pregnancy week 23
23 weeks pregnant.
Skin is still wrinkly because there's not much fat yet. But your baby is gaining weight quickly now.
Updated 29 July 2026 · Sources: NHS and ACOG
Your baby this week
Long, skinny, and wrinkly — but plumper by the week. Skin is reddish and translucent, with prominent veins, plus a coat of lanugo.
- Rapid weight gain begins
- Inner ear fluid develops
- Lungs make first surfactant
- Sense of balance starts
What may be changing in your body
Bump is clearly visible. Many people feel Braxton-Hicks (practice contractions) for the first time — irregular and painless tightening.
Braxton Hicks tightenings
Irregular, painless practice contractions may appear, often after activity or when you are dehydrated. Resting and drinking water usually settles them.
Night-time leg cramps
Sudden calf cramps are common from mid-pregnancy, possibly linked to circulation changes and mineral balance. Stretching your calves before bed helps prevent them.
Itchy stretching skin
Mild itching over the bump as skin stretches is normal and responds to moisturiser. Intense itching, especially on the palms and soles, should be reported to your midwife or doctor promptly, as it can signal a liver condition called cholestasis.
Swollen ankles by evening
Fluid gathers in the lower legs after a day upright. Putting your feet up regularly helps; sudden swelling of the face or hands needs a same-day call to your midwife or doctor.
Clumsiness
Loosened joints and a shifting centre of gravity make small stumbles more likely. Flat, grippy shoes and unhurried movements are your friends now.
When to call
Contact your midwife or doctor the same day for severe headache, vision changes, sudden swelling, intense itching, bleeding, or painful regular tightenings.
Your week 23 checklist
- Stretch your calves each evening and keep a water bottle by the bed for night cramps.
- Photograph your bump — a weekly photo series is a keepsake many parents wish they had started sooner.
- Check your iron-rich food intake; midwives often review iron levels around week 28.
- Confirm your whooping cough vaccine is done or booked.
A useful partner move this week
Learn the red-flag symptoms — severe headache, vision changes, sudden swelling, intense itching — so two people are watching for them, not one. A two-minute calf massage before sleep genuinely helps with the night cramps that start around now.
What comes next
By next week you'll cross the 'viability threshold' — when a baby has some chance of surviving outside the womb with intensive medical support.
Common questions
What does the 24-week viability milestone actually mean?
From around 24 weeks, babies born prematurely have a meaningful chance of survival with intensive neonatal care, which is why many guidelines treat it as a legal and medical threshold. It does not mean birth at this stage is safe — every additional week in the womb significantly improves outcomes. For most parents it is simply a reassuring marker on the journey rather than anything requiring action.
Why do I get leg cramps at night during pregnancy?
Night cramps affect up to half of pregnant people, likely due to circulation changes, extra weight, and shifts in minerals such as magnesium and calcium. Stretching the calf before bed, staying hydrated, and gentle daily walking all reduce their frequency. If one leg becomes persistently painful, swollen, red, or warm, call your midwife or doctor promptly, as that pattern needs checking.
When is an itchy bump something to worry about?
Mild, all-over itching where skin is stretching is normal and eases with moisturiser. Itching that is intense, worse at night, or concentrated on the palms of your hands and soles of your feet can be a sign of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, a liver condition that needs a blood test. If your itching fits that pattern, call your midwife or doctor rather than waiting for your next appointment.
How many months is 23 weeks pregnant?
Pregnancy months do not divide evenly into weeks, so clinicians date pregnancy in weeks. At 23 weeks, you are in trimester two.