April 18, 2025 • 14 mins
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:
- Instagram: @birthprepacademy
- YouTube: Do These 4 Things to Give Birth EASIER!
- Free pdf download: COMPLIMENTARY GUIDE - HOSPITAL BAG
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! 💛
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:05):
Hi, I'm Stephanie Poole, founderand CEO of Birth Prep Academy.
I'm on a mission to helppregnant moms prepare for their
first hospital birth.
I'm sharing revealingconversations about what it
really takes to successfullytransition into motherhood.
So join me.
Here to discover things likewhat to expect in childbirth,
(00:27):
how to prepare for your birth.
We'll also talk aboutbreastfeeding and so much more.
I'm so grateful to share it allwith you right here on Oh Baby,
the podcast created for pregnantmoms preparing for their first
hospital birth.
Let's get started.
So you are 22 weeks pregnant.
(00:49):
Congrats.
You are officially in the sweetspot of the second trimester,
but don't let the calm fool you,your baby, your body and even
your brain are doing some wildthings right now in this
episode.
I'm breaking down what's reallygoing on at 22 weeks pregnant.
(01:10):
Some of it might surprise you.
I'm gonna be sharing things likewhat weird symptoms are actually
normal right now, what yourbaby's doing, And three powerful
ways to prep now for an easierbirth and breastfeeding journey.
And trust me, most pregnancyapps and doctor's visits really
(01:30):
tend to skip this, but I won't.
So stick around to the endbecause I've got a little secret
that could make your postpartumand breastfeeding experience 10
times easier.
So with that being said, let'sjump in.
all right, so let's talk baby.
At 22 weeks, your baby is aboutthe size of a papaya, which is
(01:54):
about 11 inches long, and justunder a pound, but it's not just
about the size.
Here's the cool stuff happeningthis week.
First up, taste buds are on.
Yep.
You know, we've talked about itin previous videos, but your
baby is tasting what you eatthrough your amniotic fluid.
(02:16):
So if you've been craving spicytacos or sour pickles, well
baby's getting a little sampleof that.
Also, you know, we've talkedbefore about their hearing
improving and your baby canabsolutely hear your heartbeat,
which will be so soothing tothem once they are born.
(02:38):
Your voice and loud noises, allof that.
Noise that they hear outside ofthe womb they are taking in and
processing.
So go ahead and talk to thatbelly and play your favorite
playlist because they arelistening.
My friend.
Now this is pretty excitingbecause here's something new,
(02:59):
Verex.
Verex is here, and what's goingon is the fine hair and cheesy
coating that protect your baby'sskin from the amniotic fluid.
It's not really glamorous, butit's super important.
So while you may be thinking,okay, cool, I'm halfway there,
(03:22):
your baby's over here doingfull-blown science, fair
experiments inside of you.
All right.
Now let's talk about you, myfriend.
Your body at 22 weeks isshifting and stretching in ways
that you can't even see yet, butyou probably can feel it.
So let's break down some of thetop symptoms that you may be
(03:46):
experiencing this week.
Okay.
So here's one that we'veactually talked about before,
but it's very important toreview this week, and that is
the round ligament pain.
Now, the reason why I keeprevisiting this is because it's
so super common.
If you've been here before, thiswill be a refresher.
(04:07):
If you're new here, this isdefinitely 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 toofast or when you roll over in
bed.
Now all of this is totallynormal and it means that things
are stretching out for yourbaby.
(04:28):
So I have two tips that willreally help you through this
time.
The first pro tip is to simplyuse a belly band.
They are super helpful and theywill help with your movements to
keep everything kind ofcompressed in a way where you
won't feel so much of that pain.
The other thing is to simplyhave slower movements, when you
(04:53):
stand up or when you're turningover.
Do it slowly.
Take your time.
and both of those thingstogether should help to relieve
some of that round ligamentpain.
Alright, now here is the secondthing I wanna talk about,
concerning you, and that wouldbe increased.
(05:13):
Vaginal discharge.
Okay, so I know this is notacute subject, but it's
completely normal, so we need totalk about it.
It's your body's way ofpreventing infections, believe
it or not.
