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23 Weeks Pregnant with Twins or Multiples
Congratulate yourself for successfully carrying your twins for 23 weeks in the womb in the safest way possible. You are a week or so away from completing what is usually termed as the honeymoon stage of the pregnancy. And don't worry because things will get better. This particular week is quite crucial; it is during this week, that the mother and her babies gain a majority of the weight. You will soon move to the final trimester of the pregnancy.
The Growth of the Babies at 23 Weeks
While the previous weeks might have been filled with numerous changes and interesting developments with regards to the growth of your triplets or twins, this week is usually calm on that front. The focus primarily stays on keeping their growth unabated and letting things progress at their natural pace.
The skin covering your babies around this time is still a bit shrunk and wrinkled since the fat deposits on their baby are yet to reach a quantity that can stretch the skin to a proper limit. That translucent red skin could make the babies look weird, but this will pass in the coming months.
If you tried listening to the heartbeat of your little ones but had to wait for the ultrasound scans for that to happen, then you are in for a treat. Usually, around the 23rd week, the hearts of your twins or triplets will be stronger and will pump blood even more intensely. This can make it possible for you to hear the heartbeats by merely using a stethoscope. Your doctor can guide you for the same.
By this time, your twins or triplets will grow quite rapidly. One of the last organs that develop are the lungs. However, babies do tend to make attempts at breathing as they practice it inside, making similar movements that they would mimic once they are out in the real world. With brain development reaching a significant milestone and eyes growing in strength, you might occasionally notice your babies dreaming actively inside. This also manifests in rapid eye movement under their eyelid and random body movements.
What Is the Size of the Babies?
Your babies will now mature from the size of a coconut to a wonderful mango. The growth would seem substantial when compared to how they were in the previous week. The length of the babies, when measured appropriately, would usually be somewhere around 28 centimetres, with a weight of 500 grams or so. The size of twins or triplets would increase massively in the next couple of weeks.
Common Bodily Changes
Most women usually have a calm pregnancy in the 23rd week. Any changes that occur in the body are all a remnant of the previous weeks, carrying forward or growing in intensity.
Just the way your tummy keeps on increasing at its pace, your breasts would grow in size too. This will continue for a week or two and then they would reach their full size. This enlargement is not simply a physical aspect. There are different developments happening within them as well. The mammary glands begin to activate gradually to provide milk to the babies post delivery. Some women might begin to secrete a yellowish colour leakage from their breasts, which is pretty thick. This is the very first milk that your breasts produce; it is termed as colostrum. Usually, it occurs early after birth so that the baby can have it right away. However, if it happens earlier, it is not a problem. The only discomfort you would experience is that your bra will be soaked.
With your pregnancy rushing, the hormones lose control all over again and tend to fluctuate randomly. As a result, you may feel low and sad for nothing in particular and then suddenly you may be happy and deliriously cheerful for the rest of the day. Every day or week might seem unique in that aspect, and it is best to keep track of what you feel by journaling your thoughts.
Preeclampsia is a serious medical condition and can affect pregnant women at any time. One of the major signs of it is swelling that occurs rapidly and is excessively large and persists for long. In other cases, swelling normally goes away in some time. This is termed as oedema and strongly affects the legs. One of the major cause of this is reduced blood circulation since all the focus is on the uterus receiving the bulk of the supply. This kind of swelling can be handled by keeping your legs elevated and bringing down the amount of sodium you consume as part of your diet.
Symptoms of Twin Pregnancy at 23 Weeks
The signs of a twin pregnancy at 23 weeks are quite evident. You will notice that some of the previous symptoms will appear again around this time.
When pregnant with twins or multiples at 23 weeks, a rehearsal of labour starts at random times. You may experience false contractions that resemble labour. But there is no need to fret since these are not as intense as the actual labour contractions, but the usual Braxton Hicks ones. Most of the times, their frequency tends to increase around the 23rd week of pregnancy, as many muscles of the body participate in this, checking if they are good to go when the time comes.
