22 Weeks

Baby's size: Roughly 27-28cm long and weighs about 430 grams

How far along: 22 weeks today

Sleep: I didn't sleep very well at all last week, but the last two nights I have slept really soundly.

Maternity clothing: I am still able to get away with wearing my normal clothing, although I did buy some cheap tops last weekend that I don't care about stretching. I don't want to stretch all my other clothes. Although that would be a good excuse to go shopping once the baby has arrived :)

Food cravings: I still haven't had anything like what I would call cravings. Maybe I'm expecting them to be really strong cravings, like the thought of a particular food will drive me crazy until I eat it. I'm not sure if they are normally that strong for other women, but I haven't experienced those sort of cravings yet.

Food aversions: Still off most cooked vegetables and red meat, although the idea of a nice beefy pasta is growing on me. I just don't think I could handle the smell of it cooking.

Symptoms: I am definitely feeling heavier these days. I went for a walk last Thursday and by the end of it I was shuffling my way up the street towards home. Man my belly felt heavy! I am also noticing that my stomach and lungs are starting to be pushed upwards. After eating a full meal it is noticeably harder to breathe and can take several hours to ease. This may be why I had so much trouble sleeping last week. I am definitly doing some portion control this week. Lots of smaller meals and snacks!

Midwife's appointment: Thursday! I'm looking forward to being able to talk to her about a few things. I found out last week from an obstatrician at the hospital that I have a low-lying placenta. Thankfully it isn't covering my cervix, but it is really close to it, so I am looking forward to talking about this with Kerry.

I was a little silly when I found out about the placenta - I googled. Don't google issues that arise when you're pregnant, it's not good. Hopefully Kerry can identify how much of an issue this might be in terms of having a natural birth.

To look at the bright side, we will get to have an extra ultrasound at around 34 weeks, so that will be another look at the baby that most people don't get to have. Usually the 20 scan is the last one.

Movement: Baby is a little more active these days. Unfortuantely not quite enough that Dave has been able to feel anything yet. Baby doesn't move around for long periods of time, just short little bursts, a few jabs here and there throughout the day. By the time I really notice baby is moving, it has stopped again, and so far it hasn't really been hard enough to feel from the outside anyway. I do wonder if perhaps the placenta placement is affecting how much I can feel the movement.

Gender: It's a surprise!

Best moment of the week: Getting one of our spare rooms cleared out, which means I can start to get stuck into doing the baby's room!

What I miss: Having a little more variety in my diet, but other than that, not much. Maybe being able to bend over easily. Putting on socks has gotten a little uncomfortable. I should get used to that, right?!

What I'm looking forward to: The first time Dave feels the baby move. I hope it's not too far off for him. He loves this little baby so much already that I can't wait for him to have that experience.