22 weeks pregnant

22 weeks pregnant - at this time it becomes more difficult for many women to climb stairs. It's time to get used to sleeping on your left side and stop sitting “cross-legged”. The fetus grows up to 19 cm and weighs about 350 g. The nasal cartilage is formed and the sweat glands are improved.

Weeks and months
How many months does 22 weeks of pregnancy “fit”? Lunar - five and a half. Of course, if you count the obstetric weeks. And if you count from conception, then your period is two weeks longer. Get information on timing and counting methods from this publication.

The physical sensations of the expectant mother

You see your belly every day and hardly notice how it grows. Now your uterus has grown so much that its bottom is about two centimeters above your belly button. Sometimes the stomach pulls a little, the lower back aches a little. These sensations do not cause pain or serious discomfort.

In the absence of complications, you feel great. If you have a good rest, and take care of stress at work, then severe fatigue and headaches are rare. Mild nasal congestion is becoming commonplace for many.

However, you probably already noticed something. Any stairs you need to climb seem too high. Where there are no lifts, you have to take your time ascending and rest often. This is a normal condition. First, your weight has increased. Now the heart, lungs and muscles have a harder time doing their job. Secondly, with slow movements, there is much less risk of tripping, losing balance and falling.

If you are expecting twins, a large fetus, or a curvy woman, you may find it difficult to bend over to button your shoes.

Unfortunately, if you do not sleep a little, step back from your diet or get nervous, you may experience:

heartburn and / or constipation;
convulsions;
headache like migraine (with intolerance to bright light and loud sounds).

Try not to disturb your diet and avoid heavy physical and emotional stress.

You are the most beautiful

Sometimes pregnant women literally refuse to look in the mirror. Why is this happening:

the waist loses its clarity, the figure seems to blur;
the heavy chest bulges out unusually, and without support it strives to hang;
age spots appeared on the face;
facial contours have lost their clarity;
the legs and arms constantly swell, the rings on the fingers cut into the skin.

What if that's the case? Watch your weight - if it is normal, then there will be no catastrophic changes in appearance and shape. Fight swelling (see guidelines below). Stop paying attention to age spots, they will quickly disappear after childbirth. Remember: your beauty begins with your relationship to yourself.

Most pregnant women also have thicker, fuller-looking hair. This is how pregnancy hormones work - hair is less combed out and falls out.

Photo of tummies in the twenty-second week:

Allocations

Colostrum is still excreted from the breast. The droplets appear unevenly - sometimes less, sometimes quite a lot. This does not affect milk production after the baby is born. The main thing is not to express colostrum, this can cause uterine contractions.

Vaginal secretion should not be abundant. The consistency is homogeneous, without curdled lumps. The color of the discharge can be white or yellowish. Normally, there is no pungent, unpleasant odor.

If the discharge has become bright yellow, greenish, too profuse, this may be a sign of an inflammatory or infectious process. Bloody, brown discharge indicates a threat of miscarriage. In addition, amniotic fluid leakage is possible. In this case, your underwear will constantly feel damp. In case of abnormal discharge, immediately consult a doctor!

If something hurts

Now it is very important to recognize the location, strength and nature of pain. You can cope with some sensations on your own, with others, you definitely need a doctor. So what hurts and how to proceed:

Back in the upper part, ribs - most likely, you are in one position for a long time. Change your posture, walk, stretch if possible.
Legs - you seem to have traveled a long distance.
Teeth, and as if all at once from one or both sides - this sometimes happens after hypothermia or in a strong cold wind. Keep your feet warm - for example, put on suitable socks, cover up. You can rinse your mouth with warm water.
Head. Massage your temples, lie in silence and darkness. If you have a cooling patch, stick the strip on your forehead.
Throat. This is already a sign of a cold. Rinsing with calendula or furacilin will help before visiting a therapist.
Perineum when urinating. Perhaps it is cystitis, tell the doctor.
Belly and lower back. Your baby may be in danger. A miscarriage can happen at any time. At week 22, the fetus is not yet considered viable, so be careful.

It is important to remember that any medication during pregnancy must be prescribed by a doctor. Even if your pregnant friend took a drug, this does not mean that the drug is good for you.