As if swelling of the arms and feet was not enough, your back will begin to hurt as well. And when pregnant with twins or triplets, there will be more pressure on your back. You may have back pain throughout the week, particularly in the lower region. Your uterus will expand too, shifting the internal organs and even pressing down on any nerves that are located in and around. Furthermore, the increasing weight also makes it necessary for the vertebrae to bear the brunt of the load, putting that entire region under a stressful setting. Staying aware of it and keeping away from any activity that could increase the pressure further is your best bet to handle the situation effectively.
Those earlier instances where you would spot blood in your mouth after brushing your teeth would reappear this week. With a rampant growth inside your uterus, the blood circulation will increase, making the gums highly sensitive. Most of the bleeding usually occurs when the gums are irritated, which is why you might spit out a little blood when you brush. However, if the dental ache of any sort accompanies the bleeding, it might lead to tooth decay or gingivitis too.
Twin Pregnancy - Belly at 23 Weeks
Your belly at 23 weeks pregnant will start showing the characteristics of a twin pregnancy belly. This means that in comparison to a singleton pregnancy at 23 weeks, your belly would measure a few weeks ahead of that time. But every pregnancy is different and the belly size can be influenced by genes, by your height and weight as well. So there is no standard measure that you need to watch out for.
Twin Pregnancy at 23 Weeks - Ultrasound
Most scans around this stage are focused on ensuring that the fat deposits on the body and the weight gain are progressing as expected. Furthermore, you might notice the nipples making their initial appearance this week. Chances of seeing your babies respond to your voice or tummy rubs are high as well.
What to Eat
Diversity is the key in this week, making sure that the diet you intake has nearly every nutritional element you can think of, in copious quantities. Iron, calcium, and numerous vitamins stay at the topmost priority as usual. Drinking water and other fluids should also be a thing to focus on.
Pregnancy Care Tips
Things might start getting a little discomforting around this week, but there’s nothing you cannot handle with a few simple tips.
Do's
Make use of nasal strips or humidifiers in your room to handle any instances of a stuffy nose.
Begin investing in financing options for your children to get an early start for their future.
Dont's
Avoid working for long hours without a break since it can make the swelling worse.
Don’t refrain from grabbing some quick naps in the afternoon if you struggle to sleep calmly at night.
What You Need to Shop For
You might already have most items in your possession by now, so you can hop out for a quick shopping of:
Soft blankets or cuddly swaddles for the babies
A journal to put down numerous thoughts about your pregnancy
As a mother, when you are 23 weeks pregnant with twins, movement of any kind inside your tummy could instantly make you feel connected with your babies. Cherish moments like these and create memories that you can recall later once your babies grow up.
Previous Week: Twin Pregnancy Week 22
Next Week: Twin Pregnancy Week 24 Read more
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How to Teach Your Child to Apologize (Say Sorry) and Actually Mean It
Along with words like 'please' and 'thank you', the other important word your child must learn is 'sorry'. Learning to say sorry is a hard thing to teach as compared to the other two, because it's not easy to teach your child to swallow his ego and let go of his pride when saying it. Your child might also not feel that his actions were wrong or that it requires him to apologize. At times, it is difficult to ensure that children actually mean it even when they are not willing to say sorry.
Why is It Important for a Child to Learn to Apologise?
Apologising is not just a social gesture because it helps your kid in identifying his mistakes, taking responsibility for it, and healing the relationship. At times, your child might squeak a sorry just to make you feel better. In such cases, the child does not learn anything from it. It is important to teach your child that saying sorry is not just a simple standby solution. He should learn and understand how he has affected another person by misbehaving. It is easy to force or push your child to say the word 'sorry', but making him understand what he has done is far more critical.
Easy Ways to Teach Your Child to Say “Sorry”
For raising your kid to become responsible enough to apologise and accept his mistakes, practice these tips.
1. Teach Your Child When to Apologise
It is hard to make a small kid understand what is right and wrong. But it is important to start bringing these two concepts into their awareness as early as possible. You can begin by explaining the meaning of an apology and pointing out that apologies should be made when he makes a mistake. Encourage the kid to empathise so as to help him realise his wrongdoings, like asking him how he would react if another kid did something similar to him.
