At 22 weeks pregnant, your baby weighs almost one pound, measures nearly 11 inches in length, and now resembles a miniature newborn — with a functioning pancreas, developing tooth buds, and ears sensitive enough to recognise your voice. Physically, expect your body to continue changing with symptoms including stretch marks, leg cramps, dizziness, heartburn, and a protruding navel as ligaments loosen. Nutritionally, kiwi fruit stands out as an especially valuable addition to the pregnancy diet, delivering folic acid to support fetal neural development, iron to guard against pregnancy-related anaemia, calcium for the baby's bones and heart, and more potassium than a banana, more vitamin C than an orange, and more vitamin E than an avocado.
- At week 22, a baby weighs almost 1 pound and measures almost 11 inches in length.
- By week 22, the baby's pancreas begins to function, producing hormones for the brain and body and aiding digestion.
- At week 22, the baby's iris still lacks pigment despite the eyes having already formed.
- Tiny tooth buds are developing beneath the baby's gums during week 22 of pregnancy.
- Kiwi fruit contains more potassium than a banana, more Vitamin C than an orange, and more Vitamin E than an avocado.
- Folic acid, found in kiwi fruit, plays a vital role in foetal development and helps reduce the risk of neural tube defects.
- Iron deficiency during pregnancy can lead to anaemia, a common condition that causes fatigue and low energy in pregnant women.
Pregnancy Diary Week 22
Discover your pregnancy journey
Pregnancy Diary Week 22
By this week, your baby looks like a miniature of a newborn. With a weight of almost one pound and length of almost 11 inches, it is such a joy to feel your baby moving, twisting and turning in your womb. Find out what else is happening during week 22 and why a kiwi or two could be good for you!
Discover
How your baby is growing
What you can expect at this time
A beneficial food for your pregnancy nutrition
Pregnancy Diary Week 22: How Is Your Baby Growing?
As time passes by, your baby’s body is undergoing a lot of changes and developments. Now that you are in your second trimester, you can notice a lot of significant changes to your body and your baby is also developing at such a rapid rate.
By this week, your baby’s pancreas begins to be functional. It now starts producing hormones for the brain and the body. Also, it now aids the baby’s digestion. Also, your little babe is now hearing your voice and your heartbeat so talking to her can definitely help. In a little span of time, she will learn to recognize your voice.
Though her eyes have already formed, the coloured part – the iris – still lacks pigment. Also, there are tiny tooth buds developing beneath the baby’s gums.
What you can expect
This week, your body continues to expand so if you are prone to them, more stretch marks are about to come. Your bone ligaments tend to loosen so you can now begin to say goodbye to your much-loved stilettos.
Other symptoms to expect this week include leg cramps, occasional faintness, dizziness, increased vaginal discharge, constipation, heartburn and indigestion. Aside from stretch marks, you can notice your navel protruding.
Kiwis For Pregnancy Nutrition
As you know a good, varied choice of food is very important during pregnancy. What you eat is what your baby eats also. A diet composed of fruits and vegetables is very beneficial for you and for your baby. Kiwi is a very nutritious fruit to eat. It features a couple of health nutrients which are scientifically proven to be beneficial for you and your baby’s health.
Kiwi fruit is considered as one of the best superfruits in the world today. It is one of the most densely nutritious fruits available on the market today. Kiwi fruits are excellent sources of folic acid which is a very important nutrient during pregnancy. Folic acid plays a vital role in the development of the foetus in the womb. Pregnant women who lack folic acid are at a greater risk to have children with birth and neural tube defects. Folic acid also aids in the production of red blood cells which is important in the process of energy production.
Kiwi is also a good source of iron and calcium. Iron is very important in preventing the onset of anaemia which is a common condition in pregnant women. Anaemia usually causes pregnant women to suffer from fatigue and low energy. This is pretty normal during pregnancy because the body needs extra iron for the baby’s development.
On the other hand, its calcium content is useful in aiding the development of the baby’s bones, teeth and muscles. Also, calcium helps babies in having a healthy heart. Kiwi also contains high levels of potassium and Vitamin C. It contains more potassium than a banana and more Vitamin C than an orange. Also, it contains more Vitamin E than avocado. Vitamin E is known for its antioxidant content which helps prevent cell damage.
Kiwi is also a great source of other nutrients such as copper, chromium and manganese. Also, it delivers a probiotic nutrient which is good for the digestive system. It is a good source of dietary fibre which is beneficial in keeping your colon free from harmful bacteria and in maintaining a regular bowel movement. Constipation is one of the most common concerns during pregnancy and kiwi can help in preventing its occurrence
Pregnancy Diary Week 22
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DISCLAIMER
All articles on the blog and website are intended as information only. Please do not consider any of the information provided here as a substitute for medical advice. At all times seek medical advice directly with your own doctor and medical team.
ANNOUNCEMENT
This website was formerly Merrion Fetal Health. The clinic has undergone a rebrand and is now known as Merrion Ultrasound.
How big is a baby at 22 weeks pregnant?
At week 22, a baby weighs almost one pound and measures almost 11 inches in length. By this stage, the baby looks like a miniature newborn.
What is developing in a baby at 22 weeks?
At 22 weeks, the baby's pancreas begins to function, producing hormones for the brain and body and aiding digestion. Tiny tooth buds are also developing beneath the gums, and the eyes have formed, though the iris still lacks pigment.
What symptoms should you expect at 22 weeks pregnant?
Common symptoms at 22 weeks include leg cramps, occasional faintness, dizziness, increased vaginal discharge, constipation, heartburn, and indigestion. Stretch marks may increase and the navel may begin to protrude as the body continues to expand.
Can a baby hear you at 22 weeks pregnant?
Yes, at 22 weeks a baby can hear the mother's voice and heartbeat. Talking to the baby regularly can help, as the baby will gradually learn to recognise the mother's voice.
Why is kiwi fruit good during pregnancy?
Kiwi is a rich source of folic acid, iron, calcium, potassium, and Vitamin C, all of which support fetal development. Folic acid in particular helps reduce the risk of neural tube defects, while iron helps prevent anaemia, a common condition during pregnancy.
How does folic acid help during pregnancy?
Folic acid plays a vital role in the development of the foetus and helps produce red blood cells, which are important for energy production. Pregnant women who lack folic acid face a greater risk of having children with birth and neural tube defects.
How does kiwi compare nutritionally to other fruits?
Kiwi contains more potassium than a banana, more Vitamin C than an orange, and more Vitamin E than an avocado. It is considered one of the most densely nutritious fruits available and is classified as one of the best superfruits in the world.
How can kiwi help with constipation during pregnancy?
Kiwi is a good source of dietary fibre, which helps maintain regular bowel movement and keeps the colon free from harmful bacteria. Constipation is one of the most common concerns during pregnancy, and eating kiwi can help prevent its occurrence.