Pregnancy week 22 to week 26
Hello mummies, welcome to half way of pregnancy. How are you feeling so far? Feeling fatigue, feeling stressed or feeling excited? Well, sit back and relax. Enjoy some of information regarding your baby development. Let’s delve together!
22nd – 23rd week of pregnancy
Baby’s grip, vision and hearing are getting stronger
You are now reaching 22 weeks of pregnancy and left with 18 weeks until your delivery. This week, your baby is as big as red bell pepper, measuring 28 cm and weighs 0.45 kg. As your baby is making more sense of the world, she develops her sense of touch. Your baby’s grip, vision and hearing are getting stronger. Your baby grip is quite strong now, and sometimes they hold on tight to that umbilical cord. Their vision also becoming finer as they can perceive light and dark much better than before even with those closed eyelids. Mummies also can experiment on their baby by shining a flashlight over your belly. Although it might be dark for your baby they still can sense it. Apart from that, they also can hear your voice, your heartbeat, your gurgling stomach and the sound of your blood circulating through your body. That’s true mummies! They can hear, see and touch around their surroundings. Can’t wait to witness all of that development? Times’ will come for you, soon. Soon enough!
For mummies, there will be visible of a stretch mark as baby doubles its weight over 4 weeks. This stretch mark appeared as your skin stretches due to baby double its weight. Stretch marks are pink and purple marks that appear on your bump, boobs and thighs. Using a cream to make it disappears are unlikely true as they are no effect on it. Whether you get this stretch mark or not is possibly related with genetics. If your mother has it, the chances of you getting it are higher and vice versa. Eventually, they will fade away in colour after delivery and will be less noticeable.
Mom also begins to feel back, ankles and feet ache during pregnancy. It is normal for pregnant mum to feel back pain due to the pressure of carrying a baby. To ease the pain, you can try using a heating pad, prenatal massage or sleeping with a body pillow. You can contact your healthcare provider if the pain is severe. Besides, mummies also sustain ankles and feet ache throughout the pregnancy. Minor swelling is normal for pregnant mum and will die down as soon as the baby is born. Whereas, if you experience sudden swelling, go and seek a doctor immediately. It could be dangerous to your pregnancy.
24th week of pregnancy
Baby’s heartbeat could be heard
Once you have reached 24 weeks of pregnancy, your baby is as big as pomegranate, measuring 29 cm and weighs 0.59 kg. This week, you could hear your baby’s heartbeat. You could hear your baby’s heartbeat through a stethoscope and it is so strong. What a heartthrob! I bet all mothers out there could not wait to see their newborn! In no time, you will meet them! Many moms’ belly button will pop up around the end of the second trimester of pregnancy. Your expanding uterus will make your most inverted belly button become an outie. However, mummies you don’t have to worry, your outie will go back to an innie. We promised!
25th week of pregnancy
Inner ear fully developed
When you have reached 25 weeks of pregnancy, your baby is as big as eggplant. Your baby measuring is 33 cm and weighs 0.68 kg during this week. Plus, the baby’s inner ear is fully developed and this organ controls his sense of balance and helps your baby sense. Baby can hear your voice, so mummies can start talking to your baby.
Baby enjoys mom's voice
Your baby enjoys listening to your voice during this week and they can recognize your voice as well. They may even respond to your voice by moving or changing their position. Maybe parents can try to read a book or sing to them so they will get used to your voice. At certain times, they might respond to you but at 25 weeks of pregnancy, you can still feel their movements.
A little reminder for parents: avoid placing headphone on your belly. It is a total NO-NO!
Mommies experience leg cramps
It is common for moms-to-be to experience leg cramps, especially during the second trimester. It often strikes at night. Tips for mummies, before going to bed try to do a moderate exercise and stretch your calf muscles to minimize any discomfort. Another way to relieve the leg cramps is by having a warm bath or using an ice pack. This method also can help mummies to feel better. Although it is ache, I hope that mummies will have all the endurance to withstand all the pain. The result you will get at the end could not get any better. It is a beautiful pain for mummies!
26th week of pregnancy
Baby adding fat every day
This week your baby is about the size of scallion, measuring 36 cm and weighs about 0.91 kg. Your baby is adding fat every day. This fat helps them to smooth out the wrinkle on their skin and keeping them warm once they are born.
Baby’s nose starts working
Your baby's nostrils and nose are starting to work this week. This allows your little one to begin practicing breathing. Their nostrils open much earlier and will stay that way through all three trimesters. Of course, there will no air but your baby is breathing amniotic fluid. The practice of breathing counts, right? Also, the baby could smell various scents in utero, too. Otherwise, that sense of smell will develop by the third trimester. Your baby is practicing a lot of things inside your womb. All of that will be helpful once they are born. That moment will be a precious moment for mummies!