23 Weeks

(Click to enlarge) (Above photos courtesy of http://www.babycenter.com/)

Baby:

- Baby is now more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango).

- With his sense of movement well developed by now, baby can feel me dance and move.

- Blood vessels in his lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that his increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing him for entry into the outside world.
- Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze him when he hears them outside the womb.

Mom:

- I am able to see him squirm underneath my clothes now.
- Sluggish circulation in the legs — coupled with changes in blood chemistry that may cause some water retention — may result in swelling, also known as edema.

- Yep, ankles, feet and hands have started to swell a bit, especially at the end of the day or during the hotter days. My left ankle is worse right now but that’s because I slipped on Wednesday and twisted my ankle (thanks to the cleaning lady not using the “caution wet floor sign”, Ouch!

- While a certain amount of edema in your lower extremities is normal during pregnancy, excessive swelling may be a sign of a serious condition called preeclampsia. Yeah, had that last time and not planning on doing it again.

- My weight: 138 lbs at my 23 week appointment (5/21).

- Blood pressure: 116/68

- Baby’s heart rate: 158 bpm

Other News:

- We have acquired quite a few more items since last week. It’s funny how such a tiny baby needs so many big things.