Pregnancy calendar: 23rd week of pregnancy
Pregnancy calendar by week. An experienced doctor tells how a child develops in the womb and what changes occur in the pregnant woman’s body. All the most important things about the 23rd week of pregnancy
Changes in your body:
The period of waiting, gestation is sometimes unbearably long and boring. So, some practical advice on how to find harmony in new circumstances and create a positive mood.
Exercises that help reduce stress and improve mood during pregnancy:
Mindfulness meditation while walking
Very often, we walk in the mode of the so-called “autopilot”: we automatically cover the distance from point A to point B, perform the task of moving the body in space. The actual exercise of conscious walking consists in maximum attention, immersion in reality, in an effort to be here and now. There is nothing mystical or fairy-tale here, there is already enough scientific evidence that the practice of training attention in the moment here and now has a positive effect on health and well-being, relieves stress and allows you to level the mood.
So dedicate at least 15 minutes a day to mindful walking meditation. For that, choose a walking pace that is convenient for you, you don’t need to “fly” anywhere. For 3 minutes, walking at a comfortable pace, observe how you breathe, trace how the air enters the nose, moves through the trachea, bronchi, fills the lungs, how, having given oxygen, it turns back and goes out in a warm stream.
At the same time, pay attention to how the whole body is filled with heat, how it reaches the most distant corners of the whole body. Try for the next five minutes to alternately focus your attention on the sensations that arise: in the toes of the left foot and up in the foot, in the shin, and later in the whole leg.
Now shift your attention to the right leg, scan from the bottom up from the toes to the foot, shin, thigh. Focus on the pelvic area. Feel your stomach, lower back, back. Stop with your inner gaze on your left hand, feel the temperature of the air with your palms, what it feels like to the touch. Let your attention gradually examine the left hand from the bottom up. Similarly, transfer your inner gaze to your right hand, palm. Feel the air passing through your fingers.
Now slowly move your attention from the fingers upwards: to the forearm, elbow, shoulder. Return your attention to the middle of your body (diaphragm), trace how the lungs are filled with oxygen. Pay attention to the neck, mouth, feel the muscles of the face, try to relax the face or smile delicately by breathing gently. Imagine that all thoughts and worries are clouds that go outside during exhalation and dissolve, instead, with each breath of fresh air comes purity and freshness. Catch this moment of lightness and try to stay in it as long as possible.
Gently and slowly return from the inner journey. In the end, the described body “scanning” algorithm is suitable for many types of meditation, for example, sitting in a comfortable chair with a straight back.
Art
Pregnancy is a good time to remember your hobby. Maybe in your childhood you liked to draw or embroider, or maybe knit? Try it, you will suddenly like it and want to create. Trying to learn something new is also a good idea, isn’t it? And suddenly, you will find a new interesting hobby for yourself.
Sports for pregnant women
Find out what groups are available for pregnant women. Maybe it’s swimming or special pilates. Specially designed programs for pregnant women are not only good for your body, it is also an opportunity to meet new friends, with women who have similar interests to you and are looking for something new and positive.
How does the baby grow?
The baby’s skin becomes pink, the primary hair grows.
The baby’s bones become strong (calcified). Do you remember about healthy food? Do you eat food rich in calcium?
The child’s hearing improves, he begins to better distinguish various sounds. Taste receptors on the tongue are developing – the baby can distinguish tastes.
Author: Olga Letnyanchyk, doctor
Read also:
– Pregnancy calendar: from 1 to 40 weeks
