23 Weeks Pregnant!!

You are now 23 weeks pregnant (or in your 24th week if that's how you prefer to count it).

Your baby now weighs a little more than 500g and measures about 28.9cm from crown to heel. His hearing is well established and he can make out a distorted version of your voice, the beating of your heart and your stomach rumblings. Loud noises your baby has often heard in the uterus (womb), such as the barking of a dog or the roar of a vacuum cleaner, probably won't bother him when he is born.

Some studies seem to indicate that unborn babies prefer classical music, so put on a CD of relaxing music by Bach or Mozart for his enjoyment – and yours!

In addition to advances in your baby's hearing, his lungs are developing to prepare for breathing. He's swallowing but he normally won't pass his first stool (called meconium) until after birth.

If your baby were to be born now, he would have a small chance of survival (about 16 per cent) with the right care. Every day in the uterus makes a difference at this stage. If he was born at 24 weeks his chance of survival would rise to 44 per cent.

As for you, you may feel clumsy now that your centre of gravity has shifted. Your gums may bleed when you brush your teeth and your belly button, once an "innie", may now stick out. Don't worry. It'll revert to its pre-baby state soon after you give birth.

You may notice some bleeding when you brush your teeth - a common pregnancy complaint (along with nosebleeds). Pregnancy hormones can make your gums swell and become inflamed, which leads to frequent bleeding, especially when you clean your teeth. What to do? Brush and floss regularly but gently and follow our other self help suggestions. Although you may want to avoid disturbing your gums, it's crucial to practise good dental hygiene during pregnancy to avoid gum disease.

Most women don't have many antenatal appointments, so see if your partner can spare the time to come along when one is scheduled. Not only will he be able to hear first-hand how things are going, he can get his own questions answered too.