Guess what? Now that you're 22 weeks pregnant, your baby, who’s about the size of a small doll, has finally broken the 1-pound mark.

How heavy is that? Hold a 1-pound bag of sugar in your arms the next time you're in the grocery store — and expect people to ask you why you're grinning from ear to ear.

Is the bag 11 inches long? That's about the length your baby is too!

Baby's grip, vision and hearing are getting stronger

This week, your sweetie is making more sense of the world as she develops her sense of touch.

In fact, your little one's grip is quite strong now, and since there's nothing else to grab in utero, she may sometimes hold on tight to that umbilical cord. Don't worry — it's tough enough to handle it.

The sense of sight is also becoming more fine-tuned. Your fetus can now perceive light and dark much better than before, even with those fused eyelids.

But remember — unless you're shining a flashlight over your belly, which you can do, by the way — it'll be mostly dark for your baby inside that cozy womb of yours.

She can also hear your voice, your heartbeat, your gurgling stomach, and the whoosh-whoosh of blood circulating through your body.

Foot growth

At 22 weeks pregnant, your uterus is now about an inch above your belly button — growing by leaps and bounds. But your tummy's not the only thing that's growing these days. Have you looked down at your feet? Quick, look now — before you can't see them anymore. 

If you're like many expectant women, you'll discover that feet get bigger too. Good news if you're looking to revamp your entire shoe collection, not so good if you've just indulged in a pricey pair of Manolos.

While some foot growth can be attributed to pregnancy swelling (edema), there's another reason that feet increase in size during pregnancy — and sometimes don't shrink back afterward.

Remember relaxin — that pregnancy hormone that loosens the ligaments and joints around your pelvis so your baby can fit through, and the hormone that's also likely to make you especially clumsy during pregnancy? Well, it doesn't discriminate between the ligaments you'd want loosened up, like those pelvic ones, and those you'd rather it would just leave alone, like the ones in your feet.

The result: When the ligaments in the feet are loosened, the bones under them tend to spread slightly, resulting in a half or whole shoe size increase for many women and tootsies that feel suddenly uncomfortably tight.

If you do find yourself running to the mall for a new pair of shoes, buy ones that are comfortable and roomy, with no more than a sensible, chunky 2-inch heel. Skip the stilettos — you'll have trouble enough keeping your balance as your belly balloons forward.

Coping with tummy touchers

By now, you may have encountered at least a couple of well-wishing tummy touchers who can't seem to resist reaching out and patting your belly. It could be anyone — a friend, coworker, or a perfect stranger on the deli line.

It's understandable, since pregnant tummies are adorable and house something even cuter inside. And you may not mind — if you're a touchy-feely person yourself, you may even welcome the public display of affection for your baby bump.

But if you do mind, there are a few approaches you can take. One, you can gently but firmly tell them how you feel: "I know you may mean well, but I really would rather you didn't touch my stomach." Two, you can back off — literally — and dodge their attempts to touch your bump. And three, you can turn the tables by teasingly giving them a belly rub in return. Remember, you're sharing your body on the inside — you don't need to share it on the outside too.