23 Weeks Pregnant: What To Expect

EP 92:

You’re 23 weeks pregnant — yay! 🎉 But also… wow. Your body is stretching, shifting, and doing some wild things, and it’s totally normal to be wondering what the heck is going on.

In today’s episode, I’m walking you through everything you need to know about being 23 weeks pregnant—from what’s happening with your baby’s development to the real-life symptoms moms are feeling this week. (Spoiler alert: you're not alone if you're out of breath walking up stairs or randomly crying over TikToks.)

This week is all about connection and preparation. You’ll learn what’s going on inside your belly, how to ease discomfort, and what you can start planning now for a smoother third trimester.

🧠 Inside This Episode:

• Baby’s development at 23 weeks (hello, lung development!)
• Why you might be feeling more pressure in your pelvis
• Pregnancy symptoms that are common—and what to flag to your provider
• My favorite support band for round ligament pain
• One mindset shift that makes a HUGE difference in your third trimester prep

👶 Get Ready for Birth + Baby With Me!
👉 Join the Bump to Bundle Blueprint
 

Connect with me on YouTube! and tell me what week you're on!
 

Transcript

0:05

Hi, I'm Stephanie Poole, founder and CEO of Birth Prep Academy. I'm on a mission to help pregnant moms prepare for their first hospital birth. I'm sharing revealing conversations about what it really takes to successfully transition into motherhood. So join me. Here to discover things like what to expect in childbirth, how to prepare for your birth. We'll also talk about breastfeeding and so much more. I'm so grateful to share it all with you right here on Oh Baby, the podcast created for pregnant moms preparing for their first hospital birth. Let's get started. Hey there, mama. If you are 23 weeks pregnant or almost there, this is the episode you absolutely don't want to skip. I'm spilling the real tea on what's going on inside your body, your baby's biggest milestones right now, and those weird but totally normal symptoms that nobody talks about. Plus, stick with me till the end because I'm sharing my absolute. Best tips for prepping for birth right now. That'll seriously change your postpartum game later. So with that being said, grab your favorite snack. Your favorite drink, and a comfy blanket. Meat. Meat on the couch. Let's dive in. Did you know that your baby can actually hear your voice this week? We've talked about it before and every week it's becoming clearer and clearer. They can even recognize it after birth, which is why it's so important for you to start now. That's why I've. Then repeating it over and over. Do lots and lots of talking to your baby. Why? Because this is science backed information. This is not just a theory or an old wive's tale. It is science backed, and I'll tell you how to make the most of that a little bit later. All right, so 23 weeks pregnant. You're officially in the late second trimester. Can you believe it? Oh my goodness. This time is going by so fast. Right now, your baby is about the size of a large mango. So with that being said, keep in mind that they weigh about one pound and measuring between 11 to 12 inches long. But here's the cool part. They're not just growing bigger. They're getting way smarter too. So here are some major baby milestones for this week. They're hearing, we've talked about it before. You guys know that I like to repeat it because sometimes we have a lot of new people joining with us today. If you've already been here, it's important that you kind of drill this in, right? Research shows that babies at 23 weeks can actually start to recognize sounds from outside the womb. Especially your voice and your partner's voice, that is so amazing. So here's a practical tip. Start reading your baby books aloud and even just chatting to your bump. It's bonding and it's brain building activity. So do it daily. Do it often. All right. Let's talk about their lungs. Their lungs are developing like crazy. Your baby's lungs are starting to produce a substance called surfactant. It's the substance that will help them to breathe after birth. so with that being said, here's a fun fact. If your baby were born now, they'd have about a 20 to 25% survival rate, and that number jumps every single week. So you are doing some very important work right now. Stay encouraged to keep chugging along. All right, so let's talk about the skin as it's maturing right now, your baby's skin is still kind of see-through, but every week it's thickening up and getting ready for that sweet baby chub. Coming up in a second, I'll share the super strange symptom that you might notice this week that has everything to do with your growing baby. Okay, now let's talk about you, because listen, pregnancy at 23 weeks isn't just cute bump pics and glowing skin. There's some real stuff going on too. Let's start with some common symptoms that you might be feeling this week. First up. Back pain. Your center of gravity is shifting. Hello, baby