22 Weeks

Friday, 2 August 2013

How far along: 22 weeks

How big baby is: 11 inches, almost 1 pound

Baby is the size of: spaghetti squash

Baby’s development: Her lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct. She is developing tiny tooth buds underneath her gums. Her eyes have formed, but the irises still lack pigment. (I wonder if they’ll be blue like her big sister’s!) Her pancreas is developing and she now has a coating of lanugo (those tiny, fine hairs that cover her body).

Mommy’s weight gain: 1 pound this week, 12 pounds total.

Mommy’s belly:

Baby’s movements: Still super wiggly; I love to sit and watch my belly in the evenings around 9:30 or 10:00 when she is super active.

Symptoms: My restless leg syndrome (yes, that’s a real thing) has gotten terrible over the last few weeks. I have dealt with it for years, although it seems to come and go and most of the time isn’t too bad at all. But while I’m pregnant it gets really bad! I struggle to sit still for very long at all, especially at a restaurant or in church. At night it sometimes makes it difficult for me to relax and fall asleep, and when I do sleep I wake up over and over to find that one of my legs has fallen asleep (again) and I have to roll over to my other side. I probably wake up at least every two hours. I have also developed a “ringing” in my ear. It’s not so much a ringing as it is a constant, high-pitched noise. Most of the time I don’t notice it, but when I’m somewhere quiet it drives me crazy. I have read that this can be related to pregnancy. I’m not positive, of course, if that is the case for me. But I hope that it is, in which case it would be expected to cease not long after delivery.

Food cravings: None really. I have been in the mood for ice cream, but not necessarily craving it, I don’t think.

Emotions: I’m still super emotional at certain times. I guess that’s to be expected.

Sleep: I am sleeping okay, but the restless legs and leg cramping does make it difficult. I wake up more frequently.

What I am looking forward to: My appointment next week. I always look forward to seeing her on the ultrasound and having the reassurance from the doctor that she is as perfect as can be.