What's happening when you're 22 weeks pregnant? Your baby hits a mini milestone this week. At a full pound, she bids bye-bye to postal-scale weigh-ins and graduates to the real thing. And at almost 8 inches, your little bear is about the size of the teddies she’ll be playing with before you know it.
A lot has to happen before then, of course, but things are moving along at a brisk pace. Your baby’s quickly developing nervous system is sharpening her senses more and more each day, putting her in touch with her world and her own body. In fact, a newfound sense of touch is making things a lot more fascinating in her cozy domain, as tiny fingers reach out to explore tiny toes. And what’s that? My nose and my ears!
Those same fidgety digits feel their way along the uterine walls, grasping onto the branch-like umbilical cord with all their might. Your wee one is already working on the strong grip she’ll use to grab onto your finger when she’s a newborn.
Your baby’s sense of sight is also coming into focus. What can she see at this point? Even though it’s dark inside your tummy and her eyelids are still fused shut, your baby can perceive light when you let the sun – or a flashlight – shine on your belly. Her sufficiently developed cochlear membranes in the ears are tuned up to hear and process sounds from inside your body. What’s your little one listening to now? Your breathing, the whoosh of your blood flow, your rumbling tummy, and of course, the pitter-pattering of your heartbeat.
Did You Know?
Fewer than five percent of women give birth on their assigned due-date. What’s more, the actual duration of labor is another area where expectations, especially for first-time pregnancy don’t play out in reality. For example, many women believe their labor will last between eight to 12 hours, but it’s entirely plausible that a first labor can last 24 hours or more.
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