Guess what? Your baby is probably about one pound this week! Remember when they were just the size of a poppy seed? It is especially important that you are still taking your prenatal vitamins because as baby gets bigger, they start to use more of the vitamins and minerals passing through your body. If you find yourself getting dizzy, or you are experiencing abnormally low energy, you should talk to your doctor about possibly using an iron supplement. You don't want to fall when you're carrying such precious cargo!
You have got a lot going on inside of your body, so it should be no surprise that there is a lot happening on the outside too. Your baby is growing larger everyday, so naturally your belly is also! That rapid stretching could be causing some stretch marks to appear along your abdomen. Some women also see these marks on other areas of their body. Along with the color change of these new marks, you might see a dark line appear right down the middle of your bump (linea nigra). Don't worry, these new lines and marks will fade in your postpartum phase!
You are probably starting to believe that the term 'pregnancy brain' isn't just a myth anymore. The extra progesterone in your body tends to have a fuzzy side effect on your thoughts. Your mind isn't the only thing that may be more sensitive. Swollen, red feet and palms are completely normal around week 23. Along with the itching you might be feeling on your growing belly, your skin overall may be much more sensitive than usual. Some mamas find themselves with a few pregnancy skin tags. You can thank hormones for all these changes. It's just part of the pregnancy game!
Want to know what is crazy?! This week, you can hear the sound of your baby's heartbeat through a stethoscope! Isn't that wild?! Her ticker is going strong inside of her little womb palace. That is a really good thing, because in the coming weeks, her weight is going to take a serious jump. All of that cute, chunky chub is going to start developing inside her skin, which is oh-so healthy for her. With this coming weight gain, your baby's skin becomes less transparent which is one more step to looking like the teeny human that they are! It may seem forever away, but she will be here before you know it!
Are you thinking of having an unmedicated childbirth? Find a class to attend now! Some of these methods take 10-12 weeks to complete. You can never be too prepared or informed about ways to help you accomplish your goal, and get your baby here safely at the same time!
Written by: Alyssa Liston