22 Weeks!!

How your baby's growing:

At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

How your life's changing:

At this point, you may find your belly becoming a hand magnet. It's perfectly okay to tell folks who touch your tummy that you'd rather they didn't. And if people are telling you that you look smaller or bigger than you should at this point, remember that each woman grows — and shows — at her own rate. What's important is that you see your practitioner for regular visits so she can make sure your baby's growth is on track.

You may start to notice stretch marks on your abdomen as it expands to accommodate your growing baby. At least half of all pregnant women will develop stretch marks by the time they give birth. These small streaks of differently textured skin can range from pink to dark brown (depending on your skin color). Although they most commonly appear on your tummy, stretch marks may also show up on your buttocks, thighs, hips, and breasts. There's no proof that lotion helps prevent stretch marks, but keeping your skin moisturized may help with any itching.


22 Weeks!! Woohoo! I have to say, with Dominick, I was THRILLED to be pregnant but didn't really enjoy my pregnancy. I was nervous a lot, and sick a lot, and had horrible back pain, etc. I just didn't like it too much. But I loved the outcome and was willing to "put up" with pregnancy a few more times to build our family. This time is COMPLETELY different! I'm enjoying almost all of it!

Obviously I would do without the getting up to pee 5 times a night and this heartburn/acid reflux is no joke, but for the most part, it's great this time around! I'm feeling the baby move a LOT and I love it. Nick has been able to feel her a few times but nothing really strong yet, but we can both see her move if we just stare at my belly. :) I love it.

Ha, the stretch marks paragraph makes me laugh. I had full blown stretch marks at about 14 weeks with Dominick. And I only gained about 12 pounds with him. My doctor told me it was genetic and he was sorry but there wasn't much I could do about them. And there wasn't. No matter how much cream I used, I still got 'em. This time I don't have any New ones. My old ones were faded and are still pretty faded but are becoming a bit more pronounced the later I get in this pregnancy. And that's ok. I'm ok with this. For a healthy boy and a healthy baby girl, I'll take these stretch marks. Gladly.

Happy 22 weeks baby girl!