At 22 weeks, the baby is about 8-11 inches long and around 1 pound. Your baby is starting to look a little like a tiny newborn, though skinny and wrinkly since his skin has grown faster than his muscles or fatty tissue. His skin looks relatively translucent and slightly red from developing capillaries. Several features are becoming more defined, like his little nose, lips, eyebrows, and eyelashes. Under those sparse eyelashes and fused lids are forming eyes that lack pigmentation at this point but can roll from side to side with a nerve connection to his brain that improves his sensitivity to light. If you shine a flashlight into your belly, he will be able to sense it and might react with increased movement. He is even developing tiny tooth buds that soon will evolve into his milk teeth.
Your baby is also developing an excellent grip. With increased muscle control and a new sense of touch, the baby will be holding tight to whatever he can get his hands on, primarily the umbilical cord; while he might grab the cord and squeeze, rest assured it can take it.
Reference Source
- American Association of Pregnancy - Week 22
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists - How Your Fetus Grows During Pregnancy
