Week 23 of pregnancy: Development, Rest, and Planning Ahead

At 23 weeks, thoughts about the birth may start sitting alongside thoughts about this week. You can begin preparing without having every decision settled. A short conversation with your midwife or someone you trust is a useful starting point, especially if planning feels overwhelming.

Your baby is still developing

Your baby practises breathing movements and has periods of sleep and activity inside the womb. These developments do not mean that the lungs are ready for life outside it. If early birth becomes a concern, the maternity and neonatal teams will discuss care for your particular circumstances.

You may also notice some early breast milk, called colostrum, leaking from your breasts. This can happen during pregnancy. Our guide to leaking colostrum before birth explains how to manage leakage and when to ask about breast changes.

Give emotional wellbeing space in the conversation

Feeling anxious or low deserves support, especially when it affects daily life. Tell your midwife or doctor what has changed. Talking therapies and other treatments may be appropriate, and treatment decisions should take account of your needs during pregnancy. Do not stop prescribed mental health medicine without advice from the clinician responsible for it.

You can bring a written note if starting the conversation is difficult. It might say that you are spending hours worrying about appointments, finding it hard to concentrate or avoiding things you used to enjoy. You do not have to choose a diagnosis before asking for help.

Begin with preferences rather than a finished plan

A birth plan can communicate who you would like with you, your preferences about pain relief and what would help you feel informed. Discuss the available choices with your midwife. Circumstances can change, and you can revise preferences as you learn more.

For now, you might keep two headings in your notes: things that matter to me, and things I need explained. That is enough to start a useful discussion. The prenatal appointment guide can help you find a place for these questions in upcoming visits.

Plan practical help in small pieces

Ask someone to take responsibility for one concrete task, such as arranging transport to a booked appointment or looking into a class your midwife recommends. You can return to other decisions later rather than making preparation an evening’s worth of research every day.

Keep urgent concerns separate from that planning list. Regular tightenings, period type pain, unusual backache or a gush or trickle of vaginal fluid before 37 weeks need an immediate call to your midwife or maternity unit. These symptoms need assessment rather than an attempt to diagnose early labour at home.