Your Pregnancy Week 22
Baby
Your baby continues to grow and develop inside of you. He is now about the size of a small banana, measuring roughly 7 1/2 inches long and can weigh up to 12 ounces. In the coming weeks, your baby will continue to grow and mature at a fast rate.
By week 22, her pancreas, a key player in hormone production, is developing steadily. Her skin may appear wrinkled at this point, but in the coming weeks, she will be gaining enough weight to fill it out.
Her eyes have developed but her irises still lack color. Even though her irises will have color by the time she is born, you won't know her permanent eye color until she is at least 9 months old. Most parents wait until their child's first birthday to determine what their permanent color will be.
Mom
How are you feeling? Chances are you may feel a little swollen by week 22, especially in your ankles and feet. This swelling is called edema.
Edema occurs when changes in your body chemistry cause fluids to shift into your body tissue. Your enlarging uterus is putting pressure on the veins that are responsible for returning blood from the lower half of your body. This pressure slows circulation to your legs.
You may find this swelling to be worse at the end of the day. Also, if you are pregnant during the summer months, it will be worse on hotter days.
How to deal with edema...
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1. Put your feet up!
2. Avoid sitting for long periods of time.
3. If you can't avoid sitting for long periods, be sure to stretch your legs
when you can.
4. Exercise to increase circulation.
5. Wear support stockings.
6. Drink! Drink! Drink!
Though you may want to avoid fluids when you feel swollen, you need to keep hydrated because keeping a steady flow of liquids actually helps to prevent swelling.
Swelling is common at this stage in the game but you should be sure to call your physician if you notice sudden swelling, especially in your hands or face because this could be a serious condition called preeclampsia.
Preeclampsia is a complex disorder that affects 3-8% of pregnant women and usually occurs late in the 3rd trimester but can occur as early as 20 weeks. Your doctor will look for the following signs to diagnose preeclampsia: high blood pressure, swelling that doesn't go away, and large amounts of protein in your urine.
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