You should give some thought to making a birth plan if you haven’t already created one. Making a written birth plan helps convey your wishes to your medical practitioner and your partner clearly. Do you want a water birth or any particular positions for labor?
Who should remain present – partner, child, doula, relatives, friends? Is there any one in particular that you want to stay with you throughout? Or anyone that you want should not be present? If so, list out the people who can remain present; whom you are OK with having around during a difficult time.
Do you want the lights dimmed, and do you want music? Do you want pictures or video and do you want to wear your own clothes? What about medical interventions? Write down a birth plan but try to be flexible; labor and childbirth can be unpredictable.
Changes in the baby
Baby is now almost a foot length and weighs one pound and 5 ounces. You may notice some patterns in baby’s movements by now – the baby may be more active at night and quieter during the day or vice versa (if you’re lucky).
- Nails are growing now and you may well find that you need to clip baby’s nails very soon after the birth because baby may end up scratching himself as well as you.
- Important parts of the brain are maturing now.
Changes in the mom to be
In this ever changing journey towards motherhood, you probably notice new and strange things happening to you all the time. You may find you’re feeling bloated and perhaps getting swollen ankles as well.
- Edema and water retention could be problem for pregnant women. Slightly swollen ankles may be OK but if you find swelling elsewhere, you should report this.
- Many women develop “baby brain” and find that they keep forgetting things. This again is due to the pregnancy hormones and things will normalize when baby has arrived.
- Some pregnant women find that they snore while sleeping because of the nasal congestion and weight gain.
Tips for the 23rd Week
Since there are likely to be many discomforts during this week, here are some simple ways to deal with them:
- Put up your feet to prevent the fluid pooling in the lower parts of the body.
- Avoid high heels and wear comfy shoes.
- Consider lowering salt intake and ask the doctor how to do this safely.
- Use a humidifier or nasal strips if snoring is a problem.