23 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms

Someone asked me the other day how far along I am in my pregnancy, and I actually had to Google “how far along am I in my pregnancy?” I mean, I knew I was 20-something-ish weeks, but I was a little fuzzy on the specifics. I guess that’s what happens when you are on your third pregnancy, chasing around two little ones, with a little pregnancy brain thrown in there. It’s a perfect storm of confusion. I thought it would be a good opportunity to outline my 23 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms so that any other women could work off of this, too.

23 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms

23 weeks pregnant symptoms

When I punched in my due date to the handy website I Googled to help me with my answer, I determined I am 23 weeks pregnant. I’m at that weird place in my third pregnancy where, depending on what I’m wearing, I either look like I’m ready to give birth yesterday or I look like I just ate one too many burritos for lunch.

23 weeks pregnant symptoms

I’m certainly feeling many of those 23 weeks pregnant symptoms I’m familiar with from my previous two pregnancies with Brian and Eve. Not that this is a symptom per se, but I did notice when hugging my husband the other day that I really had to lean in with the top of my body to actually get my arms around his neck for the hug. The bump between us led him to look down and say, “Wow, you’re getting really big!” So that was encouraging!

23 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms

23 weeks pregnant symptoms

When it comes to actual 23 weeks pregnant symptoms (and not just oh-so-helpful observations from my husband), here are the top 5 things I’m experiencing right around this time:

  1. I HAVE TO PEE ALL THE TIME. I’m trying to be good about my water consumption because I do NOT want a UTI, but sometimes I feel like enough is enough with the trips to the bathroom. The worst is waking up in the middle of the night knowing I really should pee, but so desperately wanting to stay under my cozy covers. Not to mention, a certain almost-three-year-old, who is the lightest sleeper in the world, is usually either on top of me or so close to me that any movement will wake her, and I really don’t want to risk that. These are the moments that I think a bedtime catheter wouldn’t be such a bad idea.

  2. HANGRYNESS. Is that even a word? It is when I can go from “no-I’m-not-really-that-hungry” to “GET-ME-FOOD-NOW-OR-I-WILL-DESTROY-YOU” in about three seconds flat. Seriously, I have found myself ready to pass out from hunger, out of nowhere, more and more often lately. And sometimes it is strangely specific, like, ‘I must have 1 and ⅓ cups of lowfat – NOT FAT FREE – vanilla yogurt with 8 red grapes and two Cheerios IMMEDIATELY.” I have learned to never leave the house without a granola bar or some crackers, and it has saved me many times (and perhaps more importantly, it has saved countless others from my hungry angry pregnant lady wrath).

  3. ROUND LIGAMENT PAIN. What the? I thought this was supposed to go away after the first trimester, like it did in my first two pregnancies. Why is this now one of my 23 weeks pregnant symptoms? Why is my uterus suddenly like, “Aaaand, we’re expanding. Oh, you don’t feel it? Let me jab you sharply on your left side. Not painful enough, huh? Okay, how about over here on your right side, too, just for good measure.” This is something I plan to address with my doctor at my next appointment in a few days. I’m thinking that picking up my almost-three-year old, Eve (and I’ll admit, sometimes picking up my 5-year-old, Brian), isn’t really helping in this department.

  4. ACID REFLUX. I never experienced this with my first pregnancy, but I definitely did with my second, and this time around it’s back again. I find it to be so random. Sometimes it comes on after I drink something carbonated, sometimes it’s after I have dairy. Other times, I can have either of those things and I have no acid reflux at all. For me, it feels like I have a pill stuck in my throat. That’s what I initially thought it was when I first experienced it during my second pregnancy. Luckily, my acid reflux is usually pretty mild and will go away if I sit down and have a few sips of water. But I’ve never had it when I’m not pregnant, so it’s definitely a pregnancy symptom for me.

  5. BABY MOVEMENT. This is, of course, the best of all the 23 weeks pregnant symptoms. I love feeling my little guy moving around, punching and kicking. I’m at that point where it just feels like cute little jabs, but I know as the weeks go on and he grows larger, there will be less space for him to move around and the kicks will be a little rougher. Right now, though, it’s just a nice little reminder that he’s in there, letting me know that he’s moving and having some fun.

I’m really going to make a conscious effort to pay attention to how far along I am in my pregnancy from here on out. Right now these 23 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms are alive and well. Just because it’s my third pregnancy doesn’t mean it’s not exciting and miraculous for me. This baby is so very loved already and so very wanted, and not just by me and my husband. Little Brian talks about the baby all the time and asks the cutest questions. I know both he and Eve are going to be the best big siblings. This will also probably be my last pregnancy – three kids is my dream – so I want to savor every moment (even the painful round ligament pain ones).

I actually bought a wall calendar the other day, so I’m going to mark every week from here on out so I don’t have to do any more Googling when it comes to how far along I am in my pregnancy. I’m sure that all the 23 weeks pregnant symptoms I listed here will continue as I move along from week to week, but I know that more symptoms will pop up, too, so I will keep chronicling my pregnancy as we chug along to 40 weeks. Just keep feeding me and no one will get hurt.

I love to (still) follow along on BabyCenter.com for the latest updates, too.

Also – here’s a little motivation for after the baby! Tips for working out post pregnancy!

About Audrey

Audrey McClelland has been a digital influencer since 2005. She’s a mom of 5 and shares tips on her three favorite things: parenting, fashion and beauty. She’s also a Contemporary Romance Author.

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