🤰 Second trimester
22 weeks pregnant
Your baby is about the size of a papaya
By Emma Whitfield · Pregnancy & Baby Writer
Your baby at 22 weeks
The baby now looks like a tiny newborn in miniature, with lips, eyelids and more defined features. They can grip with their hands and respond to sound and touch.
Your body at 22 weeks
You may feel the baby respond to noise or your movements. Braxton Hicks (practice contractions) can start — irregular, painless tightenings.
Common symptoms this week
- Baby responding to sounds
- First Braxton Hicks for some
- Backache
- Faster-growing nails and hair
Symptom lists are typical, never exhaustive — and having none of them is normal too.
Focus this week
Consider antenatal classes now — NHS ones are free but book up months ahead; NCT classes are paid and also fill fast.
Week 22 checklist
- Book antenatal classes now — free NHS courses and paid NCT ones both fill months ahead
- Involve your birth partner in the class booking so dates work for both of you
22 weeks pregnant: common questions
What are Braxton Hicks contractions?
Irregular, usually painless tightenings of the bump as the uterus practises — common from mid-pregnancy. Unlike labour, they don't get longer, stronger and closer together, and they often stop if you move or change position. Regular painful tightenings before 37 weeks need checking the same day.
How big is my baby at 22 weeks pregnant?
At 22 weeks, your baby is approximately the size of a papaya, about 27.8cm and around 430g. These are approximate averages — every baby grows at its own pace.
What's happening at 22 weeks pregnant?
The baby now looks like a tiny newborn in miniature, with lips, eyelids and more defined features. They can grip with their hands and respond to sound and touch. For you: you may feel the baby respond to noise or your movements. braxton hicks (practice contractions) can start — irregular, painless tightenings.
Which trimester is 22 weeks?
22 weeks pregnant is in the second trimester. The first trimester runs to the end of week 12, the second from weeks 13 to 26, and the third from week 27 to birth.
Sources & further reading
This is general information, not medical advice — every pregnancy is different. For anything that worries you, and for all your antenatal care, speak to your midwife or GP. If your baby's movements ever slow down or change, contact your maternity unit immediately, day or night. Reviewed July 2026.