Pregnancy Week 22

At 22 weeks pregnant, your baby’s brain is entering a period of rapid growth. This growth will continue through pregnancy and long after birth, as your baby’s brain keeps developing through the early years of childhood.

Your baby may measure around 19cm from head to bottom and weigh around 450g, although babies vary. 

The lungs are also taking important steps forward. Cells that will help produce surfactant are developing, and small amounts of surfactant may begin to appear around this stage. Surfactant helps the tiny air sacs in the lungs stay open, but your baby is not ready to breathe air yet. 

Your baby may now respond more noticeably to the world outside the womb. Sudden noises, music, your voice, movement, a car journey or even household vibrations may wake them or prompt a burst of activity. Not quite a full review of your playlist, but they are listening in their own way.

Hair is becoming more visible too. Your baby may have fine hair on the head, and the eyebrows are beginning to show. At this stage, the hair has little or no pigment, even if it becomes much darker after birth.

Your baby’s hands are getting stronger as well. They may make grasping movements, and blinking movements are developing even though the eyelids are still closed. 

By the end of this stage of pregnancy, your uterus may reach around the level of your belly button. Your bump may feel more obvious now, and you may notice more pulling, stretching or heaviness as your body adjusts.

This is a common point for iron levels to become more important. During pregnancy, your blood volume increases, and your body needs enough iron to make healthy red blood cells. If iron stores are low, you may become anaemic.

Signs of possible iron-deficiency anaemia can include:

Some tiredness is expected in pregnancy, but exhaustion that feels disproportionate is worth mentioning. Anaemia can be checked with a blood test and treated if needed.

Week 22 can be a lovely stage if you are feeling regular movement. Your baby may seem more responsive now, reacting after food, music, rest, noise or when you finally sit down after a busy day.

That can make the pregnancy feel more personal. It can also make quiet periods more noticeable, especially if you are starting to recognise active times.

At this stage, movements may still vary, but you should gradually become familiar with what feels normal for your baby. If you are ever worried about a change in movement, contact your midwife or maternity unit rather than waiting to see if it improves.

You may also feel more physically pregnant now. Your bump, energy levels, sleep, digestion and stamina may all be changing. If you are tired, do not automatically file it under “just pregnancy”. Sometimes the practical answer is more rest. Sometimes it is food, fluids, iron, sleep, workload, or asking for help before you hit the wall.

This week, put iron on your radar. You do not need to overhaul your diet, but it is worth regularly including iron-rich foods such as lean red meat, poultry, eggs, beans, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, nuts, seeds, fortified cereals and dark green vegetables.

To get more from iron-rich meals:

Ways to build on this: