What to expect at twenty-three weeks pregnant. Everything that you need to know as you and your baby pass the half-way mark in your pregnancy.

By twenty-three weeks pregnant you may start to feel like you’ve been pregnant forever. You are well into your second trimester now, almost three quarters of the way to the third, and final, trimester.

It’s exciting isn’t it! Getting to the point of choosing names and buying cribs is always an enjoyable experience, and you need to make sure that you enjoy every moment of it. However, it’s also important that you stay relaxed and rested, especially while moving around outdoors or baby-proofing your home.

At week twenty-three you might start to feel some upper body pains, as your rib cage expands to shelter your bump. There’s no need to worry about this, if you have any queries or worries don’t be scared to talk to your doctor, they will always be more than happy to help you through your pregnancy.

Your Baby at Twenty-Three Weeks Pregnant

By the twenty-third week, your baby has reached the size of a large mango, measuring a little more than 11.5in (or 29.1cm). It has also now just surpassed the 500g weight category, which is almost the same as a loaf of bread.

This week could be the first week that you begin to experience some surface movements as your baby begins to make their mark on the world, starting with your tummy. However, of course, every pregnancy is different so do not be alarmed if it hasn’t happened for you yet.

At this stage your baby’s lungs start to develop, and although it will take a while until those tiny lungs are ready for the Olympic swimming team, your placenta is still doing the job for it.

Not only does your baby begin to develop lungs, but week twenty-three also marks the start of some serious weight gains. Your baby is set to double its weight within the next 4-5 weeks, and you might feel this too, however, do not worry about it, this is only necessary to provide the baby with some needed support and structure, as it gains more fat.

Your Body at Twenty-Three Weeks

You might be experiencing some odd body transformations, such as enlarged breasts and even a bit of leakage of colostrum. This is an early type of breast milk and can give you a good idea of what it may feel like to breastfeed, as you will have to start thinking about whether you would like to do this. There are huge benefits to breastfeeding, especially for your baby, as it gives them a huge immune boost to fight off infections while also reducing your risk of breast cancer, and also burns a huge 300 calories a day.

But breastfeeding isn’t for everyone and may wish to explore formula feeding. Again, your doctor or midwife can help talk you through the options.

Twenty-Three Weeks Pregnant Symptoms

You will definitely be experiencing the pregnancy in your whole body at this point, throughout your whole body. From your head growing fuzzy due to the progesterone in your brain to your foot growing in size slightly, it is important at this point to stay rested, maybe even practise some relaxation techniques, such as yoga or breathing strategies.

There are still some symptoms that you will be exposed to at twenty-three weeks pregnant:

Tiredness and Sleeping Problems

This may be the point at which you have troubles sleeping, so you must be sure to relax and not work too hard, even if your boss is breathing down your neck for a statistics report. The baby has not yet been born, so do not worry about the lack of sleep you are getting, just make sure you catch up when you can.

Change in Skin Colour

Often occurring on the face, this is called the ‘mask of pregnancy’ or ‘melasma’. Mainly due to some pregnancy hormones becoming involved with the skin pigmentation, it can often enhance deeper tones of freckles, especially in darker-skinned women.

For more information on development and milestones at every stage of your pregnancy, visit our pregnancy week by week guide.