23 Weeks Pregnant

Your baby’s development

Breathing practice starts now.

Much of the baby development on week 23 is preparing for his/her first real breath once she is born. Although your baby is getting all of the oxygen she needs from your placenta, her lungs develop rapidly this week in preparation for birth.

During this practice period, your baby develops her diaphragm muscles with breath-like movements that move amniotic fluid in and out of her lungs.

This week’s highlights also include:

Your baby weighs slightly more than a 0.5 kg now, and she’s the length of an ear of corn.
Her lungs are producing a substance called surfactant that allows the lungs to inflate and deflate without collapsing or sticking together.
Your baby actually looks like a baby. Though her body fat is still filling out her wrinkly skin.

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Your nutrition and health

Gaining ground – and weight.

No doubt your body has seen many changes through pregnancy at week 23. Like many pregnant women, you may find yourself wondering, what’s “normal” weight gain?

No doubt your body has seen many changes through pregnancy at week 23. Like many pregnant women, you may find yourself wondering, what’s “normal” weight gain?

Pregnancy typically involves weight gain. The extra weight provides nourishment for your growing baby. It’s also stored to help with breastfeeding after your baby is born.

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) (2013a) guidelines note that women of normal pre-pregnancy weight gain an average of a 0.45 kg a week by the twenty third week of pregnancy. Talk to your doctor about where you fall on the weight spectrum.

How can that tiny baby weigh so much?

Check out these estimate weights published in the sixth edition of Your Pregnancy and Childbirth: Month to Month, 6th Edition.2010; The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Keep in mind that pregnancy weight gain is different for every woman and baby.

Baby	3 to 4 kg
Placenta	0.22 – 0.45 kg
Amniotic fluid	1 kg
Uterus	1 kg
Heavier breasts	1 to 1.4 kg
Additional blood volume	1.4 to 1.8 kg
Increased fluids	1.4 to 1.8 kg
Fat storage	2.7 to 3.6 kg

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Things to think about now

Your 22nd week checkup.

If you’re feeling like your center of balance is off at 23 weeks and beyond, you are not alone. The hormones that are loosening joints and ligaments can make it difficult to be graceful. Feeling clumsy as your baby grows is normal.

Take extra care and do even the simplest activities more slowly.
If you do fall and become concerned, alert your doctor. Just remember that your baby is well protected within your uterus and is inside a protective cushion of amniotic fluid.

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What happens next week?

Your baby starts to develop a sense of balance.

Which way is up? Your baby probably knows. Now that his inner ear, which controls balance, has finished developing.

See Next Week >

With bated breath: preparing to breathe.

Your baby’s development

Your nutrition and health

Things to think about now

What happens next week?

Breastfeeding Disclaimer