Here comes the 23rd week of pregnancy. The baby continues to develop and delight his mother, who gets used to new sensations. In just a few months, the little one will be born, and the long-awaited meeting will take place.

Pregnancy Control Necessary thing
phase change
how many products are in the liquid
who will help

The 23rd week of pregnancy pleases with the jolts of the baby, which begin to be felt more and more. The baby greets her mother and makes herself felt. This is an incomparable feeling, which usually gives mom a lot of pleasure.

When pregnancy reaches 23 weeks, the uterus is about 3.7 cm above the navel. At this time, the girl's figure is noticeably rounded. The weight gain is about 5 to 7 kg.

Impressive shape and size of the abdomen

Mommy's New Feelings

Perhaps, at week 23, every mom wants to find out what is happening in her body. This is a very favorable period, so most girls feel good and enjoy their position. It is easy to calculate how many months is the 23rd week of your pregnancy. This is the beginning of the sixth month, which is marked by the following sensations and changes.

1. At week 23, the weight of the girl begins to increase markedly, as the fetus develops, respectively, the uterus continues to grow. At the same time, the volume of amniotic fluid increases and the placenta increases.
2. Quite often, contractions appear, which are expressed by slight spasms in the uterus. This is quite normal, so there is no need to worry. The uterus is simply preparing for the upcoming birth. If you put your hand on your stomach, you can feel muscle contractions that were not there before. Thus, the uterine muscles begin to train. Later, contractions may intensify, so it is important not to confuse training with regular ones. In the latter case, they bring pain.
3. During the 23rd week, your baby is already actively kicking, so you can feel kicks in the lower or middle of the abdomen. He changes his position several times a day, he may begin to hiccup, so girls often feel a pulling pain, especially if the body is in an uncomfortable position. Try to sit or lie down in a different way, and the pain will quickly pass. At this time, pain in the symphysis area may be disturbing, the gait often changes, as the pelvic bones diverge, preparing for future childbirth.
4. Your legs may feel pain or heaviness. Old shoes often become tight because the foot lengthens due to sprains and weight gain. Static flat feet may develop. You need to be very careful when choosing shoes. Leave your heels on and wear comfortable sneakers or boots. In winter it is recommended to wear shoes with flat heels. Get special insoles to keep your feet comfortable.
5. Sometimes varicose veins develop. At week 23, hormones affect the walls of the veins, so they begin to relax, and the uterus squeezes the veins of the small pelvis, so the outflow of blood through the veins is often disturbed.
6. It is not excluded the appearance of hemorrhoids, which may be accompanied by unpleasant constipation. In this case, pain in the rectum, bleeding are often felt. Self-medication is very dangerous, because it is not easy to cure hemorrhoids. Entrust this problem to specialists.
7. Limit sun exposure. The skin of pregnant women is sensitive to ultraviolet rays due to increased levels of hormones. Tanning sessions can bring dark spots.
8. During this period, the nipples begin to darken, a dark strip appears on the abdomen from the navel to the pubis. Don't worry, it will go away after the baby is born.

At the 23rd week of pregnancy, you can watch a video about this period of bearing a baby. An educational film will tell you that a girl is often worried about nausea. This is due to the enlarged uterus, which puts pressure on the bile ducts and disrupts digestion. You can cope with the feeling of nausea after eating if you take a knee-elbow position. This pose is also good for the kidneys as it improves urine flow.

At 23 weeks, the girls continue to have vaginal discharge. In normal condition, they should be odorless and colorless. You should not worry, because this is a completely natural process that occurs due to the hormonal changes in the female body. You need to be wary if the discharge is bloody and smells bad. The consequences can be quite serious: from infections to placental abruption and miscarriage.

Monitoring the development of the baby

If brown or bloody discharge appears, you should urgently call a doctor or an ambulance. Look on the Internet for photos of such secretions, so as not to be mistaken if they appear at the 23rd week of pregnancy.

You should be concerned if the discharge has acquired an earthy, greenish, yellow smell, and its consistency has become like a curdled liquid or flakes. I need to take a pap smear immediately laboratory research. Keep in mind that some harmful microbes can infect the fetus while still in the uterus, so timely treatment is necessary.

How the fetus develops

By the 23rd week of pregnancy, the weight of the fetus is already 520 g, and its height is 30 cm. The little one continues to grow and gain strength. There are several main points in its development.

