Pregnancy Week 23

You're 23 weeks pregnant!  And if you weren't constantly stuffing your face, forgetting where you put your car keys, and dealing with carpal tunnel you might be able to enjoy it...anyone else or just me? But in all seriousness, while you are most likely experiencing a lot of the symptoms I just listed (along with snoring and bleeding gums) you are most likely loving every second of it because those kicks and wiggles are becoming more pronounced and a lot more common! It kind of makes the trade off worth it huh?

This week your little one will begin to fatten up a bit, and by the end of the month he will be double the weight he is now!  At this stage your baby's organs and bones are visible through his skin, which has a red-blue tint to it because of the developing veins and arteries that are starting to form beneath.  But don't worry, as he packs on the pounds and gets some cute little rolls going, he will be a lot less transparent.

Now that you are well into your second trimester don't be surprised, or concerned, if you see a dark line down the middle of your belly.  This lovely line that most pregnant women get is called the linea nigra.  The interesting thing is that that line has always been on your belly. However, you probably never noticed it until those amazing pregnancy hormones caused the hyper pigmentation to highlight the line.  This is the same hyper pigmentation that has cased the darkening of your areolae and maybe even the areas around your forehead and cheeks. Some other changes in the color of your skin that may be happening this month are red palms and soles of your feet, bluish blotchy legs, heat rash, and skin tags...fun! These are all due to the pregnancy hormones, so don't be too concerned all of these will go away once your little one arrives. In the mean time, continue to put those creams on to keep your skin soft and moist.  If you are concerned with any of the changes you are experiencing, don't hesitate to contact your doctor, it's her job to put your mind at ease!

Week 22
Week 24