The 22 Week Of Pregnancy

About the baby…

In the 22nd week of pregnancy, the baby has around 28-29 centimetres (so he did not grow so much in length) but he weighs 100 grams more: 450. He still has space to can extend, to roll, to hit your belly and to develop his tactile instinct (he starts touching and exploring his body). The gums are formed and his first teeth are growing. His skin is still sensitive, pink and full of furrows and develops fast. His lips, eyebrows and eyes are formed but he doesn’t yet have a determined colour of the iris.

...and the future mother

In the 22nd week of pregnancy, the moves of the baby are getting more intensified and if until now you did not figure out which ones are from him and which ones are caused by the intestinal activity, now it is impossible not to distinguish them. If you press a little your belly, you will see how the baby will also hit, answering to you. If you no longer have states of sickness, you can still be sensitive to certain smells: of cooking, of alcohol, of coffee, intense perfumes, so it is better to avoid them. If you notice certain anal bleedings, it can be because of the unpleasant haemorrhoids: it will be better if you see a doctor to find out what you can do, because the haemorrhoids can cause serious problems. The haemorrhoids appear frequently during pregnancy and birth.

What are you doing in the 22nd week of pregnancy?

Haemorrhoids. If you escaped this annoyance, it is essential to decrease the risk of their appearance, to consume a lot of liquids, to keep a strict hygiene, to consume fibres and to avoid constipation. More, it forms your muscles through Kegel exercises – you can forget about them; also do not lay too much on your back. If they already appeared, ask you doctor what you can do to ameliorate the annoyances: warm baths, unguents (but you can not make operative interventions).

Plans. If you establish already the date and duration of the maternity leave, that is very good! Take care although and inform yourself about the laws: it seems that, in the EU, a new law has passed according to which the father is obliged to take at least one month of paternity leave, while the mother will get back to work. Otherwise you will lose the allowance. So, get informed about the laws and the rules of the company (if you work at a private company) discuss with your partner and make the best decision. You should also plan who will stay at the end of the maternity leave with the baby: will you let him with the grandparents or you hire a babysitter?

Baby’s trousseau: until the 22nd week of pregnancy, you should know the sex of the baby if you choose to know it before the birth. So you can spend some cosy afternoons in two searching for all the things necessary for the new member of the family. You can go first to all the specialized shops and not buy anything to can compare the quality and the price. More, if you think of organizing a party for the baby, you should take into consideration the fact that some of the things necessary for the baby will be received as presents. This is what you should look after: a safe cot, solid and comfortable (it is not recommended that the baby sleeps in your bed at all – besides other inconvenient, he can suffocate), a special car seat, a port-baby, a buggy and the trousseau: blankets, body with press buttons, towels. More, of course, the arsenal for changing: diapers, towels, cream for cheeks. In rest, you can amuse yourself by making a list with what will follow: toys (when you see one that is irresistible, do not buy it immediately – you can put it on the list of gifts for the baby party, which will be held usually in the third semester), safety kit for the house (same advice: put them on the list), chair table, costumes for when he will be big, bootees. If however you chose the keep the wonderful surprise of the baby’s gender for the moment of the birth, you can focus just on the neutral elements: the cot, the table chair, the car seat, the buggy. Or, if you are addicted to shopping, you can make two separate lists: what you wish for a girl – what you wish for a boy.

The party for the baby: it is not the moment yet – usually, the party (the baby shower) takes place in the third semester, but to avoid the most unpleasant surprises, talk with your best friend, which will organize everything and tell her who you wish to invite and who should not come. Usually, these parties are just for women: but lately, they are made with couples too. So think very well what kind of party you want and make alone a list with the guests. Invite just the real friends and the relatives, to avoid the invidious gossips like: “she invites us just for the presents”! The baby shower should be a happy and relaxing moment with the people that you care about and not an obligation, so if you do not feel up to do it, then give it up, and nobody will judge you.