1. Subcutaneous fat is actively growing. It is thanks to him that the skin of the fetus will soon begin to straighten. While it is red in color and very wrinkled. Fat is formed quickly, so the skin simply does not have time to adapt to it.
2. During the 23rd week of pregnancy, you need to track how often your baby starts to move. For now, he pushes very gently, but mom already feels this movement. In 12 hours, the fetus should move about 10 times. If you feel that the tremors have become too frequent or rare, you need to call your doctor.
3. The digestive system is almost formed. At 23 weeks pregnant, your long-awaited baby swallows up to 500 ml amniotic fluid and then excretes them in the form of urine. By this time, meconium begins to form - the original feces, but it will be removed from the body of the crumbs only after childbirth. In the amniotic fluid there is a fluff of hair, lubricant particles. The child can swallow them with liquid.
4. The central nervous system. Scientific studies have shown that at this time the baby can dream, because the activity of his brain is about the same as the activity of newborns.
5. The peanut's eyes have opened, so it distinguishes between darkness and light. The baby may be frightened if the light is sharply directed to the stomach.
6. The organs of hearing are well developed, the baby already distinguishes the voice of the mother.

If you are carrying twins, then the weight of children at 23 weeks of gestation may be less than when carrying one child. Each of the babies weighs about 500 g, and their height is about 28 cm. But these figures are very individual.

Necessary thing in bearing a child

At the 23rd week of pregnancy, you need to do an ultrasound, if you have not done it before, to track the development of the baby. It is necessary to undergo a diagnosis in a timely manner in order to identify possible pathologies of the fetus. This will allow you to quickly take any action.

Recommendations	essence
Visit the antenatal clinic regularly	At the 23rd week of pregnancy, the specialist will track the process of abdominal enlargement, reveal the height of the uterus. The weight is measured and blood pressure girls, heart rate crumbs contraction. In addition, on the eve of the appointment, mommy must pass a general urine test, after which the doctor examines the results.
Try to move more	If you have a sedentary job, you need to get up every hour and walk a little. It is advisable to place a small bench under your feet and sit on a chair with a straight back, a hard seat and handrails. These measures will avoid stagnation of blood in the pelvis and legs.
Eat Right	The 23rd week of pregnancy is sometimes accompanied by the development of hemorrhoids. To prevent this from happening, you need to carry out prevention. One of the main measures is the use of foods high in coarse fiber. Also consume enough vitamins and plain drinking water. Consider the tendency to nausea, constipation and heartburn when you plan your menu. Eat in small portions, but 5-6 times a day. Keep in mind that it is very easy to gain weight during this period, so you should not overeat. Eliminate foods with dyes, high fat content. Try to eat more lean fish, meat, fresh vegetables, fruits. Observe the drinking regime.
Careful with sex	At 23 weeks, you can continue to have sex, but be careful. The choice of positions is increasingly limited, so it is best to consult your doctor so as not to harm the baby. Sexual intercourse is even useful, because the girl receives positive emotions, and they affect the baby.

The development of the fetal digestive system requires so many internal resources that there is not enough energy for the growth of bone tissue.

If until the twenty-third week of pregnancy the fetus was nourished in only one way - due to nutrients from the mother's blood, now future child prepares for self-digestion of food.

The structure and functions of the gastrointestinal tract of the fetus

The human digestive tract has the following sections with their inherent functions:

All sections of the gastrointestinal tract, formed at twenty-three weeks of pregnancy, are almost ready to perform their direct duties - digestion and assimilation of food.

Changes in the mother's body

Due to the growth of the uterus, the location of the internal organs changes: the intestines are pushed aside, the load on the bladder.

Normally, this does not bring any discomfort. With the existing chronic, intensifying at night.

objective data

With regular monitoring of body weight, you can notice signs of a beginning. To this end appointed "unloading day" followed by weighing.

If "unloading" does not give the expected effect, therefore, due to the accumulation of fluid - hidden edema.

Ultrasound examination

Special attention when ultrasound examination given to the state of the placenta.

The degree of maturity should be regarded according to tabular data as "zero", and the thickness - correspond to the gestational age and be the same number of millimeters.

Twenty-three weeks of pregnancy - 23 mm.

With complaints of active fetal movement, areas with reduced blood supply, the so-called calcifications, are revealed.

Excess weight gain(7-8 kg during the period of gestation) leads to postpartum obesity and the development of metabolic syndrome with its most dangerous complication - type II.

