22nd Week of Pregnancy
Moms-to-be, you are now around 5 months pregnant. Your health care provider may ask you to visit him/her every week for check up. After a few weeks, your prenatal visits will increase as your health care provider will want you to come for the check ups regularly.
Your baby is now nearly 10 inches long and weighs almost 14 ounces. As each individual is different, each baby’s growth will be different at different stages of pregnancy. Therefore, do not push the panic button if your baby’s growth is slightly more or less than your friend’s baby. Many of you moms-to-be will find second trimester of pregnancy more comfortable than the 1st one.
Your baby now looks like a new born baby, however is comparatively very small. Though there is a rapid development in your baby’s appearance, skin is yet to form properly. Your baby will continue to grow for next 18 week or till the time of birth. Eyes have been formed with eyebrows and eyelids in their respective places. Iris, the colored part of the eye, is yet to develop. Your baby’s brain is growing rapidly each day.
Many of you may experience minor pain in their lower abdomen and slight backache. It may be normal or a sign of pre term labor. Contact your doctor or health care provider immediately. He/she will conduct one test to determine whether it is normal or the beginning of pre term labor.
If you have kids, then let your partner take care of them for some time during daytime so that you can take some time to take rest or do some activity you like. Take enough rest so that your legs do not swell by the end of day. Do not change positions all of a sudden. Move around deliberately. Spend some quality time with your partner as you will not get time once your baby is born. Though intercourse is not easy, some kind of physical closeness will certainly help you and your partner psychologically.
Consult your doctor and if you get his/her approval then you can enjoy some moments together. Holding hands, caressing, cuddling, hugging can do wonders in developing a new bond between you and your partner.
Most of you may suffer from heartburn and indigestion. Weight gain, fatigue, breast tenderness are the most common symptoms that can be experienced during pregnancy. Do not take any medicines without consulting with your health care provider. Include potassium and calcium in your regular diet that can help you in keeping cramps away. Milk, cheese, fresh fruits like banana, orange and grapefruit are a good source of calcium and potassium. Eat healthy.
Enroll yourself in one of the childbirth classes if you have not done that already. You and your partner can find great support by listening to other couples experiences and sharing yours with them. If you are facing difficulties in finding such childbirth education classes, contact nearest community center to help you find such classes.
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