Your week 23 guide

Kicks and whole-body movements are becoming easier to notice. Movement is now strong enough that other people may be able to feel it from the outside, though often not for a few more weeks. Your baby still has room to change position completely, so the location of kicks may move around considerably.

Developing senses allow a response to bright light. A strong light on your abdomen may prompt a shift or a turn, even though the eyelids are still mostly closed and the visual system is far from complete. The womb remains dim, so this is a response to change in brightness rather than anything resembling sight.

Blood vessels in the lungs and the balance system in the inner ear are maturing. The lungs are developing the fine network of vessels needed to exchange oxygen, without which breathing would not be possible at birth. The inner ear structures that sense position and motion are also forming, which means your baby can sense being upside down.

Hot flushes, swollen feet or ankles, frequent urination and back or pelvic aches can all occur. Feeling hot is largely the result of increased blood flow and a raised metabolic rate, and it can be startling in cool weather. Mild ankle swelling that comes on through the day and settles overnight is expected.

Braxton Hicks contractions may feel like a brief, irregular tightening. They are painless for most women, do not increase in frequency, and often stop if you change position or drink some water. Tightenings that become regular, painful, or come with backache, pressure or fluid loss should prompt an immediate call to your maternity team.

Dry or blurry eyes can accompany hormonal changes. Reduced tear production and slight changes in the shape of the cornea are behind it, and contact lenses may become uncomfortable. Contact your maternity team immediately about new blurred vision, flashing lights, spots or other changes in vision, even if you have no headache or swelling. Do not assume a new visual symptom is simply hormonal or wait for your next appointment.

Ask when gestational diabetes screening is offered and whether it applies to you. Timing is usually between twenty-four and twenty-eight weeks, and some women are screened earlier or not at all depending on risk factors. Knowing whether you need to fast beforehand saves an unnecessary repeat appointment.

Look at parental leave and practical support while you have the energy for paperwork. Entitlements differ enormously by country and employer, and some require notice by a particular week. This is also the moment to think about who can genuinely help in the early weeks after birth.

Keep water, comfortable shoes and regular movement breaks within reach. Sitting or standing for long stretches makes swelling and back pain noticeably worse, and moving every hour helps more than any single intervention. If you work at a desk or on your feet all day, this is worth raising with your employer. Alhamdulillah for a short pause in a busy day, however small it is.

Calcium throughout pregnancy: Calcium supports your baby's developing bones and teeth and also protects your own bone health. It is needed throughout pregnancy, not only in the final trimester.

Sources include pasteurised milk, yoghurt and cheese, calcium-fortified plant alternatives, calcium-set tofu, sesame and tahini, some green vegetables and suitable fish with edible bones. Check that dairy alternatives are fortified rather than assuming they contain calcium naturally, since many unfortified versions contain very little.