Pregnancy is an amazing process, especially since it gives life. To women, however, it is a joy that results in unpleasant side effects. These effects on expectant women begin right from the first trimester. By the 10th week, the first trimester is in full swing and there is still so much to expect in the journey. There are various developments for the baby and the mother in week 10 of pregnancy. This article reviews the various changes and developments that occur when a mother is 10 weeks pregnant.

Your baby’s bones and ligaments begin to form when you are 10 weeks pregnant. Calcium supplements are very important for this development. Mothers can discover their pregnancy later, maybe when they are already 2 or even 3 months into the pregnancy. As soon as you learn that you are expectant, start taking your supplements immediately as they aid in the baby’s development. It is also in week 10 where the baby’s joints start becoming functional, meaning that the fetus starts moving the legs and arms.

Week 10 of pregnancy is the climax of the first trimester. The first trimester means a lot of changes for expectant mothers and it is also a time to adjust in many ways. At 10 weeks, the baby’s vital organs are already developed and they begin to function, as will be reviewed in detail in this article. Some various changes and developments occur to expectant mothers when they are 10 weeks pregnant.

What Is Happening: To Your Body and Baby!

You are likely to have an ultrasound performed at week 10 of pregnancy. It is an advanced stage in the first trimester, which makes an ultrasound necessary, especially if you have had no ultrasound performed yet. When you have an ultrasound at week 10, you are likely to hear lots of movement in the womb, including a strong heartbeat from the baby. By this stage, the baby’s heartbeat will be 2 to 3 times faster than that of the mother. Other procedures including scanning may be undertaken when a woman is 10 weeks pregnant. 

In week 10 of pregnancy, some changes will be inevitable. You will find yourself having to adjust your daily routines. It is also at this stage where you need to change your wardrobe. Your body shape will change as your uterus grows bigger. Your bras will begin getting smaller as the size of your breasts enlarges. Hormonal changes in your body will also continue to take place at this stage although the effects may not be as adversely felt as in the previous weeks.

To your baby

On the other hand, the baby experiences great developments at this stage. Nearly all the baby organs begin to get functional by week 10. The baby’s body tissues are also functional by the tenth week. The baby has also grown to about 1.25” to 1.5” which is 3.5 to 4cm by this time which is a great development as an embryo before becoming a fetus. The baby’s face has also developed by week 10 with the nose, mouth, and eyes beginning to function. The outer ears are also forming by now. The baby at this stage can swallow amniotic fluid easily for better growth and development. It is also at this stage where the baby’s tooth buds and caps start to become recognizable. The baby’s toes and fingers also develop from week 10, starting to get their shape and length. The fingers also have tiny nails by this time as they continue to develop. Additionally, the baby’s skin by week 10 starts to get covered with minimal hair. For baby boys, the testes at week 10 are already starting to produce testosterone. With these developments, the baby has grown in size at this time but then you are still far from delivery. Approximately, a baby weighs 4G at week 10 and it is a great development from the first week of pregnancy.

Pregnancy symptoms

When you are 10 weeks pregnant, the first trimester symptoms may still be experienced. The symptoms may however not be as intense as it was in the earlier weeks. Each pregnancy is however different and the symptoms may take longer to decrease for other women. Week 10 of pregnancy is however associated with particular symptoms for most expectant mothers.

• Morning sickness – Morning sickness for most expectant mothers starts early in the first trimester and towards week 10, it is likely to stop. Morning sickness may however still be on for some women in week 10 to the second trimester.
• Fatigue – During the first trimester of pregnancy, women often experience fatigue. By week 10, the fatigue should be decreasing, although this may take longer for some women.
• Growing breasts – when you are 10 weeks pregnant, your breasts are likely to grow in size and you will find yourself in need of new bras. It is a great joy of motherhood to breastfeed your child and for this reason, breasts grow in size.
• Mood swings – As earlier mentioned, pregnancy comes with a lot of hormonal changes. This may result in emotional imbalance and a lot of mood swings. It is a common symptom when you are 10 weeks pregnant.
• Enlarged veins – by week 10 of pregnancy, you are likely to experience larger veins in your breasts, arms, legs, and abdomen. The veins mainly appear as blue veins in these areas and they are an indication of increased blood volume in the body. When a woman is expectant, the blood volume increases by as much as 50 percent which helps the baby get all the required nutrients for healthy growth.
• Urinating frequently – at around 10 weeks of pregnancy, the baby begins to get bigger and so does your uterus. An enlarging uterus gives your bladder more pressure. On the other hand, pregnancy leads to hormonal changes in a woman’s body resulting in increased blood flow to the kidneys. All these factors cause expectant mothers to urinate more frequently.
• Vaginal discharge – Expectant women are likely to experience leucorrhea. This is the release of a clear, odorless vaginal discharge that is mainly a result of increased blood flow and hormonal changes in the body. This discharge is however harmless and its release helps to clear your system and keep the baby safe from any bacteria.
• Constipation may also be experienced in week 10 of pregnancy although, for some women, this symptom is no longer experienced like in the earlier weeks.
• Sleep Issues - By week 10 of pregnancy, mothers also experience sleep issues and at times vivid dreams. These are mainly a result of hormonal changes that cause pregnancy emotions. During the Rapid Eye Movement of an expectant mother’s sleep, the dreams are more vivid. This means that should she wake up during the night, she is likely to recall the dreams more clearly.
• Blood Flow - At 10 weeks pregnant, there is increased blood flow in the body. The blood vessels also expand and this may result in low blood pressure. Low blood pressure may cause an expectant woman to sleep a lot during the day. However, if this continues for a while and it causes you to lack sleep at night, you may want to fight daytime sleep by taking a walk or engaging in any other activity that will get your blood flowing normally.
• Headaches - Caused by hormone changes, headaches are a common pregnancy symptom. Other reasons for headaches during pregnancy include sudden decrease in caffeine intake, lack of sleep, and hunger. While headaches during pregnancy may not be a cause for alarm, it is advisable to consult a doctor when the headaches persist or become serious.
• Uterus growth - At week 10 of pregnancy, your uterus is still small enough that it can fit into the pelvis. The womb may be slightly visible for some while it takes longer for others. The size of the uterus will grow soon after week 10, meaning that the pelvis will be unable to contain it.
• Blurred Vision - By the tenth week of pregnancy, some women may slightly experience blurred vision while others have a hard time tolerating contact lenses. These issues with the eyes mainly occur because of the thickening of the cornea.