2. Show Your Child How to Apologise Correctly
Start teaching your kid the different components of apologising the right way, because a good apology is not just muttering the word under his breath.
Make eye contact
Stand up straight and still
You should encourage the kid to add words into his apology like telling the listener what he did wrong so the listener knows that your kid knows what he did.
Your child can also end the apology with a promise of doing better in the future.
To ensure that his mistake has been forgiven, your child can follow up with a question.
Teach your child to use the correct tone of voice when apologising. You can do this by saying 'I'm sorry' in different tones to help your child understand what sounds genuine and what doesn't.
3. Help Your Child Deal With His Emotions
When you talk to your child about what he did that requires an apology, there are chances that he might be defensive of his actions. In this case, take some time and ensure that he understands why you asked him to apologize and why he shouldn't feel embarrassed. Let him know that accepting one's mistake takes courage.
4. Be Neutral
It is never a good idea to fall into two extremities - you should neither be too defensive of your child’s actions, nor blame your child and support the other child. You will also be hearing a lot of “he did it” or “she started it”. Try and remain calm in such situations and explain to them that both of them have to apologise to each other. If your child feels bad afterwards, explain to him that conflict happens between two people and that both of them contribute to it. So even if it did not start because of your child, it is still important to apologise.
5. Let Your Child Apologise in His Own Way
Sometimes he may not want to apologise at the time. In such cases, it is better to give kids, especially the older ones, time to calm down and think about what they've done before apologising. He can also apologise in his own way, like giving a hug, or a flower, or even a note. It is more important that your child is willing to say sorry and that he understands his mistake.
6. Make Your Child Aware of The Consequences of Not Apologising
If your child repeatedly refuses to say sorry for what he did, talk to him about the consequences he has to face because of his behaviour. You could say that his friend might not talk to him again and will refuse to play with him.
7. Walk the Talk
Never forget that you should be a good role model for your kid. When you make a mistake, you should never refuse to say sorry to your kid. Your child will never understand the significance of 'sorry' if he never hears it in the house. So when it is necessary, apologise without getting very defensive about it.
8. Focus More on the Good Behaviour
Always remember that the more your child starts to differentiate the right from the wrong, the lesser he will have to apologise. Therefore, good behaviour should be focused on more than teaching him to apologise because when the child keeps repeating his mistakes, his apology becomes meaningless. So first prep your child to identify his wrongdoings and amend them. Eventually, he will learn to avoid making such mistakes.
9. Remember to Show Love
When your child does something wrong, never let him feel unloved. Forcing a child to apologise will only make him feel more shameful and angry. Therefore, the best thing you can do is to make your child understand his mistakes and help him figure out the solution.
This process can be hard at first, but your child will gradually start developing responsibility, and he will start understanding the consequences of his actions and behaviour. He will start developing empathy, and you will definitely end up being proud to have raised a polite kid.
Also Read: Effective Tips for Teaching Kids to be Grateful Read more
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10 Reasons to Hug Your Kid Everyday
Watching children hugging each other leaves you with a sense of calm and comfort, doesn’t it? The importance of hugs in a child’s life is heavily underestimated by adults. Children learn and develop a lot from how their parents behave with them. Gifts and celebrations might seem great, but a simple hug can spread a lot of magic inside your child that such objects rarely can.
How Often Your Child Needs to Be Hugged
While it may feel weird to put a number on the times you hug your child, it has been established that at least 8-12 hugs are essential on a daily basis. These can be a quick, or a nice cuddle, or a simple morning hug. The key is to spend physical time together that is deep and emphatic.
What Are the Benefits of Hugging Your Child
Whether you are hugging toddlers or even a grown-up child, there are benefits to it that might not be directly visible but are inherently present. These are necessary for them to be a well-rounded individual in the long run.
