▷23 WOP (Week op pregnancy)

Your baby is getting more and more strength due to its training in your belly and is already about 30 cm tall due to the good supply of your body. Therefore, you can already see the movements of your baby in the 23rd week clearly on your abdominal wall. But not only that. We have summarized for you what else happens in your body during the 23rd week.

Table of contents

Important facts about the 23rd week: What you should know

In the 23rd week of gestation, your baby is about 30 cm long and 580 g heavy.

The organs are fully developed and the baby continues to gain weight. To do this, it builds up fat reserves that tighten the skin and dissolve wrinkles.

The baby’s lungs and pulmonary circulation begin to mature and breathing is trained.

This is what happens to you

Uterus and baby bump

Your baby bump continues to grow, but in everyday life it should not bother you with its current size. The uterus continues to grow with it to provide enough space for your little treasure.

The fundus, i.e. the upper edge of the uterus, can now be clearly felt 3 cm above the belly button. This causes the belly button to bulge outwards in the 23rd week of pregnancy. After birth, it returns to its original shape.

Fetal movements

In the 23rd week of gestation, you have very intensive contact with your baby and can clearly feel its movements at any time of the day.

As your baby continues to grow and gain strength, you can clearly see the gentle pushes and kicks on your abdominal wall. Now your partner can also observe what’s going on in your belly.

For the first time, your partner will be able to feel your baby’s movements. This is a special moment for him.

Cravings

As your baby’s weight increases, so does your appetite, and you may even feel the odd craving.

Make sure you eat a nutritious and healthy diet so that you supply your body with all the important substances and your baby is well cared for.

In addition, a healthy diet will prevent you from gaining unnecessary kilos during pregnancy.

Do not be pressured by numbers or comparisons when it comes to weight. Weight gain during pregnancy is very individual. Always remember that your body is doing incredible things and is responsible for creating new life.

Whether it gains a few or a few more kilos is irrelevant when you can hold your little treasure in your arms in a few weeks.

Tip for fathers-to-be

A healthy and balanced diet is important for the health of your child. It is certainly helpful if you adjust your wife’s diet accordingly so that she is not tempted to eat unhealthily.

Pregnancy symptoms in the 23rd week and what you can do about them

Circulatory problems

During pregnancy, the amount of blood in your body increases by about 50%. As your pregnancy progresses, it becomes more and more difficult for your circulation to bring the blood from the lower part of your body back up.

In addition, the hormones during pregnancy loosen the blood vessels. From the 23rd week of pregnancy, you may therefore experience circulatory problems and feel dizzy.

You will notice this especially when you get out of bed or if you stand up too quickly. The dizziness usually only lasts a few seconds and as soon as you move, your circulation will pick up again and it will disappear.

Be considerate of your body and get into the habit of getting out of bed slowly and in a relaxed manner and not getting up from the chair or sofa too quickly.

In addition, you can elevate your legs when lying or sitting down, because this will relieve your circulation and you will not feel dizzy so quickly when you get up.

By the way, your baby’s circulation does not depend on your own circulation. Therefore, your circulation problems are not dangerous for your offspring.

However, if you suffer from very severe dizziness or even fainting, you should consult your doctor. The reason for these problems may be iron deficiency .

Discharge

Many women suffer from increased discharge during the 23rd week of pregnancy. Although it may seem like the most practical solution, do not use tampons. With them, the risk of infection is very high. Use pads and panty liners instead.

This is a protective mechanism of your body. It tries to keep the birth canal free of harmful viruses or bacteria and therefore increases the amount of cleaning.

Lack of drive

You lack the motivation to get up from the sofa and the planned house cleaning is postponed to the next day? This is completely normal halfway through pregnancy. The initial euphoria slowly fades and the pregnancy has almost become normal – yet you have to carry heavier, the hormones are going crazy and your body develops other complaints every day.

Rest quietly during these phases and do not stress yourself. Your body needs more rest to be able to recover

What can be seen on the ultrasound during the 23rd week?

If you have an ultrasound in the 23rd week, you will be amazed. Your baby looks like a newborn baby. It has already put on some fat pads.

It still has to gain some weight before birth and therefore still looks a little slim, but otherwise the basic developments are complete.

What is the risk of miscarriage in the 23rd week of pregnancy?

Since the 14th week of gestation, the risk of miscarriage is at a minimal level of 0.5%. Therefore, there is no reason for you to be worried and you can continue to enjoy the relaxed phase of your pregnancy.

