23rd week of pregnancy: how the fetus develops and what happens in the body

The second trimester of pregnancy is still ongoing. Now expectant mothers notice changes not only in their figure, but in their appearance. The “games” of hormonal levels lead to the fact that the hair becomes thick, silky and shiny, and the skin becomes velvety and perfect. As a rule, women are only happy with their well-being at this stage, but this does not mean that they can relax. It is very important to continue to lead a healthy lifestyle, eat right and perform physical exercises that are designed specifically for pregnant women. 

23rd week of pregnancy - sensations

The baby’s activity increases significantly, so even the most inexperienced and inattentive mothers will feel it themselves. As a rule, the baby’s motor activity occurs in the evening or at night, when the mother herself goes to bed. If the baby is completely furious, you can always calm him down with the usual stroking of the belly and singing a lullaby.

Since the pressure of the uterus on nearby organs only increases, it becomes stronger heartburn. During pregnancy, you should not immediately resort to medications or soda. Often, a regular glass of milk or sucking on a small piece of natural chocolate helps restore your normal state. You can prevent the subsequent occurrence of the problem by installing fractional power. The uterus also puts pressure on the bladder, and this leads to a frequent urge to go to the toilet, even if very little liquid has been drunk before. There is no point in worrying about this, since after delivery everything will return to normal. To avoid running to the toilet at night, you just need to drink less fluid in the evening.

Some women complain of redness of the hands, but this is a normal “symptom” during pregnancy, which is caused by the same hormones.

At week 23, training contractions may make themselves known, which will feel like a slight spasm in the uterine area. This is not at all dangerous and should not alarm you, of course, if they are not strong. In this way, the body simply prepares for childbirth. If the expectant mother takes an incorrect or uncomfortable position, pain may appear, but when changing positions, they go away. This is due to the fact that the ligaments begin to stretch. Some people may experience divergence of the pelvic bones at week 23, which is also due to the body’s preparation for childbirth, and this in turn leads to pain in the groin area and a change in gait.

23rd week of pregnancy - what happens to the baby

Now the baby feels quite comfortable, he is playing with all his might and tumbling in his mother’s belly. Often, especially when the baby is too active, this causes some discomfort to the woman, and the baby’s kicking and pushing becomes more and more distinct.

There is an increase in the fat layer, but despite this the baby is still red and wrinkled. It won't be long before the appearance of enough fat will make him look like a newborn baby.

The baby’s activity increases with each passing session, which is especially noticeable during an ultrasound session. On it you can see him somersaulting and playing with the umbilical cord.

The digestive system is practically ready to launch all mechanisms. The baby now has a serious appetite: per day he can swallow up to half a liter of amniotic fluid and remove it from his body naturally. Along with the “basic” nutrition, the child also swallows other organic substances, such as particles of lanugo, epidermis, and lubricants. All this is in the baby’s body until the very moment of birth, and then comes out naturally in the form of meconium (first feces).

The central nervous system continues to develop, and with the help of special devices you can even see the brain activity of a child, which is very similar to an adult. By the way, experts are of the opinion that at this stage children already begin to dream.

Now the baby’s eyes are open and he can not only feel the world around him, but also see it, although not well enough yet.

Now your baby has grown to 30 cm, and his weight is about half a kilogram. After this period, the growth and development of all babies may differ significantly, which results in differences in weight and height at birth. Normally, newborns should weigh between 2.5 and 5 kilograms.

23rd week of pregnancy - what happens to the mother

By this time, the tummy has already become quite large and round, and the baby is spinning around in it, gradually preparing to come out. The uterus continues to increase in size, but during the normal course of pregnancy this does not bring any significant discomfort to the mother. However, unfortunately, there are few who are completely healthy, so by this time many suffer from cystitis and problems with the digestive system, which manifests itself in constipation and heartburn. No significant changes occur in the body at this stage. Psychologically, some women still find it difficult to get used to their “new” body, especially if these changes entail appearance of stretch marks. To minimize the appearance of aesthetic defects, it is necessary to take care of potentially problematic areas of the body, applying special lotions to them that will prevent the appearance of stretch marks.

The load on the back and legs increases, which entails pain and swelling. Try to take walks more often, but not far from home and preferably accompanied. Even if you feel good, such safety net will never be superfluous. To reduce back pain, you can purchase and wear a special bandage. However, before doing this, it is better to consult with your supervising doctor to make sure there are no contraindications.

As for the discharge, everything is as before. Normally, they should have a sour odor and a uniform, transparent or milky consistency. In other situations, you should definitely consult a doctor, as this may be a harbinger of developing infection and illness. But if a clear liquid appears that has neither color nor odor and is generally identical in appearance to water, call an ambulance, or go to the doctor immediately, as this indicates leakage of amniotic fluid.