- Preparing for Pregnancy
- Diet and Exercise
- Emotional Wellbeing
- Health
- Antenatal Care
- Preganancy at 1-3 Weeks
- Preganancy at 4 Weeks
- Preganancy at 5 Weeks
- Preganancy at 6 Weeks
- Preganancy at 7 Weeks
- Preganancy at 8 Weeks
- Preganancy at 9 Weeks
- Preganancy at 10 Weeks
- Preganancy at 11 Weeks
- Preganancy at 12 Weeks
- Preganancy at 13 Weeks
- Preganancy at 14 Weeks
- Preganancy at 15 Weeks
- Preganancy at 16 Weeks
- Preganancy at 17 Weeks
- Preganancy at 18 Weeks
- Preganancy at 19 Weeks
- Preganancy at 20 Weeks
- Preganancy at 21 Weeks
- Preganancy at 22 Weeks
- Preganancy at 23 Weeks
- Preganancy at 24 Weeks
- Preganancy at 25 Weeks
- Preganancy at 26 Weeks
- Preganancy at 27 Weeks
- Preganancy at 28 Weeks
- Preganancy at 29 Weeks
- Preganancy at 30 Weeks
- Preganancy at 31 Weeks
- Preganancy at 32 Weeks
- Preganancy at 33 Weeks
- Preganancy at 34 Weeks
- Preganancy at 35 Weeks
- Preganancy at 36 Weeks
- Preganancy at 37 Weeks
- Preganancy at 38 Weeks
- Preganancy at 39 Weeks
- Preganancy at 40 Weeks
- Labour and Birth
- The First Few Days
Pregnancy at 22 Weeks
Your baby is now the length of a large banana and would be too big to hold in the palm of one hand. By feeling (palpating) your abdomen, your midwife can now work out her position. However, there is plenty of time for this to change, and it may do so frequently. Knowing which position she is in can help you to visualize how she looks inside your uterus.
Development
Your baby's sense of touch is maturing, and she will frequently stroke her face and suck her thumb. She is learning that she can move her limbs and make them touch each other. She can 'play' at crossing and uncrossing her legs, reaching out and bending her head to touch her hand. She is developing an awareness of herself and how the parts of her body are related and will use her hands to grasp other parts of her body.
Twins have been seen on ultrasound scans reaching out, touching and responding to each other.
Appearance
Your baby's skin looks too loose for her, like that of a newborn puppy, because there is only very little fat underneath it. Her fingernails and toenails are growing and the lines and creases on the palms of her hands are becoming obvious.
Movement
By now you will be aware of your baby's movements, especially when she'startles'in response to a loud noise. Even at this stage she will jump or kick if she hears the crash of a dustbin lid or loud music! Do not worry if she has a quiet day and does not seem to move very much. She is still only small and she may be awake while you are asleep. Your baby will be awake and asleep as much now as when she is born at full term. However, by 28 weeks of pregnancy you should feel her moving at least ten times a day. If you have any worries about your baby's movement, get in touch with your midwife.
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| I am 22 -weeks pregnant and am worried about getting chickenpox as a couple of my friends' children have it at the moment. Is there anything I can do to avoid it? Can it damage my unborn baby? |
| Most adults are immune to chickenpox, but if you cannot remember whether or not you had it as a child you can have your blood tested for antibodies. Developing chickenpox during pregnancy is rare, but it could affect a baby's development if the virus was contracted before 20 weeks or after 36 weeks of pregnancy. If you develop chickenpox, your baby could contract the virus (varicella infection of the newborn). If you think that you have contracted chickenpox during your pregnancy, you can be given an injection of immunoglobulin containing chickenpox antibodies, which will lessen the effect on your baby. |