregnancy, you should start thinking about where you want to give birth.
Take your time to find out about the various options and make appointments to visit the different places.
When deciding on a place, your gut feeling is important. The place of delivery does not have to be right for anyone but you. You must feel comfortable there and have the feeling that you are in good and safe hands.
FAQ
There is no single number that can be used to determine how often you feel the baby move. In itself, the baby is very active in the abdomen during the 22nd week of gestation because it is exercising its muscles and still has a lot of freedom of movement. Many mothers feel their baby clearly, especially in the evening when they come to rest, because their baby then wakes up and becomes particularly active.
In the 22nd week, the baby grows more slowly and starts to build up fat reserves. Your partner, as well as your family and friends, can now hear the heartbeat with the naked ear, because it has become stronger.
The baby is about 28 cm tall in the 22nd week of gestation, the size of a vine of grapes.
In the 22nd week of gestation, your baby still has a lot of freedom of movement and can romp around in the belly. Therefore, it does not have a fixed lying position.
At 22 weeks of pregnancy, you are 6 months pregnant.
WOP 22 videos
Nekole gives you tips for the 22nd WOP.