But you should not be afraid of training fights. In this condition, the surface of the abdomen seems to be straining by itself. And then everything goes away. If this sensation is painless, you are fine.

How the fetus develops

At the 22nd week, the fetus sleeps most of the day. But even in a dream, he moves his arms and legs, touches the umbilical cord and, in general, everything that he can reach. The position of the fetus in the uterus changes several times a day, but you do not feel this in any way, unless the baby makes a sharp, strong push when moving.

Still not feeling the movement? It happens. Perhaps this is due to your overall fullness or the small size of the fetus. If doctors' research shows that your baby is okay, don't worry and wait.

And this is how the fruit looks like:

Fetal development:

fully formed marigolds begin to grow;
sweat glands improve;
the number of neural connections increases;
a cartilaginous septum forms in a tiny nose;
bone mineralization continues;
all vertebrae and intervertebral discs are fully developed in the spine;
the pancreas is completely ready for work;
the baby's eyes already have an iris, but it does not yet have a pigment (which is why the eyes change color in newborn children).

Medical observations

If you have not yet had an ultrasound, your doctor will most likely write a referral. During the study, the doctor will check the physical parameters of the fetus, check the standard indicators for the amount of amniotic fluid, check the condition of the placenta.

Go to the antenatal clinic on a schedule appointed by the gynecologist. Depending on your condition, your urine and blood tests may be required. For example, to check for the presence / absence of anemia. For anemia, the doctor will prescribe iron supplements.

You also need to visit a doctor regularly because in some cases, even at such a relatively short time, the cervix of the uterus may begin to open. This is dangerous for the fetus and requires urgent action. But only a doctor can determine such a condition before possible dangerous consequences during examination.

Photo of ultrasound at 22 weeks

Recommendations

[sc: rsa]

Adhere to the basic nutritional standards for pregnant women: vegetables + fruits, cereals and grain breads, use a variety of dairy products.
Steam all food for yourself, bake, simmer or boil. It's good if the rest of your household switches to similar food - this is good for your health and will reduce the culinary hassle.
If you have anemia, drink pomegranate juice or eat pomegranates.
Talk to your baby and allow your relatives to do this, especially the father and the baby's older brothers / sisters, if any. Not sure how to do this? Say, “Good morning baby, I'm your mom. I just woke up, and you? I had a good dream. ” When the baby is born, the habit of talking to him will be very helpful.
Do pimples often appear on your skin? We'll have to limit sweets, even natural ones.
Stop wearing rings and signet rings. Even if you have not had edema before, it can appear suddenly. In this case, the jewelry can literally cut into your finger and cause pain.
To prevent edema, never drink a lot of fluids at once.
If the edema appears constantly and is combined with high blood pressure, you may have late toxicosis (details here).
Wear a prenatal brace to support your abdomen.
Make a list of important things to do. Perhaps you need to go somewhere, fill out documents, make payments that are not available online. In the third trimester, it will be more difficult for you to visit institutions and sit in lines, and after childbirth, it may not be available at all. Interested in a movie, play or museum exhibition? Have time to look.
If you like to sit with your legs crossed, immediately unlearn this habit. In this position, you impede the circulation of the legs and some internal organs.
Get in the habit of sleeping on your left side only. Place small pillows between your knees, under your back, and under your tummy.
Take a walk every day, always among the trees (park, grove, square). Do not walk for long periods.
Try not to stay in one position for a long time when you are awake. Many muscles can now swell very quickly. This causes discomfort and even pain.
If hairs begin to grow on your body where there were none before, be patient and do not shave, as this can only increase the growth of unwanted hair and its density.
Don't be alarmed if your sex drive is heightened. Periodic hormonal surges may well surprise you. Cautious behavior and a comfortable position will give you and your partner a lot of vivid sensations without any harm. But with low water, the threat of miscarriage, low placenta, twin pregnancy and more, sex is contraindicated.
If you have flat feet, it is advisable to buy and use orthopedic insoles in your shoes - so your legs will be less tired.
Keep a journal, write down your thoughts, feelings and feelings. These notes may come in handy later - to you, your friends or family.
If you are on vacation, do not go far, do not change the climate abruptly.