bump. Right? And because of that, your lower back might be feeling the strain. So here's a pro tip. Try some prenatal stretches, but also check your posture when sitting and standing. These small tweaks will give you big relief results. All right. Next, let's talk about swollen ankles or feet. This is completely normal. Your blood volume has increased by 40 to 50% right now to support you and your baby. But if the swelling is sudden or severe, definitely call your provider. All right. We've talked about this one before, but I always like to reiterate things that may be common for this season that you're in, and that is weird. Dreams. Yep. You might start having some super vivid, bizarre dreams. We talked about it. Go back, check the comments. Some, uh, moms have shared some of their weird dreams. I welcome you to do so in the comments below. but this is partially hormonal and partly your brain processing all the changes happening in your life right now. So it's completely normal. don't feel alone. It happens. And again, I encourage you to share your experience in the comment. All right, let's talk about those Braxton Hicks contractions. These are those practice contractions that you might be feeling right now, they typically feel like a tightening across your belly, Now the thing about these particular contractions, the Braxton Hicks, is that, if they occur occasionally and go away when you change positions, then it's likely Braxton Hicks. But if they're painful, if they're frequent or regular, then you should definitely be calling your provider. All right, now let's talk about the line down your belly. that dark line that's running down your belly is totally normal, thanks to hormonal shifts. it usually fades after birth, so don't be alarmed. Coming up, I'm sharing my number one trick for keeping your energy up even when pregnancy fatigue is creeping back in. And trust me, it's not what you think. Now I know you're feeling all the feels right now, excitement, nerves, all the pregnancy emotions. So let's talk about how you can feel your absolute best this week. First up, fuel your body. Smartly at 23 weeks, your baby's growing fast, which means that you need plenty of iron and protein. So here's a quick snack idea. You can try hard boiled eggs, Greek yogurt with honey, or even a simple peanut butter and banana sandwich. If you have low iron, that might equate to you feeling like you have low energy. So keeping your iron up as well can help beat the second trimester tiredness that might be sneaking back in. In order to check that and keep it under control, you definitely wanna talk to your provider. Alright, now. You should be moving, even if it's just 10 minutes a day, walking, stretching, light, dancing around the kitchen, whatever you love. Movements help. They help with the circulation. it helps to fight swelling and it helps to boost your mood. So even if it's just 10 minutes, be sure to get moving. All right. Now let's talk about prepping for your postpartum right now. Hear me out. Most moms wait until the last month to think about life after baby, but starting now is a game changer. That's why I created Bump to Bundle Blueprint to help you get ahead and not behind. And here's the spoiler alert. We walk you through every single phase of this birth journey so that you can birth with absolute confidence. So be sure to check it out. I'll have it leaked in the description below. All right. Now, as usual, I always love to just check in with you and help you through these mindset moments and shifts so that you can start getting your mind ready for a confident birth. Now, with that being said, here's a quick mindset. Check Right now, your body is doing something absolutely incredible. You are literally creating life from scratch. It's normal to feel overwhelmed sometimes, but you are strong enough and you're doing enough even when it feels hard. So here's the affirmation I want you to say to yourself this week. I trust my body. I trust my baby. And I trust the journey that we're on together. Let me say that again. I trust my body. I trust my baby, and I trust the journey that we are on together. I want you to say this in the mirror, write it down, make it your phone background if you need to, because I want you to remind yourself that you've got this. You're already doing an amazing job as a mom. All right, that wraps up what is expected at 23 weeks pregnant and what it's really like behind the bump. If you are loving these real evidence-based pregnancy tips and you want even more support prepping for birth and beyond, then I invite you to come inside of the Bump to bundle blueprint. It's your all in one guide to make sure that you're ready, you're confident, and you're excited, not stressed out. Again, you'll find the link below in the description, and trust me, you'll wish you had it sooner. Don't forget to hit the like button, subscribe and comment below with how you're feeling at 23 weeks. I love to chat with you in the comments, and I'll see you in the next video.