1. Establish a Connection from Within
There has been no person who has indulged in a long hug with a loved one and has his mind distracted elsewhere. To wax poetic for a moment, a hug can pretty much stop time in a person’s head and put them right in the present situation. That instance is what allows you to connect with your child and get a good hang of how the other is feeling. A transfer of empathy also takes place as a result.
2. Teaching the Lessons of Giving and Receiving
While many children might struggle with understanding how to share their own toys or give someone one of their own, a hug can begin establishing that emotion gradually. At times, children don’t want to be hugged as well. That’s totally fine and you can try again sometime else. While hugging is an act of giving, it is also an act of receiving and both people need to be on the same page about it. In due time, your child will surprise you with a random hug out of nowhere, too.
3. Simple Relaxation of Body Muscles
The transfer of empathy that results from a hug manifests in the form of a relaxation, allowing muscles to lose their tension and feel accepted. Many people even talk about how a simple hug changed their day or made them forget about their backache. The improvement of mood affects the body internally, which can help in improving blood circulation, too.
4. Substantial Reduction of Stress
There is a strong reason why doctors and nurses alike stress on the baby spending extended skin-to-skin contact with the mother after birth. Well, the same reason applies for hugs as well, even though the contact might be different. The feeling of having someone close to you - especially someone who cares about you - also ends up triggering the release of oxytocin within the body, which plays a vital role in reducing stress and lifting up your mood.
5. Strengthening of the Body’s Immunity
No, this is not an alternative medicine statistic but a proven medical fact. The pattern of giving a hug is what affects the immune system directly. Since a hug ends up with one person applying pressure on the other person’s sternum, this pressure also ends up stimulating the thymus gland located in the same region. This gland is responsible for maintaining optimal levels of antibodies and white blood cells internally, which helps in protecting you from any infections and diseases.
6. Makes You Feel Happy Instantly
Don’t you leave a hug with a large smile? That’s absolutely natural and a simple hug can work wonders in cutting down any bubbling anger or feelings of loneliness by boosting the serotonin levels immediately.
7. Better Adherence to Discipline
As surprising as it might sound, hugging helps children understand their mistakes and errant behaviour much better than using a stick or administering corporal punishment. It is necessary for kids to know that despite their mistakes, they are still loved and you want the best for them. This will make them more accepting of your advice.
8. Being Able to Empathize With Emotions
Many times, kids, as well as adults, may have difficulty in conveying how they are feeling. The reasons behind it might be childish as well, and they fear being laughed at. Where words might fail, a simple hug can bring reassurance and empathy, allowing kids to open up to you easily.
9. Build Up Self-Esteem in a Healthy Manner
The tendency to share love confidently and without fear is what helps an individual feel good about himself. Receiving a hug makes a kid feel validated while it makes him feel better when he gives it to someone else, too. This can instil a sense of self-worth in him.
10. Establishing a Sense of Security
Our children are just coming to terms with the big bad world out there. No matter how confident they might seem, every person yearns for a place where they can be assured of being safe. A simple hug can bring that emotion and remove any sense of unfounded fear from within.
Tips for Parents to Ensure Your Child is Getting Enough Hugs in a Day
Making sure that your child receives enough hugs in a day doesn’t have to abide by any schedule of sorts. Integrating them into everyday habits is a good way to get it going.
Instil a habit of hugging your child when he wakes up
Let him hug you when he is boarding his school bus
Give him a tight hug once he gets back home from school
Cuddle each other for some time before you sleep at night
Give your little one a tight hug when he exhibits good behaviour
Make sure to use the balm of a hug if your little one begins to cry
In case you end up scolding your child, follow up with a hug right away
The importance of a mother hugging her child on a regular basis cannot be stressed enough. The bond that they share together needs to keep developing over time, and these are extremely simple ways to make it happen. Read more
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These 19 Reasons Could Be Why You're Not Losing Weight At All!
