Pregnancy: 23 week

How the child grows:

Turn on the music and dance. With a well-developed sense of movement, your baby can feel like you are dancing. And now, when he grew to 28 cm and weighs more than 450 grams, you see how he spins. The blood vessels in his lungs develop to prepare the baby for breathing, and the ears catch more and more sounds, preparing the child, thus, for the new world. Loud noises, which he will already know - such as barking a dog or the sound of a vacuum cleaner, will not scare him when he is born.

Important: the development of each child is strictly individual. Our information is designed to give you an idea of the development of the fetus.

Changes of the future mother

You may notice slight swelling of the ankles and feet in the coming weeks or months, especially at the end of the day or at high temperature. Slowed blood circulation in the legs and changes in the hematologic nature may contribute to the accumulation of water and cause swelling. Your body will get rid of excess fluid after delivery, in the meantime, try in any position, raise your legs, and avoid prolonged stay in the same position. In addition, try to exercise regularly - they will increase blood circulation. You can assume that the edema directly depends on the amount of fluid you drink and, thus, try to reduce this amount, but you need to avoid dehydration, you should drink plenty of water, since it actually helps to prevent accumulation of fluid. While small swelling of the lower extremities is normal during pregnancy, excessive swelling may be a sign of a serious illness called preeclampsia. Consult your doctor if you notice a severe or sudden swelling of your feet or ankles, much less swelling of your hands, face, or eyes.

Physical exercise improves sleep. "When I had trouble sleeping, several friends advised me to do half an hour walking before going to bed." This really helped me. " - Linda.

Do I need to store cord blood?

Procuring umbilical cord blood is a procedure in which blood from the umbilical cord and the placenta, after the birth of the child, is collected, frozen and stored for future medical use. Cord blood is valuable because it is a rich source of stem cells - building cells of the blood and the immune system. Stem cells also have the ability to differentiate into other tissues, and cord blood can be used to treat diseases such as sickle cell anemia and leukemia. Only you confirm the necessity of this process. When making a decision, consider the following factors:

• Optimistic attitude of specialists

Studies around the world are in full swing, and most experts are optimistic. For example, it is believed that in the future, cancer patients will be able to use their own stem cells from cord blood that were collected at birth.

In the light of recent animal experiments, it was found that cord blood will eventually also be used to treat diabetes, spinal cord injuries, heart failure, strokes and severe neurological damage. However, it remains unknown to begin using such studies and therapy in patients.

It is expensive. Cord blood storage banks usually charge a fee of $ 2,000 at check-in, plus an annual storage fee of approximately $ 125.

Genetic disorders.

• If your child develops a genetic disorder, umbilical cord blood is not suitable for therapy, as it contains the same genetic codes.
• You probably will have more chances to find the necessary stem cells in a common bank than among your relatives.
• The chances of an exact match of the tissues of the two brothers are only 25 percent, according to Dennis Confer, the chief medical officer of the National Program for Bone Marrow Donors, a non-profit organization that supports the largest donor community organization. While the chance of selecting the necessary cord blood in national public banks is 75 percent, he says.
• Doctors are not yet ready to officially recommend the preservation of umbilical cord blood. The American Academy of Pediatrics and some other experts have suggested the creation of a private bank, something like a blood bank and a plasma, to store cord blood that is accessible to the general public. In such a situation, you have the right to a special program of cord blood preservation, in which the umbilical cord blood will be collected, processed and stored for free for five years.
• If your child is among the national minorities, storing cord blood can be more important. According to the indicators for 2003, in Caucasian patients, the chance to select the necessary donor is 88%, while African Americans - 58%.

This Week's Activity: Write a letter to your child. Your child will appreciate this gift in a few years. Listen to your heart, and if you need help, start with:

Descriptions of their feelings for the child.

• Imagine some nice moment that you will spend with your baby.
• Describe your hopes, dreams, and wishes for the child.
• Think about what it means for you, motherhood and how you will become the best mom for your baby.

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