Your baby continues to grow and develop inside of you. He/She is now
about the size of a small banana, measuring 7 1/2 inches long and can
weigh up to 12 ounces. In the coming weeks your baby will continue to
grow and mature a fast rate.
By week 22, her pancreas, a key player in hormone production, is
developing steadily. Her/His skin may appear wrinkled at this point, but in
the coming weeks, she will be gaining enough weight to fill it out.
Baby's eyes have developed but his irises still lack color. Even though
his irises will have color by the time he is born, you won't know her
permanent eye color until he is at least 9 months old. Most parents
wait until their child's first birthday to determine what their
permanent color will be.
Mom
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...
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.