23 Weeks Pregnant

It is important for you to visit your doctor regularly without missing any appointment to check the health of your baby and you. You should be gaining weight as expected since you are getting closer to the end of second trimester. Your doctor will closely monitor the growth of your baby and inform you about his development. Take all possible efforts to remain healthy and eat and sleep well.

Symptoms :

As every week passes you will notice the weight gain will be anywhere from half to one pound for each week. Your stomach is protruding very much now since your uterus will be 1-2 inches above your belly. You will want to visit restroom more often than before. Small amounts of vaginal blood discharge are normal at this stage due to increased blood flow and this does not happen for every would-be mom.

If you find any new symptom that is disturbing you, you can very well discuss with your healthcare provider immediately. By now there can be increasing rashes and itching for many women particularly on the belly due to skin expansion. You can apply moisturizing cream or pure olive oil to reduce itching. It is time you would experience lots of kicks and punches inside indicating how active he/she is.

Baby’s Development :

Now your baby would weigh one pound or even more at the end of 23rd week of pregnancy. His length would be anywhere from 10-12 inches. On ultrasound scan your little one will appear like a small doll having all features of you and your partner. His skin would be dark red or rose in color indicating the pigmentation is developing.

Since the fat deposits are very rare the skin will remain loose and looks wrinkle. The baby enjoys swimming in the amniotic fluid occasionally hitting the mother through his head and body. He remains active for 5-6 hours a day and for some babies they still continue to sleep for 20 hours. As time passes he will learn to give response to his mother by kicking and hitting her in her uterus.

Tips for the Week :

By now the baby would have developed all sensory systems and hence it will affect him/her if you are getting stressed. The emotion felt by you will squarely have an effect on your baby. Increasing hormones may be driving you crazy and keep in touch with support groups and your doctor often. As far as possible remain calm and avoid making arguments with anyone. Get closer to your baby’s feelings and you will soon realize how he/she is responding you in many ways. Watch for the movements of your baby and continue to eat nutritious food and take plenty of rest.

Filed in: Pregnancy