Thank you

The site provides reference information for informational purposes only. Diagnosis and treatment of diseases should be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. All drugs have contraindications. Expert advice is required!

From the twelfth week, the gestational age is considered obstetric weeks, which is due to a simple circumstance - the norms of various parameters of fetal development, with which its current state is compared, have been developed specifically for the obstetric period.

Fetus

At the twenty-third week of pregnancy, the body weight of the fetus can reach an average of 650 plus or minus 37 g, and the body length is 27 plus or minus 1.3 cm. However, the body length may be more or less than the average, depending on the future growth genetically predetermined by the parents child .

All organs and systems of the fetus are fully formed, and during the further period of pregnancy they will be prepared for extrauterine life. So, during the 23rd week, the lungs and alveoli fully mature, and in the latter, a special substance begins to be produced - a surfactant, which prevents the lungs from collapsing (sticking together) when inhaling and exhaling. Of course, at the 23rd week, the amount of surfactant is still small, but by the time of birth, this substance will completely cover the lungs, so that the baby can freely take his first breath. If the child is born ahead of schedule, then he will have to be nursed in special incubators, which will provide him with conditions for breathing until the necessary amount of surfactant is accumulated in the lungs for breathing in a normal atmosphere.

At the 23rd week, the fetus actively increases the amount of subcutaneous fat deposits, as a result of which its body weight grows quite quickly. Such a weight gain by the fetus requires a woman to have high-quality and high-calorie nutrition, which can provide the fetus with all the necessary substances, vitamins and trace elements. The fluffy hairs on the body are darkening, and the nails on the fingers and toes have completed their formation completely.

The fetus constantly swallows amniotic fluid, which serves as a substrate for the work of the digestive organs. So, the stomach and intestines already produce hydrochloric acid and carry out primitive digestion, thanks to which the baby is able to absorb various nutrients contained in the waters (for example, sugars, salts, etc.).

In addition, swallowing amniotic fluid trains the baby's breathing movements, which he will need to make after birth. Active swallowing of water can provoke hiccups in the fetus, which is felt by the mother as frequent rhythmic tremors inside the abdomen.

The spleen of the fetus works actively - it not only participates in hematopoiesis, but also destroys defective and obsolete blood cells.

In the uterus, the fetus behaves actively - it feels its body, touches or pulls the umbilical cord, pushes the wall of the fetal bladder with its legs and arms, sucks a finger, grimaces, etc. Physical activity the child trains his brain, which learns to manage, perform and coordinate complex movements. In general, the active development of the brain, an increase in its volume and mass continues at the 23rd week.

During periods of sleep, the child sees dreams. Scientists have found that the phase of REM sleep in the fetus is available. But it is in the phase of REM sleep that a person sees dreams.

Fetal movements

The movements of the fetus are increasingly felt by the woman, as its size increases, and the baby becomes cramped in the uterus. Due to a certain “crowding”, women can even determine what character these or those movements of the fetus are - for example, the baby plays, rolls over, knocks on the bladder wall with his foot, hiccups, etc. The woman feels the hiccups of the baby as rhythmic tremors inside the abdomen.

As a rule, the fetus moves most actively in the evening and at night or in the early morning, when a woman just needs to rest. If the fetus is playing too actively, it is recommended to try to calm it down by placing your hands on your stomach and singing a lullaby. Very often, such a simple trick helps a lot.

The fetus does not move all the time - at some hours the woman feels the activity of the child, but not at others. This is due to the fact that the child alternately sleeps and is awake, and he still spends more time in a dream. So, in total during the day, the fetus sleeps 16-20 hours, and is awake only 4-8 hours.

Various external stimuli (for example, light, sound, music) can provoke an increase or decrease in a child's activity. If the activity has decreased, then the baby likes the irritant, for example, pleasant music. If the child, on the contrary, began to move nervously and quickly, then he does not like the irritant, and in this case it must be eliminated.

Excessively active movements of the fetus out of connection with an irritant from the outside indicate an oxygen deficiency. With movement, the fetus tries to speed up blood flow and thus ensure the supply of more oxygen to tissues and organs. Therefore, if a woman feels a sharp unreasonable increase in fetal activity, you need to breathe for a few minutes fresh air outdoors or by an open window.

Fetal movements must be present daily. If on some day a woman does not feel fetal movements, then she should be immediately hospitalized in maternity hospital.

