Your Baby's Development: Week 23

Week 23
Congratulations, you are 23 weeks pregnant and your baby has hit the one pound mark! Its cute little body is growing to become more proportionate as each day goes by. Now, the bones of the middle ear begin to harden. Also, this week, the pigment that gives color to your baby's skin is deposited.

Even though fat accumulates on your baby's body, her skin still hangs loosely, giving baby a wrinkled appearance. This occurs as the skin is produced at a quicker rate than it takes for the fat to accumulate.

Your baby is now working out daily. Her routine may include regularly working out the muscles in the fingers, toes, legs and arms. As a result, you may start to feel stronger kicking.

The Braxton Hicks contractions continue during this week. Do not worry about this; your uterus frequently contracts, but you can only feel it when the uterus is full.

Try to Rest
As you get closer to your due date, you may have more difficulty sleeping. This can be caused by a number of things including anxiety, leg cramps, frequent urination, heartburn and general discomfort. Despite the difficulties you may have sleeping, your health and the well being of your baby are dependent on rest. If you find yourself tossing and turning, take a warm bath, listen to soothing music, read a relaxing book or drink a glass of warm milk.

What's the Best Sleeping Position?
Doctors recommend that pregnant women should sleep on their sides - not on their backs or stomachs. When you sleep on your side during pregnancy, blood flow to the placenta is not restricted. If, for some reason, you find this sleeping position uncomfortable, you can try to place a pillow between your knees. This will relieve the pressure of your weight when you are lying on your side.

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