Week 22
Welcome to week 22. Your baby is now 20 weeks and is over 7" long and weighs approximately 12 ounces. Your baby now has full eyelashes and eyebrows. The liver is functioning and removing bilirubin from the baby's system. Bilirubin is the leftovers after the breakdown of blood cells. After birth, when a baby is said to be jaundiced, it is due to the bilirubin levels being too high.
Tips for Mom
Backpain can really affect pregnant women and you may be noticing it at this point. As your center of gravity shifts with your growing belly, more strain is put on your lower back. Sciatic pain also can increase as baby begins to push on the sciatic nerve. Chiropractic care can be a lifesaver for a pregnant woman. Tylenol is also safe to take and heat can also add extra relief. There is still debate and controversy over the safety of heating pads and hot baths, so if you can avoid them, do. Instead you can by a beanbag buddy that you place in the microwave and warm up. A great tip from chiropractors is to use a combination of heat and ice. Apply heat for 10-15 minutes to loosen up the joints and bones. Follow it up with ice for 10-15 minutes to redue swelling. A body pillow can also add extra relief for you while you sleep.
Hemorroids are another common complaint of pregnant women. What is a hemorroid? A hemorroid is a blood vessel that is dialated and irritated around the anus. As pregnancy nears its completion, hemmoroids can flare up and worsen and the strain of labor and pushing can also make them worse. To best avoid hemmoroids, avoid being constipated and drink lots of water. Increase your fiber intake and if necessary, use stool softeners (consult your OB first). Over the counter creams and suppositories can also help to treat them. Hemorroids usually improve after pregnancy but occassionally surgery is needed to remove them.
Anemia, or low iron in the blood, is another issue that many pregnant women face. Some of the common reasons for anemia in pregnancy is bleeding, not taking prenatals, carrying multiples (twins), antacids poor diet. Taking prenatal vitamins can help, but oftentimes women need to take an additional iron supplement on top of that. Liver, spinach and broccoli can also help increase your iron
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