Ultrasound and tests

At the twenty-third week, you need to undergo a second screening ultrasound procedure, if this was not done within 20-22 weeks. Of course, the study at the 23rd week is less informative compared to 20-22 weeks, but still it allows you to identify various malformations of individual organs and body parts in the fetus, if any. It is recommended not to abandon the screening ultrasound, as it allows you to assess the compliance of the child's development with the norm and identify abnormalities in various organs. And if anomalies are detected, doctors will either offer to terminate the pregnancy (if the defects are too severe, such as Down syndrome or other genetic diseases), or prepare a plan of action after childbirth, if the baby needs surgery or other treatment that can eliminate the defect (for example, suturing a hernia of the abdomen ).

During the screening ultrasound, the degree of development of the organs and parts of the body of the fetus, as well as their compliance with the norm, is determined by the length of body parts, placenta previa and location, placental defects, the condition and thickness of the myometrium, as well as the amount and condition of amniotic fluid. Also, during the ultrasound, isthmic-cervical insufficiency is detected and the viability of the suture on the cervix, if one was applied, is assessed.

To stop heartburn, you need to take antacids (Almagel, Phosphalugel, Maalox, etc.) or look for other ways to stop this unpleasant sensation. Sucking on a piece of dark chocolate helps some women get rid of heartburn, others - clicking seeds. In addition, in order not to provoke heartburn, it is advisable to always lie with a raised head end, placing a cushion or pillow under your shoulders and neck, do not bend over after eating and drinking, eat in small portions.

To minimize the intensity of pain in the back, coccyx, lower back, sacrum and hips, it is advisable not to walk in heels, not sit in an uncomfortable position, do not stand for a long time, do not cross your legs, do not carry weights, do not make sudden movements, wear a bandage, etc. d.

To solve the problem of shortness of breath, it is desirable to master various breathing techniques that will be useful in childbirth in the future.

Moderate swelling of the tissues is the norm for pregnant women at the 23rd week, but if the swelling is severe, then it is necessary to stop eating salty foods and reduce the amount of salt in the diet.

Bleeding

Bleeding refers to the release of blood from the genital tract, and not a bloody daub, noticeable on linen. Bleeding at 23 weeks is always a sign of a dangerous complication (eg, placental abruption, premature birth etc.), which can lead to pregnancy loss and fetal death. Therefore, if bleeding occurs, especially accompanied by a sharp deterioration in well-being, strong and regular contractions, pain in the lumbar region and / or in the abdomen, you should immediately call " ambulance"and be hospitalized in a maternity hospital. With timely hospitalization, there are high chances of maintaining a pregnancy.

Spotting is a reddish or brown spotting discharge from the genital tract that does not pose such a danger to the continuation of the pregnancy as bleeding. When they appear, you should immediately consult a doctor at the clinic for examination and treatment. As a rule, blood smearing is caused by erosion of the cervix, uterine fibroids, trauma to the vaginal mucosa during intercourse, etc.

uterus and belly

The upper edge of the uterus at the 23rd week already reaches the area around the navel, as a result of which the woman may experience a feeling of pressure from the inside on the navel. This feeling of pressure will pass when the uterus grows even more and its upper edge is higher than this physiological formation on the body. The height of the uterine fundus at the 23rd week of pregnancy is on average 19 - 22 cm.

In addition, at the 23rd week, the uterus periodically contracts, about 10 to 15 times a day, training its contractility before childbirth. These contractions are completely normal. They are called false, or Braxton Hicks training bouts, last 1 to 2 minutes, occur irregularly and are not painful. False contractions may intensify after intimate intercourse, which is also normal. However, if the contractions become regular and painful, or their number is more than 5 per hour, then it is necessary to call an ambulance and be hospitalized in a maternity hospital, as this is a sign of premature birth, which must be urgently stopped.

The abdomen at the 23rd week is rounded, protrudes forward, is clearly visible to others, but not so large as to prevent the woman from bending over (for example, for putting on shoes, cutting toenails). The circumference of the abdomen is 73 - 79 cm.

At the 23rd week, the strip running in the middle of the abdomen becomes even wider and darker, as the body increases the production of melanin, a pigment that causes the dark color of the nipples, stripes in the middle of the abdomen and the appearance of age spots on the body and face.

Due to the strong and rapid stretching of the skin on the abdomen, striae (stretch marks), severe itching and a rash can appear. Do not worry about itching and rashes - after a while they will pass, when the skin "gets used" with a strong stretch.

