22 weeks pregnant: Baby’s development, symptoms and top tips

Your baby is now around 28cm in size (roughly the same as a corn on the cob), half the size they’ll be when they’re born. They weigh almost half a kilo at 430 – 475 grams, but this weight still isn’t the main reason for your own weight gain. By the time they’re born, they’ll have put on a lot more weight, which will be crucial for them to survive and thrive outside the womb.

All that movement will wear your baby out.That’s right: they’re already sleeping as much as a newborn. Unfortunately, their sleep patterns may not be the same as yours – so when you’re trying to get to sleep, your unborn baby may already be keeping you up.

Your baby’s lungs are developing, and your baby will be using them a bit, but they won’t be fully developed until you are full term, which is why doctors don’t like to bring babies early unless there is a good reason to do so.

Myelin is continuing to develop, growing around your baby’s nerves and helping that complex messaging system to work, enabling your baby to do things like grip, suck and swallow. Your baby’s eyes are still closed at the moment, but in just a few weeks they’ll be open and better able to differentiate between light and dark from within your womb. Incredible!

Baby movements

It’s all about the baby movements now. If you haven’t felt anything yet, don’t panic. It could be you just need to sit quietly for a while and ‘tune in’ to your body – those early movements can be easy to miss or mistake for something else.

If you are feeling your baby move, share that feeling with your partner by showing them where to put their hand on your belly. This is a great opportunity for all three of you to bond.

Sometimes you’ll only barely feel your baby, and sometimes you might not feel them at all, but this is nothing to worry about. You should take advantage of the time when they’re not moving around: they’re about to undergo an enormous growth spurt which will make things noticeably different.

Weight gain

You'll definitely have noticed that you’ve put on weight alongside your 22-week pregnant bump. This is to be expected, and you’ll put on more in the months to come. The extra pounds are spread over your belly, hips, breasts and bottom, where pregnant women’s fat reserves build up.

Your doctor and midwife will regularly monitor your weight gain, as it’s a key indication that your pregnancy is progressing well and your child is developing as they should. Don’t worry about the odd kilo – simply enjoy being pregnant. You can always use our weight chart calculator to see how much weight you should ideally gain up to the due date.

Your breasts are preparing to feed your baby

Your breasts are now developing specific features for breastfeeding. Small protrusions called mammary glands are forming on your areolas (the areas around your nipples) to clean and lubricate your nipples while you’re breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding is a strenuous task, and the mammary glands produce a fatty liquid substance which soothes the surrounding nipple tissue, makes it supple and helps prevent sores. If you notice this substance leaking, you can simply spread it over your nipples with your fingers, but often you won’t know it’s happening – mother nature does it for you.

The increased blood flow to your mammary gland tissue might also result in blue veins becoming visible under your skin or even protruding clearly. This is nothing to worry about – but you can take it as a reminder that you need to look after your breasts. If you experience soreness, gently massaging your breasts in a circular motion will help (lavender oil helps soothe the pain and makes your strained skin more supple).

Your bras should provide good support, and the straps shouldn’t be digging in to your skin. If you like, you can start wearing a nursing bra now and/or cooling inserts specially designed to reduce the soreness in women’s breasts, and you can keep wearing them when you’re breastfeeding.

Piles/haemorrhoids

Not all pregnant women get haemorrhoids, but it’s a fairly common problem. Once again, it’s a side effect of those pregnancy hormones, which make your veins relax. It can also be caused by constipation and straining to poo. It’s not nice, but it’s not going to last forever.

Don’t suffer in silence, though, and don’t be embarrassed. Talk to your midwife, who will be able to recommend an ointment to treat the symptoms of piles, and could perhaps also suggest improvements to your diet to alleviate constipation.

Back ache

Back ache is part and parcel of a growing bump and a shifting centre of gravity. If you’re sitting at a desk all day, you may find you need to adjust your chair, or add a small pillow to support your back and prevent your posture from collapsing. Get up at regular intervals and walk around, and don’t forget about your stretches. If you have the opposite problem – being on your feet all day – you need to make sure you’re getting enough rest. (And also stretching!)

