Pregnancy is an amazing period in the life of a woman and her unborn child. With each week, significant changes occur in the baby’s body. It becomes larger, and the structure and work of its organs are complicated and improved. Many expectant mothers are very interested in following the changes in the pregnancy process. Each week brings something new. What happens at 23 weeks of gestation?
Fetal size
The kid has already reached an impressive size compared to previous weeks. Its weight can range from 450 to 600 g, and its height is from 20 to 31 cm. If the size of the child is compared with a zucchini or eggplant, then the enlarged uterus, along with the fetus, becomes the size of a soccer ball.
The brain is growing rapidly. Over the past 3 months, it has grown more than 10 times and now weighs about 20-24 g. Over the next two weeks, it will increase another 5 times. With the help of devices you can fix its activity. It is similar to that of already born children and even adults.
What the fetus feels and makes
23 week of pregnancy. What happens to the baby - mom's question is. What does he do in the tummy? Most of the time he sleeps. Moreover, his sleep and wake cycle is not at all the same as in adults. He wakes up briefly about every hour. It is at this time that you can feel the jerks with your legs and even your elbows, which become more distinct. Scientists suggest that at the 23rd week of pregnancy, the baby has first dreams. The phases of REM sleep are traced in his brain. True, it is difficult to say that he might dream, because he is still unfamiliar with the visual impressions of our world. What impressions are available to the fetus in the womb? If you think that none, you are mistaken. A child at the 23rd week of pregnancy already knows how to open its eyes and distinguish between light and darkness. He reacts to them by changing behavior. His hearing is also developing. What sounds are heard "inside mom"? A heartbeat, rumbling in the abdomen, as well as my mother's voice - are still distorted, because the sound is transmitted through the tissues of her body, and not through the air.
The fetus also sometimes grabs itself by the leg or catches the umbilical cord. The muscles of the face develop, so it can make faces.
Respiratory system
The development of the fetus at 23 weeks of gestation is in full swing. The respiratory system of the child is also actively developing. Despite the fact that the lungs will straighten and fill with air only after a few months, the baby is already training them. He makes breathing movements. Blood vessels in the lungs are still developing. After all, this important organ will nourish all the blood with oxygen and release it from carbon dioxide! Previously, respiratory movements were rare and chaotic, now they become more rhythmic (about 50 per minute). Training can last more than half an hour, and after it comes rest. It can last several hours. What does the baby breathe for lack of air? It absorbs amniotic fluid. Part of it is absorbed in his body, the rest is removed back.
Digestive system
The digestive system also trains and is already doing some work: the baby swallows amniotic fluid. They are broken down into water and sugar. At the 23rd week of pregnancy, the fetus can drink up to 500 ml of liquid. Together with it, skin flakes, as well as vellus hair that has fallen into the fluid from the baby’s body, enter the intestines. After birth, they, as well as dead intestinal cells and bile, are excreted from the body with meconium. In the meantime, they are few and far from dangerous for the intestines. Where does excess fluid go from the fetus? The baby begins to write already in the womb. Does he bathe in his own urine? There is nothing wrong, the urine is still very small and it is sterile, and the amniotic fluid is constantly updated - they completely change their composition in 3 hours. Sometimes swallowing a liquid causes hiccups. Mom can feel her like slight tremors in her stomach.
The development of other organs and systems
Nutrients will be delivered to the placenta through the umbilical cord until the end of pregnancy. Now their flow is increasing, therefore, the volume of blood of the mother is increasing. The endocrine and nervous system is developing intensively. All glands work almost at full strength, so that the child’s body becomes less dependent on the mother.
The kid continues to accumulate subcutaneous fat. However, his skin grows faster, so it looks wrinkled. The skin of the baby is red and becomes less transparent - pigments accumulate in it.
23rd week of pregnancy is an important period in the formation of fetal immunity. The immune system remembers bacteria, viruses, and allergens to resist them after birth.
By this time, the fetus has genital organs. Previously, gender could be indicated only approximately, but now it is clearly visible on the ultrasound, whether it is a boy or a girl. Unless, of course, the baby does not want to turn away or cover the genitals at the time of the study.
Changes in the body of the mother
So, the 23rd week of pregnancy has come. What happens to mom? The weight of a pregnant woman usually increases by 5-7 kg from the beginning of pregnancy. This may depend on weight prior to conception. If before that a woman had a deficit of body weight, she can gain even more, and if she is overweight, then the set should not be so large. On average, up to 400 g is added per week. The bottom of the uterus can be at a height of 4 cm above the navel. Most women feel fetal movements from the 20th week, and some, especially the multiparous, from 18-19. At first, they are barely noticeable and can be confused with intestinal motility, because during pregnancy there is often gas formation. But now the fetal movements are very distinct. He still has enough space to change position, but still he often rests on the walls of the uterus, and his muscles become stronger. Therefore, tremors with heels and elbows can cause discomfort to mom. A slight tremor in the stomach, as already mentioned, can talk about hiccups. At the same time, do not yet count the number of movements per day - the baby is still too small.