Pain in the abdomen and other parts of the body

At the 23rd week of pregnancy, a woman may experience physiological and pathological pain in various parts of the body. Pathological pains are a sign of diseases and, accordingly, when they appear, you need to consult a doctor for examination and treatment. And physiological pain is a normal phenomenon, since it is caused by physiological processes occurring in the body during pregnancy (an increase in the size and mass of the uterus, its pressure on the bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, tendons and internal organs, as well as an increase in load due to already noticeable weight gain). Accordingly, physiological pain does not require a visit to a doctor and treatment.

Consider what physiological and pathological pain a woman may experience at the 23rd week of pregnancy.

So, the most common pathological pains can be pain in the abdomen, in the lower back, in the anus or rectum, as well as cramps in the calf muscles. Pathological abdominal pain is usually sharp, sharp, severe, cramping or sometimes aching. As a rule, they are combined with an increase in body temperature, a sharp deterioration in well-being and the release of blood or copious yellowish liquid from the genital tract. With the appearance of pathological pain in the abdomen, you should call an ambulance and be hospitalized in a hospital.

Pathological lower back pain is always combined with pain when urinating or episodes of urinary fever (a sudden increase in temperature, which is not knocked down by taking antipyretics, is not accompanied by other symptoms, but normalizes on its own after a while) and are associated with diseases of the kidneys or bladder. Pain in the anus or rectum is usually caused by hemorrhoids or anal fissure. If you experience pathological pain in the lower back or anus, you should consult a doctor at the clinic, who will conduct an examination and prescribe treatment.

Cramps of the calf muscles can be triggered by a deficiency of calcium, B vitamins and too much exercise. With the development of convulsions, you need to forcefully pull the foot towards you and hold it in this position until the pain disappears. Then you need to massage the caviar. For the prevention and treatment of calf muscle cramps, calcium supplements, B vitamins should be taken, and the load on the legs should be minimized.

Physiological at the 23rd week of pregnancy are pains in the abdomen, back, lower back, sacrum, coccyx, hips, navel and legs.

Normal abdominal pain is caused by tension in the ligaments that hold the uterus, pressure on the internal organs and muscles of the anterior abdominal wall. Such pains are in the nature of light sipping or sharp, but short-term lumbago.

Normal pain in the back, lower back, sacrum, coccyx and pelvic bones are associated with strong pressure on the spine and pelvis by the growing uterus, as well as a shift in the center of gravity due to the protruding abdomen.

Hip pain is always normal at 23 weeks pregnant. It is associated with the divergence of the pelvic bones to the sides to expand the birth canal, along which the baby will pass in the process of birth.

Pain in the navel is felt as a strong and unpleasant pressure from the inside on this anatomical formation, and is always normal at the 23rd week. The pain is associated with the pressure of the uterus on the navel with its upper edge. When the uterus grows, and its upper edge is above the navel, this painful sensation will disappear.

However, when engaging in sexual intercourse during pregnancy, one must remember that sexual contact should be made in simple and comfortable positions in which the woman will not strain too much and will not feel strong pressure on the stomach. In addition, it is desirable to avoid sharp, rough and very deep frictions, since they can provoke an increase in the tone of the uterus, lead to injury to the mucous membrane of the vagina and cervix, and cause a woman significant discomfort.

Weight

The weight gain at the 23rd week of pregnancy is normally 3.6 - 7.2 kg relative to the weight that existed at the time of the onset of pregnancy. The increase within these limits is due to an increase in the size of the uterus, blood volume and tissue hydration, and not fat deposits. Therefore, if a woman has gained weight within the specified limits, then after childbirth her body weight will return to pre-pregnancy levels. If the increase is more than normal, then this means that the woman has acquired body fat and after childbirth will find that she has recovered.

It should be borne in mind that the greater the body weight of a woman before pregnancy, the less she should gain weight during pregnancy. That is, initially fat woman at the 23rd week of pregnancy, it should normally add about 3.6 - 4.2 kg, and thin - up to 7.2 kg.

Women can independently control weight gain and keep it within the normal range, knowing that weekly weight should increase by 350 - 500 g. In other words, if, as a result of weighing every week, a woman sees that she is gaining no more than 500 g, then this is the norm, therefore , she does not need to worry about the fact that she is gaining weight. If in a week the weight increases by more than 500 g, then this means that the woman is gaining weight. In such a situation, it is necessary to limit the consumption of flour, confectionery and other high-calorie and unhealthy foods.

