The Oh Baybee! Podcast

22 Weeks Pregnant: What To Expect

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EP 91:

In today’s episode of the Oh Baybee! Podcast, we’re talking all about what to expect at 22 weeks pregnant. This is the sweet spot of the second trimester—your bump is bumpin’, the kicks are kickin’, and you’re probably wondering if that weird twinge in your lower belly is normal (spoiler: it is!).

I’m sharing:

  • What your baby is up to at 22 weeks (hint: they’re getting cuter by the day!)
  • Common symptoms you might be feeling
  • My top doula tips to stay comfy and confident
  • Why this is the perfect time to start prepping for birth

Whether you're a first-time mama or doing this all over again, I’ve got you covered with real talk, expert advice, and zero judgment.

✨ Want to prep for birth, breastfeeding, AND newborn life in one go?
 Grab my Bump To Bundle Blueprint: In today’s episode of the Oh Baybee! Podcast, we’re talking all about what to expect at 22 weeks pregnant. This is the sweet spot of the second trimester—your bump is bumpin’, the kicks are kickin’, and you’re probably wondering if that weird twinge in your lower belly is normal (spoiler: it is!).

I’m sharing:

  • What your baby is up to at 22 weeks (hint: they’re getting cuter by the day!)
  • Common symptoms you might be feeling
  • My top doula tips to stay comfy and confident
  • Why this is the perfect time to start prepping for birth

Whether you're a first-time mama or doing this all over again, I’ve got you covered with real talk, expert advice, and zero judgment.

✨ Want to prep for birth, breastfeeding, AND newborn life in one go?
Click here to get VIP access as soon as it goes live! Bump To Bundle Blueprint Waitlist

Connect With Me:

Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review if this episode made you feel seen, supported, or just a little more prepared. You’ve got this, mama! 💛