The child often shows activity when mom rests, for example, in the evening. Maternal activity, physical or intellectual, requires oxygen. During rest, the mother's body begins to consume less oxygen and the fetus gets more of it. Also, movements can be noticeable after a hearty meal or eating sweets when glucose enters the bloodstream. In the evening, you can try to calm the baby with soft strokes on the stomach or humming a lullaby.
Hormonal background
At the beginning of pregnancy, some women are concerned about headaches. Their reason lies in hormones. Now the hormonal background should stabilize a little. Most often, by the 23rd week of pregnancy, headaches disappear.
Appearance changes
At this point, you may notice a change in appearance. For example, the lips become fuller, the nose is enlarged, age spots appear on the skin. Strengthening the synthesis of pigment melanin can stain the nipples in a darker color. Some people have a dark line in the middle of the abdomen. But the hair becomes thicker, they shine and fall out much less. At the same time, hair growth on the body can also increase. If you are afraid of changes in appearance, see how many beautiful young mothers walk in the streets with prams. During pregnancy, some of them may have experienced the same thing, and then everything went away. Brown spots, increased hair growth and enlargement of facial features pass after childbirth. At the same time, many female photos at 23 weeks of gestation demonstrate an attractive and fresh appearance, and a rounded belly only reminds of the expectation of a miracle. As for the appearance of the mother, everything is deeply individual.
Physical discomfort
Unpleasant sensations can cause heartburn. The fact is that the growing uterus moves the organs of the abdominal cavity. The position of the stomach is changing. At the same time, the hormone progesterone relaxes the sphincter, which blocks the entrance from the esophagus to the stomach. Therefore, gastric juice can pass from the stomach into the esophagus and irritate its walls. Some women notice that heartburn is especially noticeable after eating spicy foods, such as fresh garlic and onions.
Care must be taken to change the pose. If during rest on the back there is a lack of air and dizziness, then the abdominal aorta is felt under the weight of the abdomen.
During pregnancy, the lower back can also hurt. These pains should not be left to chance, because the stomach will only grow, and the load will increase. It is best to use a bandage. Also, gymnastics for pregnant women can bring significant benefits.
Pregnant Nutrition
At the 23rd week of pregnancy, your diet solves several problems. First, food should provide the baby with all the necessary nutrients, vitamins, trace elements. Sometimes in women in the 2nd trimester hemoglobin begins to decrease. The food remains the same, but the baby consumes much more than before. In this case, iron-containing products are recommended - beef, buckwheat, pomegranate. And leg cramps can indicate a lack of vitamin E, calcium and protein. This means that you need to eat animal products, especially dairy, but also fish and meat. For example, cottage cheese is very useful - in it in a concentrated form there is everything that happens in milk, therefore the content of proteins and calcium is high.
Other nutritional goals are related to caring for the mother’s digestive tract. It is important to avoid constipation and hemorrhoids. Therefore, food should be saturated with fruits and vegetables, dairy products, cereals. It is also important that you move and drink fluids enough. If constipation persists even with all of these recommendations, you should consult a doctor. Your doctor may prescribe medications that are safe for pregnant women. It is not worth ignoring constipation, because it increases the risk of hemorrhoids, and also causes poisoning by digestive waste, which is neither beneficial for the mother nor the fetus.
Mode and clothes
At the 23rd week of pregnancy, the development of the brain and endocrine system is intensive. The fetus needs more oxygen, so you need to spend more time in the fresh air. Relaxation exercises will also help increase oxygen flow.
The uterus presses on the bladder more and more, so urination occurs more often. To ensure a normal sleep, it is better to drink less at night. During the day you can drink plenty of fluids. True, there is a risk of edema. But in this case, it is most important to reduce salt intake.
The abdomen at the 23rd week of pregnancy is not yet so large as to limit the woman in movements. Therefore, you can do gymnastics for pregnant women. And at the same time, the changing figure more and more insistently demands new clothes. She should be comfortable and free. Equally important shoes. During pregnancy, you need to abandon heels, this will reduce the risk of varicose veins and swelling of the legs. By the way, the seductive grace that the figure of a woman in heels acquires is due to the fact that the calf muscles are tensed and their contour appears more clearly, and the lumbar lordosis (bend) becomes deeper. So, during pregnancy, the load on the lower back is already great and it bends without heels. To increase this effect is completely useless.
Risks at 23 weeks of gestation
The greatest risk in this period is preterm birth. A baby born at such a time may go out, but its chances of survival are not great enough. A threat can be considered an increased tone of the uterus - it feels like discomfort, "petrification" in the lower abdomen, sometimes - pain. Also, doctors on ultrasound usually assess the condition of the cervix. If it is short or too soft, there is a threat of childbirth.
But you should not be afraid of training fights. At this time, the uterus can already contract, preparing for childbirth in advance. These contractions are usually irregular, weak, and when relaxed they easily stop. But if at the same time water leaks at least slightly, urgent hospitalization is needed. At the same time, do not panic - now even such crumbs are nursed!