Food and alcohol

The diet at the 23rd week of pregnancy should be varied in order to ensure the intake of all the substances, minerals and vitamins necessary for the active growth of the fetus in the right amount. Therefore, a woman’s diet must include meat, fish, seafood, dairy products, cereals, whole grain bread, fresh vegetables, fruits, berries, herbs, vegetable and butter. For prevention

The 23rd week of pregnancy is a good time to check and review your shoe “arsenal”. Your baby grows up to 20 cm and weighs about 0.45 kg. Perhaps this week, his closed eyes will begin to open, although it will not come to real vision soon.

twenty third obstetric week is the sixth lunar month. If it is more convenient for you to count from conception, then it turns out that the period is two weeks less. In rare cases, it is impossible to determine the exact gestational age. As it happens, as well as all the information about the timing -.

Your body

A hippopotamus, an elephant and a kruglyash on legs - with what words some mothers do not reward themselves! Some - with humor, others - with a slight longing for the lost chiseled figure. Never regret anything. Every pregnant woman is beautiful in her condition.

Photo of tummies (click to enlarge):

The bottom of the uterus is now located just above the navel, which gradually begins to protrude outward. If you are wearing a piercing in your navel, it's time to pull out the earring. Do not worry: the puncture site can theoretically grow over, but in practice this happens very rarely.

Feel

Doctors consider the second trimester to be the calmest and most prosperous period of pregnancy. Many women agree with this. Early toxicosis has passed for a very long time. The child's pushes are not too strong yet, they delight and give positive emotions. General health is just great. However, unpleasant manifestations are also possible:

• headache;
• constipation;
• heartburn;
• swelling of the hands, feet, face;
• dizziness and weakness;
• increased fatigue;
• bleeding gums;
• periodic cramps (usually cramps the calves or feet on the inside);
• the initial stage of varicose veins;
• inability to quickly concentrate, switch from one thought to another.

It is quite possible to overcome such troubles. It is enough to be attentive to your diet, devote enough time to sleep and rest, keep work and household diaries. In addition, it is important to visit the dentist and antenatal clinic doctors on time.

Now you want to urinate every now and then. This feeling will increase until the very birth, as the growing uterus presses on the bladder and does not allow a large amount of urine to accumulate.

Pigmentation spots may appear on your face. This is unpleasant, but it is impossible to change this situation. A thick layer of makeup can simply tire you out and worsen your skin condition. So just think about how after childbirth, all excess pigmentation will definitely disappear.

At week 23, you may be surprised to feel nausea shortly after eating. But after all, early toxicosis has long ended? Everything is explainable. Sometimes the uterus can squeeze the bile ducts a little, and this interferes with proper digestion. Talk to your doctor about solving this problem.

Moms take note!

Hello girls) I didn’t think that the problem of stretch marks would affect me, but I’ll write about it))) But I have nowhere to go, so I’m writing here: How did I get rid of stretch marks after childbirth? I will be very glad if my method helps you too ...

Pain and complications

Certain conditions during pregnancy should be cause for concern. For example, any strong pain in the abdomen and/or lower back. Please note that these should not be pulling sensations that rarely occur and quickly pass. When the stomach hurts for real, only a doctor will help. Especially if contractions start along with the pain. If the fetus is rejected by the uterus now and premature birth occurs, even modern medical technology is unlikely to save the life of the child.

A serious and dangerous complication of pregnancy in the second and third trimester is preeclampsia (late toxicosis). Its main symptoms are persistent edema, excess weight, protein in the urine and blood pressure disorders. If preeclampsia is recognized and cured in time, in the third trimester you will prevent many complications. Learn more about late toxicosis.

Fetal development

Your child under the heart sleeps a lot and is awake for several hours every day. Throughout the day, he moves his limbs many times, drinks amniotic fluid (up to half a liter per day), from time to time turns in different directions.

Fetal movements so far it is difficult to calculate, no norms for this period have yet been applied. Many shocks are still quite weak. The baby still has enough space in the uterus, and you simply do not feel many of its movements. But if the fetus is large, or you are expecting twins, the movements may be felt more clearly. Some mothers say that even at this time their baby really kicks.

