Welcome to Week 23 of Your Pregnancy!
Your Baby in Week 23 of Pregnancy
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The hair on your baby’s head finally is growing at week 23 of pregnancy and your baby may very well be on his or her way to having a full head of hair at birth. The hairs are fine, with little or no pigmentation at this point. What you can see are strands of hair sticking up, or laying down where it is growing. The patterns are beginning to fill in and you can see a cowlick swirl or a widow’s peak forming. The hair they are born with will most likely fall off soon after birth, and be replaced with more hair that is slightly thicker. If you decide to get a 3D/4D ultrasound, you will be able to see your baby’s hair in most instances.
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During week 23 of pregnancy, the eyes have now formed many layers inside of your baby’s head. They cannot see very well and they aren’t in focus yet, but those senses will be developing soon. All of the parts are in place in the eye – the lens, the cornea, the retina, the iris. The only thing lacking is color pigment in the iris. The parts are beginning to work together, but they don’t really have anything to look at yet!
Fact: By week 23 of pregnancy your baby can now distinguish between light and dark, and in only a few weeks they will be able to see and grasp the umbilical cord!
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It probably seemed like an eternity before you felt that first little kick inside of you. Then another eternity before others were able to feel soft movements by pressing their hand upon your belly. Well, you’ve now reached another benchmark…you can now sit down and actually see the movements! As the baby gets older, the movements will become larger and more pronounced. If you have the capability, filming your baby moving in action will be a fun memory to keep and show later when they are grown up.
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Your baby’s proportions are probably looking pretty good byweek 23 of pregnancy . The legs are the longest, then the arms, and finally, the head and trunk of the body are all in proportion. Your baby looks like a real human! During week 23, the fat will begin to form and build under the skin and continue all the way up until delivery day!
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If you were to have a 3D/4D ultrasound around week 23 of pregnancy, your baby will look like…well, a real baby! Depending on the week of your pregnancy when you have one performed, you’ll be able to see chubby little cheeks, flexing fingers, yawning and probably even a reflexive smile!
Your Body in Week 23 of Pregnancy
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Do you have swollen ankles at week 23 of pregnancy? They are another great aspect of pregnancy to chalk up! Swollen ankles just mean the fluid is having a hard time circulating through your legs and as a result, gravity brings it on down to your ankles.
Here’s how to prevent, or at least alleviate, your ankle swelling:
- Take periods of 20 minutes throughout the day where you can elevate your feet. Keep them on a pillow and just rest for that time.
- Drink plenty of fluids. Even though you are having a fluid problem in your ankles doesn’t mean you are getting too much. Keep drinking and it will help circulate the fluids in your system.
- Limit excessive salt and salty foods out of your diet. The sodium may make you retain water in every area of your body! If you do eat salty foods, company it with lots of water to flush it out of your system.
If you are concerned about the swelling or can’t seem to get it to lessen, please consult your obstetrician. They will always have an answer.
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Do you suffer from leg cramps at week 23 of pregnancy? Leg cramps are yet another common “ailment” during pregnancy. The cramps can spring you out of a deep sleep at night or occur any time during the day. A few different things can cause leg cramps.
One, you may not be getting the correct balance of potassium and calcium in your system. With too much of one and too little of the other, your muscles can bunch up and cramp. Another reason is that you may be dehydrated, and the muscles are reacting. Third, you probably spent a lot of time on your feet that day and the muscles hurt!
To make sure you don’t get cramps from any of the above reasons, do the following:
- Drink milk and eat bananas at a consistent level. Too many bananas and no milk can spell achy nights ahead.
- Take breaks with your feet up if you are going to have a long day. If you do walk a lot in one day, try stretching your muscles out after you are done and before you go to bed.
- Drink lots of water to help the muscles cope. Water really is a miracle drink!
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You may begin to feel your skin stretching even more in week 23 of pregnancy . As if that weren’t bad enough, the skin that is stretching may become itchy and uncomfortable. To help alleviate the discomfort, try using a moisturizer with plenty of vitamin E. The vitamin E helps the elasticity in the skin and lessens the itch factor. Also enlist the aid of the miracle drink – water!
Lots of water will help the skin remain elasticized, which should result in you itching less. When itchy skin happens during the winter months, keep your hot showers and soaking baths to a minimum as this may make your skin even more dry. Keep the water temperature warm, not hot, and take a faster dip in the tub. After you get out of the water, put the moisturizer on immediately so it can begin to work on your skin.
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