23 Weeks Pregnant

At 23 weeks pregnant, the baby starts training to breathe outside the belly! The alveoli are less compressed and the baby can now gently move the lungs. Surfactant is the hormone responsible for the baby’s first breaths outside the uterus.

Other organs that begin to function at this stage are the pancreas, which starts producing insulin, and the eyes, which begin to move rapidly. Fetal development advances week by week and becomes more and more evident.

Baby’s Development

By the 23rd week of pregnancy, the baby can already feel all of the mother’s movements, and can even hear and recognize the sound of her voice. This is a great time to start talking to him and playing soothing music¹. Dad can also talk, helping the baby recognize his voice. In time, your baby will give signs that he knows who’s talking by moving in the belly to show it.

At 23 weeks of pregnancy, the baby’s skin becomes more wrinkled each day and takes on a reddish tone, which will be the color seen at birth. This color appears due to the large number of blood vessels visible in the baby’s sensitive and almost transparent skin. The tiny eyes, which were already formed but not yet opened, begin to move constantly².

At 23 weeks, the baby can measure about 28.9 cm and weigh about 500 grams. These are measurements that will change more and more each week, as the main focus now is on growth and weight gain until birth. Another important milestone for this week is the pancreas beginning to produce all the insulin needed for the body.

How Mom Is Feeling…

Each day that goes by, mom feels more fulfilled and accomplished. Her skin also gets more beautiful because hormones make her look lively and glowing. It is not uncommon for moms to hear that their hair feels soft and silky, as hair usually looks better during pregnancy. Have you heard of the linea nigra?

You might already have it, it’s that darker line that appears vertically, right in the center of your belly, dividing it in half. Do you know why that happens? It’s because the abdominal muscles separate³. Now, with 23 weeks of pregnancy, the baby needs more room to be comfortable.

At 23 weeks of pregnancy, you may also notice more pigmentation in some areas of the body such as the armpits, groin, back and, to the horror of some women, the face! The linea nigra tends to gradually fade after birth, but what concerns most mums-to-be are those facial spots. But don’t worry: today there are very effective treatments, just see a trusted dermatologist to get started.

Another common occurrence at this stage of pregnancy are the dreaded stretch marks. Usually, these appear along with unexplained itching in areas such as the breasts, belly, back, and buttocks. If you haven’t yet started using creams, oils, or moisturisers to prevent them, start as soon as possible to reduce the chance they will develop and to ease symptoms.

It’s also very common by 23 weeks for women to start “noticing” their center of gravity feels odd. So, be careful with possible falls and accidents at this stage. It’s worth mentioning that minor gum bleeding is also common during this period.

External Factors…

Your body is changing and gaining new curves every week. Sleeping, walking or doing activities you used to find easy can now be more difficult because of your belly’s weight.

Back pain and poor balance are common at this stage, and although being pregnant does not mean you cannot do things, ask for help if you feel you need it. It’s better to be overly cautious than negligent or struggling out of pride to manage everything as usual, right?

Photos: Pawel Loj, sabianmaggy