What happens to the baby

In the 23rd week of pregnancy, your baby is about the length of a large banana and about 30 cm tall . It weighs about 580 g. Compared to the 475 g from the 22nd week, the baby has gained a lot of weight.

However, it still has to gain more weight before it can regulate its heat balance independently.

It is still busy exercising in your belly. Your baby is now even more active than in the last few weeks. Its movements are becoming more and more controlled and it can now even turn in its belly. Sometimes you can even see this in the abdominal wall.

How your baby is developing in the 23rd week of gestation

Your baby’s ability to perceive is further developed in the 23rd week. Your baby’s brain waves already look like they did when he or she was born. It is already able to store memories. It already remembers things like the sound of your voice or that of your partner.

The nostrils open in the 23rd week of gestation and the pulmonary circulation with the lungs continues to develop. When “breathing” the amniotic fluid, your offspring becomes more and more experienced. However, since the diaphragm does not fully develop until after birth, your little treasure still gets frequent hiccups. As your baby continues to grow, you will also be able to feel him.

This is important now

Accompanying persons at birth

In the 23rd week of pregnancy, you should start to decide where you want to give birth. Your midwife and your gynecologist can give you comprehensive advice.

You should also think about who you want to be by your side during the birth.

Many fathers naturally want to be present at the birth and support their partner during it.

If your partner cannot be present at the birth, or if there is no partner in your life, then you can think about whether you would like another person to be present at the birth and who that should be.

A companion can be a great support for you in any case. During the birth you will experience a roller coaster of emotions. The presence of a familiar and loving person can be very helpful and reassuring. They can not only support you emotionally, but also be a practical help.

Freezing umbilical cord blood

You can decide whether you want to freeze your baby’s um bilical cord blood as early as the 23rd week of gestation. The blood is taken at birth and then frozen.

There are two options for what to do with the blood. The organization takes a certain amount of time, so it is important to decide in time.

Later, this blood can help your child with diseases and can be used for stem cell therapy, for example.

You can either have the blood from the umbilical cord frozen at a private blood bank or donate it. In the case of a donation, the blood is not stored for your baby, but can help someone else.

Unfortunately, you cannot combine the two options. However, the blood from the private blood bank can still be released for donation later.

In total, more than 70 diseases can be cured with this method.

However, opinions on the freezing of umbilical cord blood are divided. Theoretically, it can help your child with later diseases. However, the probability that it will be used is very low. Private preservation also costs several thousand euros.

Furthermore, preservation is only useful if it can be preserved for a long time. Nevertheless, not every blood can be preserved and in 3 to 20% the preservation goes wrong.

It is up to you to decide whether or not to freeze your baby’s umbilical cord blood. Your gynecologist is available to provide you with information and advice.

This is how you can support your body in the 23rd week of pregnancy

Prevent iron deficiency

If dizziness and circulation problems are becoming more frequent, ask your gynecologist to check whether you might be suffering from iron deficiency.

During pregnancy, your need for iron is increased to 30 mg daily and it is possible that you are not absorbing enough iron in your diet.

Although it is contained in fish, meat, dairy products and green vegetables, the amount is often not sufficient for the supply during pregnancy.

Before you start taking supplements on your own, talk to your gynecologist so that you do not have an excess of iron in your body and so that you supply your body with the right amount of iron.

Midwife tip

You are probably already looking forward to preparing the nursery for your little darling and creating his own little kingdom.

When the walls are painted and new furniture is set up for your baby, it is important that there is enough time for vapors to dissipate before the two of you spend time together in the baby’s room. Your baby and you should not be exposed to these exhalations on a permanent basis.”

FAQ

What happens in the 23rd WOP?

In the 23rd week of gestation, the focus of the baby’s development continues to be on weight gain. The organs are developed. The lungs now begin to mature and with them the pulmonary circulation.

WOP 23: How often do you feel the baby?

How often you feel the baby, you can not say exactly, because each baby is active to a different extent. Basically, the baby is always active throughout the day and moves more and more compared to the previous weeks of pregnancy.

How big is the baby at 23 weeks pregnancy?

The baby is about the size of a long banana at 30 cm in the 23rd week.

What does my baby look like at 23 weeks of pregnancy?

Your baby already looks like a newborn in the 23rd week. Although it is still a little narrower and smaller than a newborn baby, the basic development is complete.

How heavy is the baby at 23 weeks pregnancy?

The baby weighs approximately 580 g in the 23rd week of gestation. His weight has been increasing significantly from week to week since the 22nd week of pregnancy because development is focused on weight gain.

What month are you in at 23 weeks pregnancy?

At 23 weeks pregnancy, you are 6 months pregnant.