23 weeks pregnant: kicks you can see
Your baby's rhythms are becoming easier to notice, and so is the space they take up. Here is what helps this week.
Updated October 13, 2026 · sources checked October 13, 2026
In short
At 23 weeks your baby is about 28.9cm from head to heel, with limbs now in proportion, practising breathing and settling into sleep and wake patterns. You may see your tummy move and feel rib pain or breathlessness. This week, start learning your baby's usual pattern of movements and, in the UK, plan to tell your employer by about week 25.
Where you are at 23 weeks
Late in month six (weeks 21 to 24 in Cleveland Clinic's grouping), with the third trimester five weeks away. The pregnancy week calculator shows your exact week and day; the due date calculator confirms your date.
Your baby this week
The NHS gives a length of around 28.9cm from head to heel and compares it to a large mango. Your baby's limbs are now in proportion, and over the next few weeks you may see your tummy move from the outside.
- Rhythms. Your baby is practising breathing and getting into patterns of sleeping and waking (NHS).
- Fat stores. Cleveland Clinic says your baby begins rapidly adding fat around now.
- Prematurity care. Cleveland Clinic notes that a baby born after the 23rd week may survive with intensive care. If you are worried about early labour, the signs are below; ACOG says preterm labour, before 37 weeks, needs medical attention right away.
Getting to know your baby's movements
This is the time to start noticing your baby's own pattern: when they are busy, when they are quiet. The NHS says there is no set number of movements and you do not need to count them; what matters is any change. Do not use a home doppler to reassure yourself: the NHS warns it is not a reliable way to check your baby's health.
Your body and common symptoms
Rib pain and breathlessness. Your rib cage expands to make room for your bump and your growing baby presses on your lungs (NHS). Putting your feet up and resting is the simplest remedy.
Colostrum. Your breasts may start leaking a little early milk (NHS). Breast pads keep clothes dry; it is equally normal not to leak at all.
Sun care. The NHS says pregnant skin can burn more easily. Cover up and find shade when the sun is strongest, and use a high-factor sun cream (15+, at least 4-star UVA) in a thick layer.
Caffeine. The NHS suggests swapping some tea and coffee for smoothies or fruit teas. Our guide to caffeine and alcohol in pregnancy explains the limits.
Mental health. The NHS encourages a wellbeing plan for pregnancy and after the birth. If you feel anxious or low, tell your midwife or doctor; you do not have to keep it to yourself.
Is this normal? When to call
Rib ache, feeling out of breath on the stairs, leaking colostrum and seeing your tummy ripple are all normal at 23 weeks.
Call your midwife, maternity unit or OB-GYN immediately, day or night, if your baby's movements slow down, stop or change. Call straight away for vaginal bleeding, fluid leaking, regular tightenings or period-like pain, pain just below the ribs with headache or vision changes, sudden swelling, breathlessness that comes on suddenly or with chest pain, or a temperature of 38C (100.4F) or above. In the UK, call NHS 111 if you cannot reach your maternity unit and 999 in an emergency. In the US, call 911 in an emergency.
Appointments and tests around 23 weeks
- UK: 23 weeks is the latest the 20-week scan can usually be done (NHS); tell your midwife if you have not had it. Next comes the 25-week appointment if this is your first baby, then the 28-week appointment for everyone.
- US: your routine visits continue. The glucose screening test for gestational diabetes is usually between 24 and 28 weeks (ACOG); ask whether it is booked.
Telling your employer
UK. GOV.UK says you must tell your employer at least 15 weeks before your due date, which the NHS places around week 25: when the baby is due and when you want your leave to start. As soon as you have told them, you can attend antenatal appointments in paid work time and ask for a workplace risk assessment (NHS).
US. If your employer has 15 or more employees, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act requires reasonable accommodations, such as extra breaks, a stool, schedule changes or leave for health appointments, unless they cause undue hardship (EEOC).
Your checklist for week 23
For your partner
Keep a hand ready: you may be able to see or feel a kick from the outside over the coming weeks. If movements ever change, help make the call straight away rather than waiting until morning.
Losing a baby
The NHS defines miscarriage as the loss of a pregnancy before 24 weeks. If this has happened to you, or happens later, trained people can support you through grief. In the UK, Miscarriage UK (formerly the Miscarriage Association) has a support line on 0303 003 6464 (miscarriageuk.org); in the US, Share Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support offers free support.
Previous and next week
Week 22: lungs in training · Week 24: viability and planning ahead
Read the full second trimester guide or see all pregnancy weeks.
Questions parents ask
How many months is 23 weeks pregnant?
Cleveland Clinic groups weeks 21 to 24 as month six, so 23 weeks is late in the sixth month. It describes the fetus at the end of month six as about 12 inches long and about 2 pounds.
Should I count kicks at 23 weeks?
The NHS says you do not need to count kicks; what matters is getting to know your baby's usual pattern and calling your midwife or maternity unit immediately if movements slow down, stop or change. Cleveland Clinic mentions that some providers suggest kick counts nearer the due date. Sources differ on counting, but they agree that a change in movements needs a call straight away.
Is rib pain normal at 23 weeks?
The NHS says rib pain can start around now as your rib cage expands to make room for your bump. Pain just below the ribs together with headache, vision problems or swelling needs a call the same day, as it can be a sign of pre-eclampsia.
Sources
- NHS — Week-by-week guide to pregnancy, week 23 checked October 13, 2026
- NHS — Your baby's movements checked October 13, 2026
- Cleveland Clinic — Fetal Development, week-by-week stages checked October 13, 2026
- GOV.UK — Maternity pay and leave, how to claim checked October 13, 2026
- NHS — Miscarriage checked October 13, 2026
- NHS — Pregnancy symptoms you need to get help for checked October 13, 2026
- ACOG — Preterm Labor and Birth checked October 13, 2026
- EEOC — What You Should Know About the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act checked October 13, 2026
- ACOG — Routine Tests During Pregnancy checked October 13, 2026
Mamavela explains; it does not replace your midwife, doctor or pediatrician, who know your situation. If something worries you, call them. In an emergency, call 911 (US), 999 (UK) or 112.