You have been trying to lose weight in every way possible, even taking time out to exercise, and strictly maintaining a diet. But your old, pre-delivery clothes have been lying around in the wardrobe, ignored. Weight loss is a very real and very common problem among women, especially after pregnancy. But in spite of being on a diet, counting the calories, and eating healthy, you just CANNOT lose weight. What's worse, the tummy fat is more stubborn than ever. What on earth is happening?
Well, the real reason has nothing to do with your body just being adamant. You are unknowingly committing mistakes that are backfiring and leading you to gain rather than lose dreaded kilos! To make weight loss an achievable target for you, we have put together the top reasons that come in your way. Read, understand and start applying them right away to finally get on the right track.
19 Reasons Why You're Unable to Lose Weight
1. You are sleeping way too less
We understand that moms have a hard time getting enough sleep but trust us when we say this - not getting 6-8 hours of sleep will ensure that belly fat sticks around for good! Poor and inadequate sleep triggers appetite-stimulating hormones which only make you eat more but still have less energy because you are tired.
2. You aren't counting calories correctly
You’ve been careful not to exceed your calorie count, but are you sure that you’ve got the figure right? Even a slight difference could prevent you from losing those extra kilos. Your best bet is to consult a dietician to find out how many calories you need. Break the number into 4-5 small meals a day to boost your metabolism.
3. You don't drink enough water
Water isn't just important for the kids; moms need a lot of it too! Water fills you up before a meal, thus keeping your portions in check. It also speeds up metabolism and eliminates unhealthy cravings - all the things you'll fall prey to if you aren't drinking 8-10 glasses a day!
4. Baggy, loose clothes are all you wear
Yes, loose clothes are soft and comfortable in this weather, but hey, what about your body image? Not wearing fitted clothes means you don't care how you look which is poor motivation for weight loss. Check out these common fashion mistakes moms make which actually mean you put on weight without noticing!
5. You don't eat anything before exercising
What happens when you work out on an empty stomach? You burn calories from muscle, not fat! Please make sure you have a bite and drink some water before working out.
6. Your daily errands are your only weight loss solution
Being a mom and a wife, you have your hands full. However, running errands alone won’t help you to lose weight. A better idea is to rev up your errands. You can do this by increasing your speed when walking to the market, or jogging up the stairs instead of the escalator.
7.You are not studying food labels closely enough
Just buying health food without studying the composition is a terrible idea. These foods oiften have preservatives, artifical sweeteners and other ingredients that are not so healthy after all!
8. You are not relaxing or enjoying yourself
No, we are not saying this just to make you feel good. Moms have a hard time getting rest and the build up of stress leads to weight gain. How? Stress triggers your body to eat more, and we mean high-fat and high-sugar foods. Please indulge in fun activities like dancing, spending time with your child, and yes, even shopping!
9. Your husband's diet is not healthy
Here you are counting calories and here's your husband eating out, splurging on dessert and not exercising at all! It becomes difficult to stick to your fitness goals if your spouse doesn't share them. Speak to him about this.
10. You are eating portions that are too large
One very common weight loss mistake that healthy women make is to overlook the fact that even healthy food can lead to weight gain if portions are not controlled. Based on your weight and lifestyle, a dietician can help you understand the ideal portion sizes for you. Write down everything you eat and how much throughout the day to keep you aware of what you’ve been putting into your body.
11. You are eating too little
Wait, how can this affect weight loss? It can. Starving yourself only spoils your metabolism and makes you super-duper hungry for your next meal. You will also be snacking a lot which is another bad idea when you're striving to get lean and mean.
12. That glass of soda is your best friend
What's summer without a glass of chilled soda? Well, if this is you, weight loss may never happen! Soda has no health benefits at all but is packed with sugar that expands your waistlibne silently. Try out these healthy summer coolers the next time you need a drink.
13. You eat while standing up
No time to have a sit-down meal what with the kids running aroud in the summer vacations? Well, bad idea! Eating while standing often leads to mindless eating and is not good for your metabolism either.
14. You forget all about your diet while eating out
Just because restaurant food seems healthier than its junk counterparts does not mean it’s good for you. It could still have more calories than you need. If you have a plan to eat out, it’s wise to decide in advance what you want to have based on how many calories it possibly contains.
