23 Weeks

C & W's Baby in Week 23 of Pregnancy

C & W's little doll-sized babe is about to chub up a bit. His saggy skin will start to fit his frame as fat deposits fill things out. Beginning this week, he'll start to pack on the pounds (which means I will too!) and by month's end he'll be double the weight he is now (though I won't be — whew!). Right now, C & W's baby's organs and bones are visible through his skin, which has a red hue due to developing veins and arteries beneath. But once those fat deposits settle in, he'll become less transparent.

My Body in Week 23 of Pregnancy

If you're suddenly sporting a dark line down the middle of your tummy, say hello to the linea nigra. That line has actually always been there, but you probably never noticed it until pregnancy hormones caused hyperpigmentation (the same phenomenon that may have darkened your areolas and the area around your forehead and cheeks). Other (less than delightful) skin changes on your body in the sixth month may include red palms and soles, bluish blotchy legs, heat rash, and skin tags. Oh, and don’t forget that itchy belly (keep slathering on those creams!).