22weeks
pregnant

Highlights this week

Check out ways for you and your partner to bond with your bump.

Depression during pregnancy is common in both mums-to-be and dads-to-be. Learn to spot the signs.

Baby development at 22 weeks

Your baby now looks like a miniature newborn. Their lips are becoming more distinct and their eyes have developed. Although the irises still lack pigment, their eyebrows and eyelids are in place. Their pancreas, essential for hormone production, is developing steadily. The first signs of teeth are even showing below their gum line.

Read more about your baby's development this week.
See for yourself how your baby is growing in our 3D video.

Eyes are now fully formed but eyelids are still closed
Your baby's now completely covered with fine, downy hair
In boys, the testicles are starting to descend into the scrotum

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Your baby is the length of a cucumber

length

27.8

head to toe

weight

430

Pregnancy symptoms at 22 weeks

You'll probably notice you're steadily gaining weight and that your appetite is increasing. Don't give yourself a hard time if you give in to an occasional yearning for ice cream. But do try to find a healthy substitute if you're craving junk food.

See other BabyCenter mums' baby bumps at 22 to 24 weeks of pregnancy.

As long as you're gaining a healthy amount of weight, that's fine. Your body is busy providing nutrients for your baby, and around now your breasts will start to make colostrum.

Colostrum is the rich first milk, full of protein and antibodies, which your baby will need in their first few days. By the time your baby is born, the glandular tissue in your breasts will have doubled in size.

Other changes you may notice are increased vaginal discharge and the need to go to the loo more often.

Discharge and the urge to wee more often are normal pregnancy symptoms. But these could also be symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI), which you're more susceptible to now. So see your GP or midwife if you're concerned you may have UTI symptoms.

Your belly may itch like crazy as your skin stretches
Stretch marks may appear on your belly, thighs, hips, and breasts

What you need to know

If you still haven't felt your baby move yet, there's no need to worry at this stage.
Want to know whether those pizza toppings are safe to eat? Find out which cheeses and cured meats are all right for you to have.
Are you thinking of asking your mum or mother-in-law to look after your baby when you go back to work? Find out how it worked for these BabyCenter parents.
Have you chosen a theme for your baby's nursery yet?
Oliver, Archie or Lucas? Lily, Skye or Erin? If you don't know where to start, follow our tips on choosing a name.

Pregnancy tip: ask for help

"I started to suffer from backache at work. I asked my company to provide me with a simple cushion support that slipped over the back of my chair. It made me so much more comfortable."
Corinne

Danielle Townsend

Danielle Townsend is a content and communications specialist. She was an editor at BabyCenter for over a decade.

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