By 22 weeks the bump has its own gravity. People start noticing, asking, offering seats, and the pregnancy stops being a private thing you carry quietly.
At 22 weeks, your baby is roughly the size of a sweet potato, about 27.8cm long, and the lungs are developing as the baby practices breathing movements in the womb.1
How big is the baby at 22 weeks?
About 27.8cm, close to a sweet potato.1 Long and lean, with most of the rounding-out still to come.
What's happening with the baby at 22 weeks
The lungs are developing now, and the baby practices breathing movements while still surrounded by fluid.1 There's no air down there, so it's pure rehearsal, the body running through the motions long before they're needed.
What's common around week 22
Stretch marks may begin to show as the skin grows to keep up with the bump.1 Plenty of people get them and plenty don't, and a midwife or doctor can answer anything you're wondering about as they appear.
One thing to set up this week: invite the helpers
Newborn life rarely runs on two people alone. Grandparents drop by, a nanny might step in, and the more hands, the better the rotation.
Now is a calm time to invite the extra people who'll help into your nappi household, grandparents or a nanny among them. When everyone's already on the shared record, anyone watching the baby can see and log feeds, sleep, and nappies without a flurry of texts asking "when did they last eat?"
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the baby practice breathing at 22 weeks?
The lungs are developing around now, and the baby makes practice breathing movements in the womb even though there's no air to breathe yet.1
When do stretch marks start in pregnancy?
They can begin to appear around this stage as the skin stretches with the growing bump. Some people get them and some don't, and a midwife or doctor can talk them through.1
References
1. NHS. "You and your baby at 22 weeks pregnant." Link