So as long as there's no badodor or weird color, you're
good.
So here's your pro tip for thisone.
(05:34):
Now is actually a really goodtime to start incorporating
panty liners into yourunderwear.
Trust me, they are going tobecome your new BFF.
All right.
Now, we've talked about itbefore, which is pregnancy
dreams, but I wanna revisit thisbecause as you progressed in
(05:55):
your pregnancy, you may benoticing them more and more.
In fact, I want you to raiseyour hand if you've had a dream
about giving birth in target oraccidentally breastfeeding your
cat.
Those are all things that youcan happily blame on hormones
because your brain is doing somedeep, deep rewiring and
(06:17):
preparation for motherhood.
So, um, this is allscientifically proven.
It's absolutely normal.
so don't let it weird you outtoo much.
Okay, Now if you're new here,you might not be aware that your
heart is really working overtime.
40 to 50% harder Now why?
(06:39):
Because of all of the extrablood flow that is needed to
support both you.
And you're growing baby, so ifyou feel a little bit more out
of breath when you're going upand down the stairs, that's why,
and it is totally, totallynormal.
It's completely okay.
All right.
Now this is the part most peopleskip, but this is where you
(07:03):
change the game Mama.
At 22 weeks, you've still gottime and that's exactly why you
should start prepping for yourpostpartum and your
breastfeeding journey.
So let's talk strategy Tipnumber one, learning how to
breastfeed before you actuallyneed to breastfeed actually
(07:25):
works.
Don't just wait until yourbaby's here and try to wing it.
No, we're not doing that thisyear.
I've said it in other videos.
You'll hear me continue to sayit.
We are going to learn before youactually need to apply it so
that once baby is here, you havea point of reference and you
(07:45):
understand the process and whatto do next.
If anything, you'll just needsome supplementary support, but
you'll pretty much know.
Exactly what to do and how to doit.
These are things take out yournote app and these are some
things I want you to learn howto do.
I want you to learn how tolatch.
(08:05):
I want you to learn about milksupply and how it works, And I
want you to learn how to avoidnipple pain, and I want you to
do all of that now because thosethings will come in handy when
you understand all of thoseconcepts and how, to navigate
those in your breastfeedingjourney.
(08:26):
So to accompany this wholeprocess, your body's getting
ready.
I need you to get your mind,your heart ready to do these
things so that you can hit theground running and to be
successful.
Okay, so here is tip number two.
I want you to create your birthprep zone.
(08:46):
I want you to start gatheringyour hospital bag essentials.
Now.
There's a link in thedescription box below, for a
free PDF download that you candownload to get started,
prepping your.
Hospital bag today, so be sureto check the link in the
description.
Now.
along with that, I want you tostart considering your birth
(09:10):
preferences.
Don't forget to include thingslike whether or not, you want to
do immediate skin to skincontact.
That's a yes you do.
which is going to be great forbonding and great for your milk
supply.
I want you to consider what.
Is delayed court clamping.
I want you to talk to yourdoctor about it.
(09:30):
I want you to understand whatthat process looks like and have
an idea of whether or not that'ssomething that you choose to do
for your birth.
Also, I want you to startinquiring about.
a lactation consultant in thearea that you can engage for any
(09:52):
questions that you may have onceyou've started your
breastfeeding journey, in caseyou run into any bumps in the
road, it's always good to havethose numbers ready so that you
don't get discouraged and quittoo soon, right?
'cause you have help at speeddial.
(10:12):
So.
Keep that in mind.
Alright, tip number three, startusing affirmations.
Now, this is important, eventhough I think people kind of
dismiss it a little bit anddon't realize the importance of
getting your mind ready andhaving that mindset shift.
(10:35):
Your brain is listening.
Let me say that again.
Your brain is listening toeverything that you tell it.
The way you talk to yourself nowis really going to shape how you
show up for birth.
So I want you to start sayingthings like, my body knows how
to birth my baby.
(10:56):
Let me say that again.
My body knows how to birth mybaby.
I also want you to say, I ampreparing for a peaceful
postpartum.
