By week 22 of pregnancy, the baby is close to weighing about half a kilogram. Your baby’s grip, vision and hearing are all getting stronger now. As your belly gets bigger, you might notice a protruding navel. Your uterus is now about an inch above your belly button — and growing really fast. Your feet might also appear bigger because of the hormones. The only saving grace: maybe, you can’t see them below your belly!

Garbha Vriddhi

पञ्चमे मनः प्रतिबुद्धतरं भवति मांसशोणितोपचयश्च ।। ( अष्टांग् संग्रह शारीरस्थान २/२३)

Ayurveda says there is an increase in the anabolism of the blood and flesh in foetus this month along with enlightenment of mind (buddhi).

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Your Pregnancy Symptoms

Eye See Progress!

Though baby's eyelids are still sealed shut, your little one can sense light and dark now. If you shine a torch on your belly, you will be sure to get a complaining kick! Tear ducts are also forming and your baby now has eyebrows — little tufts of fine white hair. A little frown that furrows the brows may have started appearing.

Mind your Language!

The baby's ears are beginning to hear and process sounds from inside your body — your breathing, your rumbling tummy, your heartbeat. They are getting tuned to picking outside noises, too.

Learning to grab

Baby's nervous system is sharpening the five senses, which means those little fingers are learning to grab those ears, nose and umbilical cord. The grip is quite strong now, and it’s common for the baby to hold on tight to that umbilical cord. Of course, not tight enough to squeeze it, so don’t worry.

Hair is sprouting

There is fine hair (lanugo) that covers the baby’s body and the deep wrinkles remain on the skin. Once fat starts adding to the body, over the last weeks, those wrinkles will fill out.

Brain is acquiring folds

In this week, the surface of your baby's brain, which has previously been smooth, begins to develop folds. This creation of hills and valleys in the brain will continue until the 34th week of pregnancy, when your baby's brain will have large enough surface space for all the brain cells.

Your Pregnancy Symptoms

Acidity after meals

With your appetite getting bigger, you might tend to have a large meal at times. That may lead to acidity and indigestion because your hormones have slowed your metabolism. Try to eat curd and keep meal sizes limited.

Bigger nose

Some pregnant women notice a swelling in their nose and/or change in shape. This is because the mucous membranes in your nose start swelling due to pregnancy hormones circulating in your body increasing blood flow. Blockage of the nose and snoring may be annoying side-effects.

Protruding navel

Your belly-button may have popped outwards. It is now called an ‘outie’. After delivery it will revert back to an innie. However, post delivery, you might have a slightly larger navel, permanently.

Enlarged feet

Feet get bigger because of the hormone relaxin. If not done already, get some comfy footwear that doesn’t pinch your feet. At home you could wear anti-skid socks if footwear makes you uncomfortable.

Hemorrhoids

Piles, also known as haemorrhoids, they're swellings inside or around your anus and rectum. You could feel itchy and in pain when you go for your big job. You may also see spots of blood or mucus. That's because the pregnancy hormone, progesterone, relaxes the walls of your blood vessels and causes them to swell up.

iMumz Wellness Tip

Are piles or haemorrhoids bothering you?

‘Kati Snaana’ or sitz bath is a very helpful home remedy as per Ayurveda to relieve the pain and bleeding in piles.

-Arrange the sitz bath tub as per the size which suits you which can be placed on the toilet seat rim.

-Fill the sitz bath with warm water, then, add alum powder and salt to the water.

-Sit in the sitz bath for 10-20 minutes and practice contraction and relaxation of the anal muscles in the warm water.

-Gently pat dry the affected area once you finish.

We have curated several pregnancy lifestyle sessions and expert-led webinars to help mums to build flexibility and to prepare their bodies for delivery.

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Here are vessel-tips that will make your grandmother very happy. Indeed, age-old wisdom had merit in it and we, at iMumz, are committed to keeping it alive.‍

Using iron-cast utensils during pregnancy helps to improve the iron content in your blood.

Use iron pans to make rotis or saute veggies in. Use iron kadhaai to make green leafy vegetables. But, do not use iron vessels to make sour curries, rasam, sambhar in!

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Using copper vessels for water storage will protect you from many common infections. Copper does actually have very potent antibacterial properties.

Using mud pots or ‘surahis’ for storing water during summer will not only cool it, it will also  neutralize the acidic value and maintain the PH balance.

Your Pregnancy check-ups

If you have a prenatal visit this week, you can expect the doctor to check both your health and your baby’s progress.

You will be informed about an upcoming glucose screening—a routine test that checks for gestational diabetes. You might take this test at your next appointment, sometime between the 24th and 28th week of pregnancy.

Around this time, a dental check-up might be needed by some pregnant women. This is because some women get swollen, tender, or even bleeding gums. This is because you have increased progesterone hormone levels, which can make you more susceptible to developing the bacterial plaque that impacts gum health.

In addition to avoiding junk food, make sure you rinse your mouth with a good mouthwash after every meal.

Do visit your  dentist if you notice signs of gingivitis.

What should you eat in this week of pregnancy?

While you should continue on eating from all food groups and keeping your plate colourful, let’s look at one nutrient that often gets missed: It’s called Omega-3 fatty acids. This fatty acid supports the brain, eyes, immune system, cardiovascular system, and central nervous system. Its consumption may prevent early delivery, decrease the chance of postpartum depression, and reduce the risk of developing preeclampsia. You can find plenty of omega-3 fatty acids in flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts.

Recipe: Potato-Walnut Boats

• 8 large potatoes
• 2 tbsp - coarsely crushed walnuts
• 2 tbsp - grated paneer  
• 1 tbsp - raisins (kishmish)
• 2 tsp - fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• 1/2 tsp - chaat masala
• 1 tsp - finely chopped ginger
• 1 tsp - finely chopped mint leaves
• 1 tsp - lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp - black cumin seeds (shahi jeera)
• A pinch of garam masala
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

Method

Peel the potatoes and scoop out the centres leaving thin walls at the sides. Fry these hollow potato shells until the shells turn crisp on the sides. Use an airfryer if you have one. It keeps the recipe oil-free (almost!).

• Do not let them brown.
• Remove from oil and drain on absorbent kitchen paper towels. Saute the scooped out pulp separately and set aside to cool.
• Mash the scooped and sauteed potato pulp.
• Add the walnuts, paneer, garam masala, raisins,  coriander leaves, mint leaves, ginger, black cumin, lemon juice and salt to taste. Mix well.
• Stuff and press the mixture into the potato shells.
• Pan fry or over-roast them.
• Sprinkle chaat masala and serve.

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