23 weeks pregnant

Your baby is still hard at work growing! Baby is a bit under a foot tall (30.4 cm), the size of a bunch of grapes, and weighs just about 1 ¼ lbs (568 grams). Baby’s skin is still transparent, and a bit red because of the veins and arteries that are developing underneath. But this won’t last long, as they are about to fill out. Baby’s face is fully formed now, and is just waiting for that fat to fill it out too. By now you know that Baby is also starting to kick like crazy, usually in response to noises they hear from the outside world. And your little one is busy constructing the blood vessels in their lungs that will allow them to breathe air on their own once they’re born. 

What’s new with you?

Those feet might be swelling soon, and they’ll be worse at the end of a tough day or if the summer heat is baking you. Although some swelling is expected, excessive swelling could be a symptom of preeclampsia, a condition characterized by high blood pressure and protein in your urine. Since it can often be hard to know what sort of swelling is normal and what’s more serious, speak with your healthcare provider if you have any questions about the swelling you’re experiencing. And because preeclampsia can also be signaled by headaches, changes in your vision, pain in your upper abdomen, excessive nausea, or changes in urine, if you experience any of these symptoms, contact your provider right away.

You might also start experiencing a tingling in the hands caused by carpal tunnel. Carpal tunnel developed during pregnancy usually goes away after delivery, so your healthcare provider may not do much to treat it, although in some cases, he or she may recommend that you use splints or limit certain activities. If you do end up feeling pain, tingling, or numbness in your thumbs, fingers, hands, or wrists, it’s another thing you can blame on all those hormones overloading your system. A buildup of fluid can also make you more susceptible to carpal tunnel.

Other symptoms that might start popping up include forgetfulness and excessive snoring, though that one will probably bother anyone who sleeps beside you more than it ever bothers you. Braxton Hicks contractions might also start setting in soon. These “practice” contractions usually aren’t particularly painful, and are just a natural way that your uterus is preparing for birth.

Your healthcare provider will probably test you for gestational diabetes in one of your next few prenatal appointments. Gestational diabetes isn’t usually apparent before the test, so it’s important to get tested at the appropriate time.