I'm preparing right now for apeaceful postpartum.
The last one I'm gonna give youfor today is I trust my body and
(11:16):
I trust my baby.
I trust my body and I trust mybaby.
Those are all very powerfulbecause it positions you in this
positive stance to expect thebest, to really position
yourself to expect the best.
Okay, from yourself and fromyour baby.
(11:39):
Now let's take a quick detour.
Let's talk baby stuff.
You don't need to buy everythingright now, but this is a great
time to add a few things to yourregistry.
I am gonna suggest a goodnursing pillow, which is an
absolute game changer.
I am also gonna suggest some,uh, nipple covers while you are
(12:03):
in postpartum.
They often come in very handy,and might I add hello Bump to
bundle Blueprint, which is thereto help walk you through and
prepare for birth, abreastfeeding class and a
childbirth class, or a birthprep course.
Those are my top three.
Period, and you can find thedifferent class resources in the
(12:26):
link below.
And another thing I want you toconsider adding to your registry
is simply a baby carrier.
Now, this will really help inthe postpartum, especially if
you have a c-section.
So you wanna make sure that youhave a baby carrier added to
your registry.
(12:46):
Okay, mama.
I know that that was a lot, butnow you're in the know right?
Your baby's growing fast, yourbody's working overtime, and
you've officially reached theLet's start getting ready stage
of pregnancy.
So don't wait until the hospitalto learn how to prep and how to
breastfeed.
(13:07):
The time is now.
So grab my bump to bundleblueprint A link is in the
description.
It is the same system that I'veused to help hundreds of first
time moms.
Feel ready, calm, and confidentheading into delivery.
Don't forget the link is belowitself paced, easy to follow and
(13:28):
packed with everything that youneed.
No guesswork required, Now ifyou've enjoyed this video,
please.
Give it a like and a thumbs upso that other new moms can find
it just like you did.
And don't forget to subscribe sothat you're here next week for
week 23, pregnancy updates.
(13:52):
Now I wanna know in thecomments, what's the weirdest
pregnancy symptom you've had sofar?
I love reading your stories, soplease drop them in the
comments.
Let's chat and meet up there.
You've got this mama.
And I'll see you in the nextvideo.
Hi, I'm Stephanie Poole, founderand CEO of Birth Prep Academy.
I'm on a mission to helppregnant moms prepare for their
first hospital birth.
I'm sharing revealingconversations about what it
really takes to successfullytransition into motherhood.
So join me.
Here to discover things likewhat to expect in childbirth,
(00:27):
how to prepare for your birth.
We'll also talk aboutbreastfeeding and so much more.
I'm so grateful to share it allwith you right here on Oh Baby,
the podcast created for pregnantmoms preparing for their first
hospital birth.
Let's get started.
So you are 22 weeks pregnant.
(00:49):
Congrats.
You are officially in the sweetspot of the second trimester,
but don't let the calm fool you,your baby, your body and even
your brain are doing some wildthings right now in this
episode.
I'm breaking down what's reallygoing on at 22 weeks pregnant.
(01:10):
Some of it might surprise you.
I'm gonna be sharing things likewhat weird symptoms are actually
normal right now, what yourbaby's doing, And three powerful
ways to prep now for an easierbirth and breastfeeding journey.
And trust me, most pregnancyapps and doctor's visits really
(01:30):
tend to skip this, but I won't.
So stick around to the endbecause I've got a little secret
that could make your postpartumand breastfeeding experience 10
times easier.
So with that being said, let'sjump in.
all right, so let's talk baby.
At 22 weeks, your baby is aboutthe size of a papaya, which is
(01:54):
about 11 inches long, and justunder a pound, but it's not just
about the size.
Here's the cool stuff happeningthis week.
First up, taste buds are on.
Yep.
You know, we've talked about itin previous videos, but your
baby is tasting what you eatthrough your amniotic fluid.
(02:16):
So if you've been craving spicytacos or sour pickles, well
baby's getting a little sampleof that.
Also, you know, we've talkedbefore about their hearing
improving and your baby canabsolutely hear your heartbeat,
which will be so soothing tothem once they are born.