15. You are eating only fat-free and zero-sugar foods
It’s a myth that fat-free and no-sugar foods are ideal for people trying to lose weight. Studies have proved that they could actually contain more calories as they’re loaded with taste enhancers like salt and thickeners. If you have cravings, snack on healthy stuff like apples or a handful of nuts. Here's a list of weight-loss snacks just for you!
16. You never allow yourself a treat
If you think that cheese-burst pizza or chocolate cake can murder your weight loss plans, think again. Not allowing yourself a treat once in a while only makes you cranky, stressed and more prone to gaining weight.
17. After exercising, you eat all the wrong stuff
What do you eat after a workout? Many of us just hog mindlessly undoing all the good that the workout did! The ideal post-workout snack should be around 150 calories and no more. A fruit such as an apple or a banana is your best bet.
18. Your exercise routine doesn't have any cardio
If you engage in weight training and yoga, add some cardio exercises to your fitness regimen to upgrade healthy habits for real weight loss. It’ll do wonders for your body and help you in losing weight. You can also consult a good professional trainer who’ll chalk out a weight loss exercise plan for you.
19. You are not going for a walk
Are you doing a workout? So that means you don't need a walk, right? Wrong! Walking helps you clear your head, speeds up your metabolism, keeps your energy levels high and is actually a great weight-loss tool by itself.
How many of the above mistakes were you making all these days? Our team was making quite a few!
Weight loss needn't be a challenge if you only continue eating healthy, staying active and steering clear of these fitness sins! And if you would like any more inspiration and tips from real moms such as yourself, join Weight Loss with WorldOfMoms today! Read more
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Rashmi has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due this month
9 hours ago
Q. #asktheexperts is it okay that the baby is kicking less than usual?
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
9 hours ago
A. Yes it is the what part is that your child is kicking if you feel that there is a movement of your child whether it is a cake or slight movement also you know that your child is doing fine so there is no problem in that if the movement is less it’s completely alright
Dr Sameer awadhiya has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
8 hours ago
Q. #asktheexperts what to do if the baby’s nose is blovked
Dr Sameer awadhiya
Paediatrician
8 hours ago
A. Nasal blockage is very common, specially in small children because of the narrow nasal cavity. Any kind of saline drops like nasal clear will be helpful in dissolving the stuffy secretions, which can be taken out by vnasal aspirator gently also steam inhalation will be helpful also, try to avoid keeping the child directly under the fan.
Ankita Mehta has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 4 months
6 hours ago
Q. 22 week pregnant,baby konse month me or din me kitni baar move kartaa he ,pls bataye abhi sirf 2, 3 baar hi hota he
Ankita Mehta
Mom of a 8 yr 7 m old girl
4 hours ago
A. hi
yes it's enough
and the frequency and timing may vary as we all are different
but yes, the frequency of feeling baby movements will increase now
please go for regular check-up to your gynecologist
and follow his or her suggestions
Rashmi has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
5 hours ago
Q. hi
need help and advice
my RT 18x16mm and LT 10x16mm ET 6.59
and did ovulation rest also showing fertility test C as if now , pls advice if we intercourse tomorrow then when will be my ovulation start.
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
5 hours ago
A. You can check with an ovulation kit if it is positive then you can certainly go ahead with the conception because ovulation kit is going to give you 100% clarity whether you are ovulating or not with that you can try practising if you can conceive the same time
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
1 hour ago
Q. Bread feeding mother can have green tea
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
58 mins ago
A. absolutely no problem to have green tea ok. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
Rashmi has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
49 mins ago
Q. In my growth scan doctor found that 2 round cord has been partly around baby necks. Is there any problem with this. will I get normal delivery?
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
47 mins ago
A. A lot of times normal delivery is actually seen in these cases also if the doctor is quick and the child cooperate then yes normal delivery is very much possible but some doctors don’t take a chance with the health of your child and so they normally suggest C-section so let’s see what’s your situation by the end when you are into your labour
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