23 weeks

Yesterday makes 23 weeks. The little guy has been quiet today, but I've been moving around a lot. I've gotten to where I always have to have tums around, otherwise I'm miserable. Other than that, no new symptoms. My feet still hurt and my hips are sore but I don't think those things are going to go away.

The baby's hearing is fine. The other night I was in bed and I heard this huge sound coming from something inside me. It was loud to me so I can only imagine how loud it was to him. After the second time it happened he started kicking around. He had been sleeping but that woke him up.

He's getting stronger and I've felt him move from the outside a few times, still not very often though.

This week:

• Proportions of the body are now quite similar to a newborn although thinner since he hasn't begun to form body fat.
• Bones located in the middle ear harden.
• Your baby is able to hear.
  
• The eyes are formed, though the iris still lacks pigmentation.
• The pancreas, essential in the production of hormones, is developing steadily. He has begun producing insulin, important for the breakdown of sugars.
• If born now, your baby has a 15% chance of survival, his odds going up with each passing day.
• The average baby at this stage weighs 1.1 pound (501gm) and is 11.38 inches (28.9cm) long.