Pregnancy Week 22
 How big is your baby?
The head to heel measurement is now at around
10.94 inches (27.8cm) and your baby
is now weighing approximately 15.17 ounces (430g). By the end of this
week your baby will be about the size of a Barbie doll.
How big are you?
Your uterus should now be about 0.78 inches (2cm) above your bellybutton and about
8.66 inches (22cm) above your pubic symphysis this week.
You may be feeling comfortably pregnant now as most women tend to enjoy the
second trimester of their pregnancy, as most of the early
pregnancy symptoms would have left them and they are not yet too big to be uncomfortable all the time.
How is your baby developing and growing
Your babys brain will start with some rapid development this week - and this rapid development will
continue until your baby is 5 years old. Your baby may also be roused from
his/her sleeping pattern by external sounds and your movements. Even though your
babys eye lids are fussed shut, he/she will still be making blinking movements.
If your baby is a boy then towards the end of this week his testes will have
started descending into the scrotum. If your baby is a girl then the ovaries -
which are made from the same tissue as the testes - will remain in place and by
the end of this week her uterus would be completely formed.
Your baby's organ systems are becoming specialized for their particular function.
The function of the fetal liver is much different from that of an adult. One of the functions of the adult liver is to breakdown bilirubin, which is produced when blood cells are broken down. As the life span of fetal blood cells is less than those of an adult, the fetal liver will produce more bilirubin.
The bilirubin is then removed from your baby via the placenta and your own liver will then rid the bilirubin from it's blood. Should a baby be born with a high bilirubin count they may get what is called Jaundice. This is typically caused by your baby's liver not being able to deal with the high bilirubin count.
A baby with Jaundice may have a yellowish tint to his/her skin and it is usually treated with the aid of phototherapy.
Your Nutrition
It is not uncommon to experience dizziness
dizziness during
pregnancy - and this is usually caused by the increasing demand being placed
on your body by your rapidly developing baby. It is not uncommon to feel light
headed if you lie on your back for too long or if you stand up to fast. It could
however also be a sign of anemia,
hypertension
or hypotension.
If you do experience dizziness on a regular basis, then you should mention this
to your health care provider.
It is vitally important that you keep your fluid intake up during pregnancy. Fluids will help your body process nutrients, develop new cells, keep up your blood volume and help regulate your body temperature. every 15 calories your body burns you should take in 1 tablespoon of water. Because your calorie needs increase during pregnancy, so do your water needs. You should be aiming to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day during your pregnancy. Drinking water may also aid with other common pregnancy problems such as
headaches, uterine cramping and
bladder infections.
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