23rd week of pregnancy: The 23rd week of pregnancy at a glance
In the 23rd week of pregnancy, your baby’s sense of taste develops. Your child finally tastes and smells and uses it diligently. Through your diet, you can influence the taste of your child from the 23rd week of pregnancy.
You have not yet decided where you want to give birth to your baby? Then you should look at a few alternatives to thematernity clinicin the near future. Maybe a birthin the birthing centeror even ahome birthwould be a possibility for you.
Index
ToggleYour baby’s development in the 23rd week of pregnancy
Your baby has continued to gain weight until the 23rd week of pregnancy and is now completely wrapped in the so-called cheese smear. During the long stay in the amniotic fluid, the cheese smear serves to protect his skin and stores body heat. The cream-like, cholesterol-containing layer is formed by the sebaceous glands of thelanugo hairand covers the entire body of the child. The protective layer also makes it easier foryour baby to glide at birth. In some babies you can still see the white coating shortly after birth.
Your unborn baby, 28 centimeters tall and weighing 450 grams, already has a regulated sleep and wake rhythm in the 23rd week of pregnancy, so that it can be awakened by loud noises. Therefore, above all, rest is very important now. If your baby is awake during theultrasound, the movements of the small eyes under the closed eyelids can be clearly seen. Other muscle developments and activities are also noticeable, especially through stronger child movements such as kicks and cuddles. With the hands, the little one can now even perform various movements. Furthermore, growth and weight gain are in the foreground of child development in the 23rd week of pregnancy.
Your body in the 23rd week of pregnancy
How big is the belly in the 23rd week of pregnancy? Your pregnancy is now clearly visible through the increasingly round belly. You may compare your belly to that of other mothers who are at the same stage and realize that no two bellies look the same. Every pregnancy is unique and this is also confirmed by the belly.
The volume of your blood increases continuously until birth and the increased amount of blood is already noticeable in the 23rd week of pregnancy. In some mothers, it can even lead tohigh blood pressure. A sudden feeling of dizziness when standing up or changing position is a minor but annoying complaint. The reason for the dizziness is a short-term lack of blood in the brain, when the blood drops to the lower half of the body. Then, when getting up from sitting or lying down, it takes a short moment for the blood to be distributed throughout the body.
Questions about the 23rd week of pregnancy
Alternatives to the clinic: birthing center or home birth?
Think about theplace of birth in the next few weeks. Do you want to have your baby in a clinic? Or is a birth center run by midwives or even a birth in your own four walls an option for you? If so, then inquire about information events in the birthplace of your city. Every freelance midwife will be happy to advise you on a home birth. What you can pay attention to when choosing a midwife, you can read best in our special “Midwife”.
How does acupuncture help in pregnancy?
Specially trained midwives and doctors can, from the 37th week of pregnancy, place acupuncture needles on your lower legs and feet once a week (a total of four times). This is intended to shorten the birth and relieve pain. Even during birth, acupuncture is used to cope with pain or to move the cervix to open. If you are interested inacupuncture during pregnancy, you should inform yourself in good time about a corresponding offer in your area.
Tips and hints for the 23rd week of pregnancy
Swollen legs
In most women,water retention in the limbsdoes not occur until the end of pregnancy. However, they can also attract attention earlier. Hands and feet swell, rings and tight shoes become torture. In particularly severe cases, even the face and legs are affected. The water retention is triggered by pregnancy hormones. Since the blood vessels are set wide during pregnancy, the blood is transported worse and can more easily sink into the tissue. In addition, the blood vessels are more permeable than usual. This makes it easier for water to accumulate in the spaces between the loosened tissue. The edema is unpleasant, but in most cases completely harmless.
Fifth check-up
Between the 23rd and 25th week of pregnancy, the fifthcheck-upis due. In addition to the standard tests (blood, urine, weight, blood pressure, vaginal examination), a second antibody screening test can now be carried out by taking a blood sample. This test can be used to detect possible rhesus intolerance in women with negativerhesusfactor (characteristic of blood group).
Plucking massage against stretch marks
With increasing abdominal circumference, theplucking massage against stretch marksbecomes somewhat more laborious. Nevertheless, you should continue diligently – after all, you want your skin to be seen as little as possible after pregnancy. However, stretch marks are unfortunately largely genetically inherited. So you can only achieve something within the framework of your genetic imprint. Especially towards the end of pregnancy (about four weeks before delivery), instead of a plucking massage, you should simply brush your stomach with a massage oil with light, circular movements. Just print out ourinstructions for plucking massageand off you go.