Your baby

Your little one now measures around 27cm from head to toe and is growing eyebrows and eyelashes. He or she can now hear when you talk – try singing or reading to them and see if you get any kicks in response.

They may be constantly touching their face or grasping the umbilical cord.

Your baby will be starting to store fat beneath their skin, this is vital to the development of the nervous system.

As your baby swallows amniotic fluid their body has stores the waste as meconium. This is the green/black poo that most newborns produce in their first 24 hours.

You

As a 22 week pregnant mum-to-be, you may find this is an enjoyable time of pregnancy – the aches and pains are fading and 22 weeks pregnant weight gain isn’t enough to make you feel uncomfortable.

Your uterus may be above your belly button now but women’s bumps vary in size during the same week of pregnancy.

You may find you’ve become forgetful and frequently lose your train of thought. The jury’s still out on whether ‘baby brain’ really exists, but some women are sure of it!

Vaginal bleeding can happen for a number of reasons. If you experience any bleeding during pregnancy at all, visit your midwife or doctor to be on the safe side.

What to think about

Parents-to-be may put off buying baby equipment, like buggies and car seats, until later in the pregnancy but that can be quite demanding and tiring. So make use of your energy and begin to think about what your baby will need.

You might want to consider thinking about baby names. Although many parents wait until their babies are born, it may be an idea to have a think about what you would like to name your baby.

The results of your amniocentesis test may be returned this week, if there’s any thing you’re unsure of make sure you talk this through with your midwife or doctor.