(02:38):
Your voice and loud noises, allof that.
Noise that they hear outside ofthe womb they are taking in and
processing.
So go ahead and talk to thatbelly and play your favorite
playlist because they arelistening.
My friend.
Now this is pretty excitingbecause here's something new,
(02:59):
Verex.
Verex is here, and what's goingon is the fine hair and cheesy
coating that protect your baby'sskin from the amniotic fluid.
It's not really glamorous, butit's super important.
So while you may be thinking,okay, cool, I'm halfway there,
(03:22):
your baby's over here doingfull-blown science, fair
experiments inside of you.
All right.
Now let's talk about you, myfriend.
Your body at 22 weeks isshifting and stretching in ways
that you can't even see yet, butyou probably can feel it.
So let's break down some of thetop symptoms that you may be
(03:46):
experiencing this week.
Okay.
So here's one that we'veactually talked about before,
but it's very important toreview this week, and that is
the round ligament pain.
Now, the reason why I keeprevisiting this is because it's
so super common.
If you've been here before, thiswill be a refresher.
(04:07):
If you're new here, this isdefinitely 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 toofast or when you roll over in
bed.
Now all of this is totallynormal and it means that things
are stretching out for yourbaby.
(04:28):
So I have two tips that willreally help you through this
time.
The first pro tip is to simplyuse a belly band.
They are super helpful and theywill help with your movements to
keep everything kind ofcompressed in a way where you
won't feel so much of that pain.
The other thing is to simplyhave slower movements, when you
(04:53):
stand up or when you're turningover.
Do it slowly.
Take your time.
and both of those thingstogether should help to relieve
some of that round ligamentpain.
Alright, now here is the secondthing I wanna talk about,
concerning you, and that wouldbe increased.
(05:13):
Vaginal discharge.
Okay, so I know this is notacute subject, but it's
completely normal, so we need totalk about it.
It's your body's way ofpreventing infections, believe
it or not.
So as long as there's no badodor or weird color, you're
good.
So here's your pro tip for thisone.
(05:34):
Now is actually a really goodtime to start incorporating
panty liners into yourunderwear.
Trust me, they are going tobecome your new BFF.
All right.
Now, we've talked about itbefore, which is pregnancy
dreams, but I wanna revisit thisbecause as you progressed in
(05:55):
your pregnancy, you may benoticing them more and more.
In fact, I want you to raiseyour hand if you've had a dream
about giving birth in target oraccidentally breastfeeding your
cat.
Those are all things that youcan happily blame on hormones
because your brain is doing somedeep, deep rewiring and
(06:17):
preparation for motherhood.
So, um, this is allscientifically proven.
It's absolutely normal.
so don't let it weird you outtoo much.
Okay, Now if you're new here,you might not be aware that your
heart is really working overtime.
40 to 50% harder Now why?
(06:39):
Because of all of the extrablood flow that is needed to
support both you.
And you're growing baby, so ifyou feel a little bit more out
of breath when you're going upand down the stairs, that's why,
and it is totally, totallynormal.
It's completely okay.
All right.
Now this is the part most peopleskip, but this is where you
(07:03):
change the game Mama.
At 22 weeks, you've still gottime and that's exactly why you
should start prepping for yourpostpartum and your
breastfeeding journey.
So let's talk strategy Tipnumber one, learning how to
breastfeed before you actuallyneed to breastfeed actually
(07:25):
works.
Don't just wait until yourbaby's here and try to wing it.
No, we're not doing that thisyear.
I've said it in other videos.
You'll hear me continue to sayit.
We are going to learn before youactually need to apply it so
that once baby is here, you havea point of reference and you
(07:45):
understand the process and whatto do next.
If anything, you'll just needsome supplementary support, but
you'll pretty much know.
Exactly what to do and how to doit.
These are things take out yournote app and these are some
things I want you to learn howto do.
I want you to learn how tolatch.
(08:05):
I want you to learn about milksupply and how it works, And I
want you to learn how to avoidnipple pain, and I want you to
do all of that now because thosethings will come in handy when
you understand all of thoseconcepts and how, to navigate
those in your breastfeedingjourney.