Hi, I'm Stephanie Poole, founder and CEO of Birth Prep Academy. I'm on a mission to help pregnant moms prepare for their first hospital birth. I'm sharing revealing conversations about what it really takes to successfully transition into motherhood. So join me. Here to discover things like what to expect in childbirth, how to prepare for your birth. We'll also talk about breastfeeding and so much more. I'm so grateful to share it all with you right here on Oh Baby, the podcast created for pregnant moms preparing for their first hospital birth. Let's get started. So you are 22 weeks pregnant. Congrats. You are officially in the sweet spot of the second trimester, but don't let the calm fool you, your baby, your body and even your brain are doing some wild things right now in this episode. I'm breaking down what's really going on at 22 weeks pregnant. Some of it might surprise you. I'm gonna be sharing things like what weird symptoms are actually normal right now, what your baby's doing, And three powerful ways to prep now for an easier birth and breastfeeding journey. And trust me, most pregnancy apps and doctor's visits really tend to skip this, but I won't. So stick around to the end because I've got a little secret that could make your postpartum and breastfeeding experience 10 times easier. So with that being said, let's jump in. all right, so let's talk baby. At 22 weeks, your baby is about the size of a papaya, which is about 11 inches long, and just under a pound, but it's not just about the size. Here's the cool stuff happening this week. First up, taste buds are on. Yep. You know, we've talked about it in previous videos, but your baby is tasting what you eat through your amniotic fluid. So if you've been craving spicy tacos or sour pickles, well baby's getting a little sample of that. Also, you know, we've talked before about their hearing improving and your baby can absolutely hear your heartbeat, which will be so soothing to them once they are born. Your voice and loud noises, all of that. Noise that they hear outside of the womb they are taking in and processing. So go ahead and talk to that belly and play your favorite playlist because they are listening. My friend. Now this is pretty exciting because here's something new, Verex. Verex is here, and what's going on is the fine hair and cheesy coating that protect your baby's skin from the amniotic fluid. It's not really glamorous, but it's super important. So while you may be thinking, okay, cool, I'm halfway there, your baby's over here doing full-blown science, fair experiments inside of you. All right. Now let's talk about you, my friend. Your body at 22 weeks is shifting and stretching in ways that you can't even see yet, but you probably can feel it. So let's break down some of the top symptoms that you may be experiencing this week. Okay. So here's one that we've actually talked about before, but it's very important to review this week, and that is the round ligament pain. Now, the reason why I keep revisiting this is because it's so super common. If you've been here before, this will be a refresher. If you're new here, this is definitely something you need to pay attention to. So what is round ligament pain? Well, that is the sharp, stabbing pain on the side of your belly when you stand up too fast or when you roll over in bed. Now all of this is totally normal and it means that things are stretching out for your baby. So I have two tips that will really help you through this time. The first pro tip is to simply use a belly band. They are super helpful and they will help with your movements to keep everything kind of compressed in a way where you won't feel so much of that pain. The other thing is to simply have slower movements, when you stand up or when you're turning over. Do it slowly. Take your time. and both of those things together should help to relieve some of that round ligament pain. Alright, now here is the second thing I wanna talk about, concerning you, and that would be increased. Vaginal discharge. Okay, so I know this is not acute subject, but it's completely normal, so we need to talk about it. It's your body's way of preventing infections, believe it or not. So as long as there's no bad odor or weird color, you're good. So here's your pro tip for this one. Now is actually a really good time to start incorporating panty liners into your underwear. Trust me, they are going to become your new BFF. All right. Now, we've talked about it before, which is pregnancy dreams, but I wanna revisit this because as you progressed in your pregnancy, you may be noticing them more and more. In fact, I want you to raise your hand if you've had a dream about giving birth in target or accidentally breastfeeding your cat. Those are all things that you can happily blame on hormones because your brain is doing some deep, deep rewiring and preparation for motherhood. So, um, this is all scientifically proven. It's absolutely normal. so don't let it weird you out too much. Okay, Now if you're new here, you might not be aware that your heart is really working over time. 40 to 50% harder Now why? Because of all of the extra blood flow that is needed to support both you. And you're growing baby, so if you feel a little bit more out of breath when you're going up and down the stairs, that's why, and it is totally, totally normal. It's completely okay. All right. Now this is the part most people skip, but this is where you change the game Mama. At 22 weeks, you've still got time and that's exactly why you should start prepping for your postpartum and your breastfeeding journey. So let's talk strategy Tip number one, learning how to breastfeed before you actually need to breastfeed actually works. Don't just wait until your baby's here and try to wing it. No, we're not doing that this year. I've said it in other videos. You'll hear me continue to say it. We are going to learn before you actually need to apply it so that once baby is here, you have a point of reference and you understand the process and what to do next. If anything, you'll just need some supplementary support, but you'll pretty much know. Exactly what to do and how to do it. These are things take out your note app and these are some things I want you to learn how to do. I want you to learn how to latch. I want you to learn about milk supply and how it works, And I want you to learn how to avoid nipple pain, and I want you to do all of that now because those things will come in handy when you understand all of those concepts and how, to navigate those in your breastfeeding journey. So to accompany this whole process, your body's getting ready. I need you to get your mind, your heart ready to do these things so that you can hit the ground running and to be successful. Okay, so here is tip number two. I want you to create your birth prep zone. I want you to start gathering your hospital bag essentials. Now. There's a link in the description box below, for a free PDF download that you can download to get started, prepping your. Hospital bag today, so be sure to check the link in the description. Now. along with that, I want you to start considering your birth preferences. Don't forget to include things like whether or not, you want to do immediate skin to skin contact. That's a yes you do. which is going to be great for bonding and great for your milk supply. I want you to consider what. Is delayed court clamping. I want you to talk to your doctor about it. I want you to understand what that process looks like and have an idea of whether or not that's something that you choose to do for your birth. Also, I want you to start inquiring about. a lactation consultant in the area that you can engage for any questions that you may have once you've started your breastfeeding journey, in case you run into any bumps in the road, it's always good to have those numbers ready so that you don't get discouraged and quit too soon, right?'cause you have help at speed dial. So. Keep that in mind. Alright, tip number three, start using affirmations. Now, this is important, even though I think people kind of dismiss it a little bit and don't realize the importance of getting your mind ready and having that mindset shift. Your brain is listening. Let me say that again. Your brain is listening to everything that you tell it. The way you talk to yourself now is really going to shape how you show up for birth. So I want you to start saying things like, my body knows how to birth my baby. Let me say that again. My body knows how to birth my baby. I also want you to say, I am preparing for a peaceful postpartum. I'm preparing right now for a peaceful postpartum. The last one I'm gonna give you for today is I trust my body and I trust my baby. I trust my body and I trust my baby. Those are all very powerful because it positions you in this positive stance to expect the best, to really position yourself to expect the best. Okay, from yourself and from your baby. Now let's take a quick detour. Let's talk baby stuff. You don't need to buy everything right now, but this is a great time to add a few things to your registry. I am gonna suggest a good nursing pillow, which is an absolute game changer. I am also gonna suggest some, uh, nipple covers while you are in postpartum. They often come in very handy, and might I add hello Bump to bundle Blueprint, which is there to help walk you through and prepare for birth, a breastfeeding class and a childbirth class, or a birth prep course. Those are my top three. Period, and you can find the different class resources in the link below. And another thing I want you to consider adding to your registry is simply a baby carrier. Now, this will really help in the postpartum, especially if you have a c-section. So you wanna make sure that you have a baby carrier added to your registry. Okay, mama. I know that that was a lot, but now you're in the know right? Your baby's growing fast, your body's working overtime, and you've officially reached the Let's start getting ready stage of pregnancy. So don't wait until the hospital to learn how to prep and how to breastfeed. The time is now. So grab my bump to bundle blueprint A link is in the description. It is the same system that I've used to help hundreds of first time moms. Feel ready, calm, and confident heading into delivery. Don't forget the link is below itself paced, easy to follow and packed with everything that you need. No guesswork required, Now if you've enjoyed this video, please. Give it a like and a thumbs up so that other new moms can find it just like you did. And don't forget to subscribe so that you're here next week for week 23, pregnancy updates. Now I wanna know in the comments, what's the weirdest pregnancy symptom you've had so far? I love reading your stories, so please drop them in the comments. Let's chat and meet up there. You've got this mama. And I'll see you in the next video.