23 Week Old Baby Development

23 Week Old Baby Milestones 👶

Now that your little one is comfortable moving her body (is she rolling all over the place?!), you may begin to see her using the large muscles in her arms and legs to begin the motion of moving forward or even backwards! (Don’t fret: This is totally normal, and she will figure out that forward motion in due time.) Here are some of the different stages of crawling:

• The “Classic” crawl: Baby uses alternating hands and knees to move it, move it
• The “Crab” crawl: Bending one knee, she stretches out the other leg to scoot forward
• The “Army” crawl: Laying flat on her belly, she uses her arms to move herself forward
• The “Roly Poly” crawl: Who needs to crawl when baby can roll to where he needs to go

If you’re interested in seeing the different stages of crawling, check out this post with bonus videos of my two older kids’ many failed attempts at crawling… and then success.

All of that gross motor development may be accompanied by some exciting leaps in the social development department, too. You may notice that when he is on the floor, he may reach his arms upward, a sign that he wants to be picked up. Remember to acknowledge your little one when this happens (even if you are unable to pick them up in that moment!). The more you communicate with him, the more he will understand that his requests are being heard (not to mention you’ll benefit his brain development by this simple interaction).

A mama only has so many hands—don’t beat yourself up if you can’t do make dinner, answer the phone, and pick baby up!

You at 23 Weeks Postpartum 👩

You’re almost at the 6-month mark on your breastfeeding journey—hooray! Some mamas find that at this point they’ve lost most, or all, of their baby weight—strictly from breastfeeding. However, there are many mamas who find that they actually gain weight breastfeeding. Just like pregnancy, the many different hormones that come along with breastfeeding will affect every woman differently.

A hormone called prolactin remains high during the first six months and can cause women to hold onto fat, rather than burn it. Some studies show that the lack of sleep during the first few months can also cause adrenal fatigue, affecting your stress levels, blood sugar levels, and your metabolism.

No matter if you’re a mama who loses weight or gains it, continue eating a healthy breastfeeding diet with plenty of hydration to keep your milk supply up for your little one.

It’s also worth noting that some mamas—particularly those who are away from their babies during the day—may experience a drop in milk supply around this time. Here are some things you can try to give your supply a little boost:

• Incorporate galactagogues into your diet—think whole grains, Brewer’s Yeast, fenugreek, Mother’s Milk tea, and my lactation cookies
• Replace pump parts—with regular use, they should be replaced every three months
• Try power pumping twice per day for three days

Learn more about how to boost your milk supply. 

Try not to stress, which can make actually inhibit milk production. Do what you can to give your supply a little boost, and know that many moms experience small hiccups in production but still go on to breastfeed well past the age of one.

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Try This With Your 23 Week Old Baby

• Begin to prepare and store your own baby food
• Follow your child's lead: observe what area of development they are focusing on (moving objects, reading, etc.) and encourage this