If you’re finding night-time particularly uncomfortable, experiment with your pillows to find a comfortable way to sleep. Pregnancy or breastfeeding pillows can be useful to prop up your bump and maintain a gap between your knees, which eases the pressure on your hips and lower back. But if you’re a restless sleeper, you might need a more flexible option. Check our guide to pregnancy pillows for more information.

Braxton Hicks

Have you heard about the false contractions that can occur throughout the second and third trimester?

Braxton Hicks is said to be your body’s way of preparing for pregnancy – sometimes it might feel like it’s your body’s way of psyching you out and making you think you’re heading into labour when you’re not.

Braxton Hicks are not painful as such, but can be uncomfortable. They can also be a sign that you need to take it easy – so listen to your body.

Coping with Braxton Hicks

There are some key things to remember with Braxton Hicks:

If you’re experiencing Braxton Hicks, it might be a sign that you’re overdoing it. Have a drink and a lie down and see how you feel. If you’re worried or unsure whether it’s Braxton Hicks or labour pains, call your midwife.

FFN tests

If you are presenting signs that make your health professional think you might be at risk of early labour (e.g. abdominal pain, cramping, or contractions) they might recommend Fetal Fibronectin testing (an FFN test). This is a swab test that looks for fetal fibronectin in your vaginal canal.

This substance is present at the start of pregnancy and near the end. If it is present between weeks 23 and 34, it could be a sign that your body is preparing to give birth. The test is helpful in confirming that you are not at risk of a preterm birth (i.e. there is no fetal fibronectin present – a negative result), but a positive result does not necessarily mean that you are about to go into early labour. It just means you are at increased risk. In this instance, your health professional will discuss possible treatment with you.

Nutrition

It seems the subject of healthy eating comes up a lot, but that is because what you eat during pregnancy has an impact on both your health and the health of your baby. For example, if you’re suffering with fatigue, it could be a sign that you need more iron in your diet. Leg cramps could signal that you’re low on magnesium. Constipation could indicate you need to drink more.

Listen to your body and try to eat a healthy balanced diet so that you’re giving it all the nutrition it needs to cope with pregnancy and all the strain that puts on your body. Remember, all the food you eat is doing double duty – providing nutrition to you and your baby.

Is 22 weeks considered 6 months pregnant?

No, not yet. If you measure in standard calendar months, you’re just over 5 months pregnant. You’ll be 6 months pregnant at about 25 weeks.

What is baby doing in the womb at 22 weeks?

Your baby is listening to your heartbeat, your voice and all the sounds going on around you. They are clenching and unclenching their fists, pumping their arms and legs, and turning somersaults in your womb.

They are busy learning how to use their body – including that sucking and swallowing reflex – and practicing breathing. It’s incredible how much they will learn before they come out into the world.

How often should I feel baby move at 22 weeks?

Most people can feel their baby move by the time they are 24 weeks pregnant. (If you can’t, tell your midwife and they will check the baby’s heartrate.) You might feel the swirling of amniotic fluid, the rhythmic twitching of hiccups, or the full-on prod of a kick in the gut. However, movements at this stage are difficult to track, and it’s impossible to say how often you ‘should’ feel baby move at 22 weeks.

The best thing you can do is try to notice what is normal for you – the baby’s waking and sleeping patterns, how active they are, if they react to anything specific like cold drinks or loud noises – and remember it. It will change over time – movements typically grow increasingly pronounced up to the birth – but having that baseline knowledge will help you determine what’s ‘normal’ for you.

Is baby fully developed at 22 weeks?

If you were to see a 3D image of your baby right now, it would be entirely recognisable. All the obvious stuff is in place, and their body is in proportion to their limbs and head. However, your baby is not fully developed yet. They will keep developing right up until they are born – and obviously for many years beyond that.

Where is the baby located at 22 weeks?

Your uterus has expanded and is now a couple of centimetres above your belly button. It could be a pronounced bump, or easy to hide, depending on your body shape. Inside your womb, your baby is still comfortably moving around and hasn’t yet adopted a fixed position.

Got questions? At the HiPPBabyClub, we bring you real-world advice and support from HiPP parents, midwives, nutritionists and more. Join our Baby Club to find out more.