Canada's Largest & Oldest Cord Blood Bank
Is your belly button now an outie? Don’t worry, it will go back after delivery.
This Week’s Highlights
Your baby now weighs almost 1 pound
Your baby is learning to grasp things
You may start experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions
Your Baby at 22 Weeks
Your baby is the length of a spaghetti squash, measuring about 10.9 inches (27.8 centimeters) long and weighing in at about 15.2 ounces (430 grams).
Baby Development at Week 22
Your baby now looks like the newborn you will be soon meeting, minus the layer of baby fat.
The eyes are now fully formed, but the irises will only develop pigment after birth. Your baby is now able to sense external stimuli. Try shinning a flash light on your belly at night and see if your baby will respond with movement.
The digestive system is getting plenty of practice as your baby continues to swallow amniotic fluid. At this point, his or her body is absorbing small amounts of sugar from the fluid.
Your baby is also peeing out the excess water. Any waste in this urine makes it into your blood system through the placenta. Your kidneys are responsible for processing both your and your baby’s waste products.
If you haven’t had your mid-pregnancy ultrasound yet, it is probably scheduled for this week. You will finally see your baby in action. The technician will measure the size of your little ones organs and may even tell you your baby’s gender.
Don’t forget to ask for a printout of your ultrasound.
Pregancy Tip
Try not to think too much about calories and weight gain. You are eating and gaining weight to sustain your baby! Smaller, more frequent meals can help alleviate some of the pesky pregnancy symptoms like indigestion and heartburn.
Your Bump at 22 Weeks
For the remainder of your pregnancy, your bump will continue to expand in order to accommodate the growing baby. If you are feeling uncomfortable with the changes your body is going through from time to time, just remember these feelings are normal.
Try talking to a friend, a loved one or your healthcare provider about what you are going through. Keep eating healthy and continue to exercise.
How Far Along are You?
22 weeks in, 18 weeks to go! You are more than halfway through your pregnancy. Even though pregnancy is measured in weeks this means you are in your sixth month of pregnancy.
How Your Body is Changing
With hormonal changes that happen during pregnancy, you will likely feel hotter and sweatier than normal. If you are going through your pregnancy in the summer, try to stay cool by wearing loose fitting clothing, drinking lots of water, using a fan or an air conditioner and opting for a cool bath.
It is also normal to feel a bit out of breath or feel your heart racing after climbing a flight of stairs. Decreased space in your abdominal cavity and changes in circulation are responsible for these symptoms. However, if your heart continues to race and stays that way contact your healthcare provider immediately.
New this week are Braxton Hicks contractions, which are caused when the muscles in your uterus flex. These irregular, painless squeezing sensations are not dangerous. You can think of them as a dress rehearsal – your body getting ready for the delivery. Braxton Hicks contractions are not strong enough to push your baby out!
Stem Cell Buzzwords Explained
Thinking about doing more research on newborn stem cells?
Adult stem cells, newborn stem cells, pluripotent and totipotent are just some of the many buzzwords you will encounter when you start looking into cord blood banking. But, no need to worry. We’ve created a cheat sheet with some of the most common buzzwords to help you navigate your research.
Check out this cheat sheet first! https://www.healthcord.com/stem-cell-buzzwords-explained/
Diet at Week 22
In your second trimester, you should be consuming extra 340 calories per day to keep up with your baby’s growth. This does not mean you should be living with the philosophy of “eating for two” at every meal. Nor should you count every calorie that is part of your diet.
Why not consider adopting a happy medium and focus on your meal plans to ensure that you are including all essential food groups? If you are stickler for tracking, we suggest keeping count of the following three nutrients, which are essential for your baby’s skeletal and brain development.
- Vitamin D – Found in fortified milk, cereals and egg yolk
- Magnesium – Nuts, seeds, yogurt and bananas
- Omega-3 – Fatty fish, chia seed, fortified foods
Exercise at Week 22
With your belly continuing to expand, you should focus on building up your strength this trimester.
Back pain is one of the most common symptoms experienced by moms-to-be in this trimester. Back exercises such as seated rows, pelvic tilts, low backstretches and leg raises can not only help strengthen your back, but can also help relieve your back pain.
Incorporate at least 30 minutes of low-impact activities such as walking, swimming or cycling to your routine to build your endurance. Exercise will keep your pregnancy weight in check, help you during labour and facilitate your weight loss after the baby.
Pregnancy Symptoms at Week 22
Belly button changes – Halfway through your second trimester you may find that your belly button is suddenly an “outie” and is protruding through your cloths. The rapid growth your uterus is going through is responsible here. Even the most inverted belly button can “pop out” when the uterus pushes back on the abdominal wall. But not to worry, your belly button will go back to normal once the baby is born.
Swollen feet and ankles– Edema or swelling of feet and ankles is caused by increased water retention during pregnancy. The increase in fluids is cause by increased blood flow to both your and your baby and the fact that the blood gets returned back to your heart at a slower rate. You may also experience more swelling in your feet, if you’ve gained extra weight. A relaxing footbath or resting your feet by putting them up every so often can help.
Braxton Hicks contractions – Braxton Hicks contractions are named after Dr John Braxton Hicks who first described them. They are the result of muscles in your uterus flexing, preparing your body for labour. However, unlike true labour contractions they are not strong enough to push your baby out. Braxton Hicks contractions often go away when you shift your position. They are also irregular and do not last for more than 1 minute.
Leg cramps – Leg cramps can be frequent in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and can be more frequent at night interrupting your much-needed rest. While the causes behind them are not completely understood, there are several remedies you can take to reduce their frequency and duration. Staying hydrated, stretching, resting your feet when possible, and including more calcium and magnesium in your diet can be helpful.
Racing heart – It is estimated that your heart rate is about 25% faster during pregnancy. Now that your heart is pumping almost 30% to 50% more blood, it is normal to feel your heart racing from time-to-time during pregnancy. But if you feel your heart racing along with shortness of breath and these symptoms persist for a long period of time, contact your healthcare provider.
Cord blood is the blood remaining in the umbilical cord and placenta after birth. It contains rare stem cells that have many potential medical applications.
We have put together a fantastic webinar that will introduce you to cord blood and everything you need to know about it.