(08:26):
So to accompany this wholeprocess, your body's getting
ready.
I need you to get your mind,your heart ready to do these
things so that you can hit theground running and to be
successful.
Okay, so here is tip number two.
I want you to create your birthprep zone.
(08:46):
I want you to start gatheringyour hospital bag essentials.
Now.
There's a link in thedescription box below, for a
free PDF download that you candownload to get started,
prepping your.
Hospital bag today, so be sureto check the link in the
description.
Now.
along with that, I want you tostart considering your birth
(09:10):
preferences.
Don't forget to include thingslike whether or not, you want to
do immediate skin to skincontact.
That's a yes you do.
which is going to be great forbonding and great for your milk
supply.
I want you to consider what.
Is delayed court clamping.
I want you to talk to yourdoctor about it.
(09:30):
I want you to understand whatthat process looks like and have
an idea of whether or not that'ssomething that you choose to do
for your birth.
Also, I want you to startinquiring about.
a lactation consultant in thearea that you can engage for any
(09:52):
questions that you may have onceyou've started your
breastfeeding journey, in caseyou run into any bumps in the
road, it's always good to havethose numbers ready so that you
don't get discouraged and quittoo soon, right?
'cause you have help at speeddial.
(10:12):
So.
Keep that in mind.
Alright, tip number three, startusing affirmations.
Now, this is important, eventhough I think people kind of
dismiss it a little bit anddon't realize the importance of
getting your mind ready andhaving that mindset shift.
(10:35):
Your brain is listening.
Let me say that again.
Your brain is listening toeverything that you tell it.
The way you talk to yourself nowis really going to shape how you
show up for birth.
So I want you to start sayingthings like, my body knows how
to birth my baby.
(10:56):
Let me say that again.
My body knows how to birth mybaby.
I also want you to say, I ampreparing for a peaceful
postpartum.
I'm preparing right now for apeaceful postpartum.
The last one I'm gonna give youfor today is I trust my body and
(11:16):
I trust my baby.
I trust my body and I trust mybaby.
Those are all very powerfulbecause it positions you in this
positive stance to expect thebest, to really position
yourself to expect the best.
Okay, from yourself and fromyour baby.
(11:39):
Now let's take a quick detour.
Let's talk baby stuff.
You don't need to buy everythingright now, but this is a great
time to add a few things to yourregistry.
I am gonna suggest a goodnursing pillow, which is an
absolute game changer.
I am also gonna suggest some,uh, nipple covers while you are
(12:03):
in postpartum.
They often come in very handy,and might I add hello Bump to
bundle Blueprint, which is thereto help walk you through and
prepare for birth, abreastfeeding class and a
childbirth class, or a birthprep course.
Those are my top three.
Period, and you can find thedifferent class resources in the
(12:26):
link below.
And another thing I want you toconsider adding to your registry
is simply a baby carrier.
Now, this will really help inthe postpartum, especially if
you have a c-section.
So you wanna make sure that youhave a baby carrier added to
your registry.
(12:46):
Okay, mama.
I know that that was a lot, butnow you're in the know right?
Your baby's growing fast, yourbody's working overtime, and
you've officially reached theLet's start getting ready stage
of pregnancy.
So don't wait until the hospitalto learn how to prep and how to
breastfeed.
(13:07):
The time is now.
So grab my bump to bundleblueprint A link is in the
description.
It is the same system that I'veused to help hundreds of first
time moms.
Feel ready, calm, and confidentheading into delivery.
Don't forget the link is belowitself paced, easy to follow and
(13:28):
packed with everything that youneed.
No guesswork required, Now ifyou've enjoyed this video,
please.
Give it a like and a thumbs upso that other new moms can find
it just like you did.
And don't forget to subscribe sothat you're here next week for
week 23, pregnancy updates.
(13:52):
Now I wanna know in thecomments, what's the weirdest
pregnancy symptom you've had sofar?
I love reading your stories, soplease drop them in the
comments.
Let's chat and meet up there.
You've got this mama.
And I'll see you in the nextvideo.
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