Second Trimester 1^stTrimester     3^rd Trimester

The umbilical cord may be held in your baby's hands as he floats in the amniotic cavity.

Kicks are becoming quite strong and there's no mistaking your baby's movements.

At 23 weeks the average crown to heel length is 10.5 in (26.7 cm) and the average weight is 12.7 oz (360 g).

The inner ear organs have matured enough to send nerve signals to the brain. Soon, the baby will start responding to many more sounds.

As your abdominal organs become ever more compressed, you may suffer from frequent digestive disturbances, such as heartburn or trapped gas.

Being pregnant can have all kinds of unexpected effects. There will probably be days when you just don't feel in control of your emotions and they get the better of you, making you cry for no reason. Or your body feels clumsy and uncoordinated, and you keep walking into the furniture. Just talk to some other moms-to-be and you'll find that these side effects are all a normal part of the pregnancy experience!

Excerpted from Pregnancy Day by Day.
Copyright © 2009 Dorling Kindersley Limited.
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