Pregnancy week 23 - baby's development and your body

Your baby’s getting stronger each week and might even start to hiccup. Real hair is beginning to grow on their head.

Size:

Your baby is about 26 cm long or 10.24 inches, from head to foot.

Weight:

Approximately 501 grams or 17.67 ounces.

Fetal development:

Your baby has plenty of space to move around in the womb, doing somersaults, grasping its ears or the umbilical cord, and even sucking its thumb.

Your body:

Your belly is growing, with your uterus now reaching just above your navel. You’ve likely started feeling your baby move, or you’ll begin to notice it this week.

Many people find pregnancy symptoms are less bothersome now, though some may feel added pressure on the ligaments around the uterus or experience pelvic pain as the belly expands. The skin on your belly might also feel dry and itchy as it stretches.

Other common symptoms in the second trimester include breast growth, a boost in appetite, back pain, and swelling in your feet and ankles. Skin changes, like darkened nipples or a “linea nigra”—a dark line that may run from the pubic bone to just below the navel—are also normal.