When moving, the fetus can touch any part of the uterus with a pen or leg. Some women feel tremors in the lower abdomen, others say that the baby often hits somewhere to the side. All these feelings are very individual.

What happens to the baby at the twenty-third week:

• bones and cartilage are still mineralized;
• brain activity is already almost comparable to the brain activity of a newborn child;
• under the skin, the formation of a fatty layer is in full swing, and the skin itself ceases to be transparent (but remains red due to a large number blood vessels);
• the baby’s heart is already listened to not only during an ultrasound scan, but also with an ordinary medical stethoscope;
• the eyes begin to open little by little, but full vision will develop only some time after childbirth;
• meconium, the original feces, continues to form in the intestines (it is formed from all kinds of particles that the fetus is swallowed along with the amniotic fluid).

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you need additional medical supervision. The fetus may experience malfunctions in the pancreas, which is now actively busy producing its own insulin.

What does the baby need

Your emotional condition very important. In any situation, whole cocktails of hormones are formed in your blood. And you have a common blood circulation with the fetus. So the feelings too. Please note: the fetus suffers not only from your fear or stress. Too vivid experiences, some kind of superbig joy will also tire you and the child.

Be sure to talk to the baby, stroke the tummy. If relatives are ready to do the same, do not forbid. Establish contact with the child even before he is born.

1. Nutrition remains unchanged: your diet should be balanced and extremely healthy.
2. If you have heartburn, cook porridge and jelly more often. There are several ways to quickly get rid of an attack of heartburn. For example, drink a sip of warm milk or eat soda on the tip of a teaspoon and drink water. Please note: if you have not dealt with heartburn in such ways before, it is better not to try. Just be careful with your diet.
3. If you have swelling after walking or just in the evenings, check your drinking regimen. Any liquid should be drunk little by little. But do not force yourself to endure thirst, especially in hot weather. Completely exclude salty, spicy foods from the diet, limit sweets.
4. Check all your shoes. You may need shoes or boots one size larger. Refuse complicated fasteners, laces, high heels, tankettes and platforms. Shoes should not press, rub, get wet in wet weather or slip in the snow.
5. If you decide to buy new shoes, boots or boots, it is better to do it in the afternoon. It is at this time that the legs tend to swell slightly, and you will be able to correctly assess the quality and comfort of the new thing. If the model you choose is tight, ask for a different size. Never listen to the promises of the seller that everything will be stretched, carried, and then it will be on the leg.
6. Watch the skin of the chest, abdomen, thighs and buttocks. Avoid dryness in these areas of your body. enjoy by special means from stretch marks (including for prevention) or high-quality olive oil.
7. Record your training bouts. They should be rare and irregular, without pain or abnormal vaginal discharge.
8. You will have to give up sex if you have multiple pregnancy, there is a threat of miscarriage, the placenta is low, or the amount of amniotic fluid is below normal.
9. Follow vaginal discharge. They should be moderately thick, white or transparent, without much odor. For any deviation from the norm, go to the doctor.
10. If for some reason you are late with a screening study of the second trimester (blood tests, urine tests, ultrasound), the antenatal clinic doctor must write out all the necessary referrals.
11. Check your weight: the approximate increase since the beginning of pregnancy should not exceed eight kilograms.
12. Wear a prenatal band to support your belly and distribute your weight better.
13. Go in for sports, but without tiring physical exertion. Best Views yoga or swimming.
14. Try to sleep only on your left side. Place small pillows under your stomach, back and between your knees.
15. If your city has a cord blood collection and storage service, consider using it. Cord blood stem cells are a real, natural medicine with the widest spectrum of action.

Another danger

Not all pregnant women are happily married. Some are lonely from the beginning, and the unborn child is the result of a short relationship without good prospects. It also happens that the relationship with the partner and the father of the child is terminated during pregnancy. What to do with sexual desires? Especially if a man appears nearby, ready to be there, to care, love and give intimate experiences?

Look at this situation from a moral point of view. Future mom responsible for two. And now you need to think first of all about your baby. And if your personal life did not work out, do not try to solve everything now. For real worthy man understand and wait. And lovers of short-term adventures and thrills will just drop out.

Opinions of doctors about such cases are unequivocal. A new sexual relationship can bring an infection into your body, cause many problems. So the whole personal life - for later. Think about your baby and about all the imminent joys of motherhood.

Video guide: 23 weeks of pregnancy what happens, fetal development, weight gain, swelling, cord blood

Moms take note!

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