Week Twenty Three Of Pregnancy
Week 23 Of Your Baby’s Development!
Your baby is the size of a an eggplant
Baby is now over a pound in weight and nearly a foot long. This week marks the beginning of some massive weight gain for little one and he will double his weight by the time you get through the next four weeks.
His skin is still transparent but it won’t be for long because fat deposits will start filling in soon. At this time, you can actually hear baby’s heartbeat using a regular stethoscope.
The substance that helps him breathe, surfactant, is produced at this stage. He is still breathing in the amniotic fluid in your uterus but when he is born he will be ready to breathe air. If you are carrying a boy, his testicles are descending into his groin. If you are carrying a girl, her uterus and ovaries are already developed.
Week 23 Of Your Health, Mind & Body Changes
Absent-mindedness or just plain ‘baby brain syndrome’ is a common side effect of your pregnancy at this stage and it’s now actually proven to be a real thing. So if you’ve left your phone in the freezer or forgotten an appointment, you’re not alone.
If you have stretch marks, they may become more widespread and visible as your skin continues to stretch to accommodate your baby. Some women can go their entire pregnancy without gaining stretch marks, only to have them suddenly appear in the last week before birth. It all depends on your skin elasticity/quality, genetics and to a smaller degree, how well you take care of your skin internally and externally. Unfortunately even the most dedicated skin cream latherer and healthy eater can still develop stretch marks during pregnancy and over half of all women, will bear the tiger stripes of pregnancy by the end of their journey.
One new symptom you may notice now is that your palms and soles might be reddish. You are also more prone to skin rashes. You my even have some dark patches of skin on your face. In short, you are seeing a lot of discoloration at this time and all of it can be attributed to pregnancy hormones. Don’t worry, they will all fade away after your baby is born.
Mentally, you may switch between moments of excitement and wonderment, then more on edge and nervous all of a sudden. If you are anxious about your delivery, it is quite natural to feel this way. Decide if you are someone who is more ‘knowledge is power’ or ‘ignorance is bliss’ when it comes to the birth and then organise yourself accordingly.
“ The only way I felt less anxious about the birth was to research the hell out of everything. I would say I was borderline obsessed and watched literally every episode of ‘one born every minute’ but I enjoyed it and I knew what was potentially coming, so for me it helped when the time came. ” Krystal
Week 23 Of Your Next Steps!
- If calming down is proving to be difficult, this may be the time for you to join a pre-natal yoga class. Yoga breathing exercises help eliminate stress as they improve your blood circulation too which is great for your achy, puffy feet.
- You should be feeling baby’s movements quite clearly by now. If you don’t or if there is a long lull in regular movements, you should talk to your physician immediately.
- Always keep some healthy, fiber rich snacks handy to ward off those hunger pangs without worsening your bloating problems.
Tip: Don’t be surprised by your growing hunger and try to have regular small meals to prevent getting ‘hangry’ (angry because you’re hungry!).
- Keep yourself hydrated and keep exercising to ensure that you are helping your sluggish digestion along.
- Having a baby shower? It’s time to start organising a location and guest list, or rallying your girlfriends, mom, sister ect to help so you can put your feet up and celebrate without the headache. You may even find the organising to be a welcome distraction!