Pregnancy symptoms may differ from one expectant woman to another. Some women experience most of the symptoms while others experience some of them. Some of the symptoms are mild and are not a concern while in some cases you may need to consult a professional.

Pregnancy care

Pregnancy is a lovely process that most, if not all, women desire to experience. Pregnancy requires delicate care for the proper development of the baby and the mother to stay safe. An expectant mother needs to have enough sleep, especially during the night. You need to revise your daily schedule to ensure that you get enough time to rest at night. 

Expectant women also need to exercise enough during the day. Pregnancy indeed makes one moody, nauseous, and tired. However, exercising is an important pregnancy care routine that one needs to adapt for the good of the mother and child.

It is also advisable for expectant women to take dinner 2 hours before going to bed. This helps to prevent indigestion and heartburn during bedtime. 

Avoiding caffeine intake is another way of taking care of yourself as an expectant woman. It is advisable to avoid caffeine during the afternoon and also reduce your intake of the evening and nighttime fluids. This helps save you from frequent visits to the washroom during the night. Frequent urination late at night when you are all sleepy and tired can be a nuisance.

Taking a shower often will help you to relax. You can complement this with a pregnancy massage to rub the stress or tension off your body. It is also a time to make good use of the sleep spay you love and that does not affect you. Spray your bed sheets with your favorite spray for a better sleep experience.

Electronics are known to lower the production of melatonin. For this reason, it is important to ensure that you turn off electronics during pregnancy and when you are not pregnant. If you find yourself unable to sleep at night, get out of bed and do something that does not require the use of electronics. You can read a book or write your journal. In ensuring your sleep is enough and efficient, you should consider a sleep routine. This means that you go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.

Headaches occur frequently during pregnancy, even when the expectant mother hardly experienced the headaches before. You can easily treat a mild headache at home using medication or other dehydration measures. If the headaches persist or get worse, visit a doctor for more advanced remedies, in case it is a sign of a medical situation.

Diet is an important part of a healthy pregnancy. Most pregnant women end up gaining weight due to a change of diet. Expectant women are required to eat very well for proper child development. A healthy diet and plenty of water are required.

As you advance into the pregnancy, your body begins to change and you will need to change your wardrobe with time. You will need to get new pants that have elastic waistbands or leggings and free maternity dresses. When you are 10 weeks pregnant, most of your clothes will still fit but that will change with time. There are also maternity bras that you can buy for a comfortable pregnancy journey.

Intake of supplements is another pregnancy care practice. Most doctors prescribe calcium and folic acid supplements for expectant mothers. Your baby requires a lot of calcium to develop while you also need to same to remain healthy while carrying the child. You should also eat more foods that contain calcium including some green vegetables, salmon, yogurt, pasteurized milk, and lentils. Calcium makes your baby’s bones and joints strong especially the backbone.

Cravings are an important part of pregnancy and every woman craves different things. In cravings, it is advisable to not be extreme. For sugary and oily foods particularly, you may want to eat in moderation even though they are what you crave all day. When the craving pushes you too far, consider getting a healthy alternative that will satisfy the craving.

It is also highly advisable for expectant mothers to avoid getting sick as much as possible. This is because serious illnesses such as pneumonia, malaria, or stomach infections require treatment mainly using strong medication. The medication may affect the child in one way or another, in some cases resulting in the loss of the child. Therefore take proper care of your health during pregnancy by avoiding cold, infections, and other health risks.

Safety during pregnancy is another way of caring for yourself and the baby. As an expectant mother, you need to avoid lifting heavyweight, getting angry, screaming, shouting, and other unhealthy behaviors. You also need to be careful not to fall or get hit when you are pregnant as this may harm the child and is also dangerous for you.

Having an exercise routine should also be moderate to avoid overstraining your body. Doing all you can to remain relaxed during pregnancy is important as the baby requires a conducive environment to develop.

Your Focus for This Week

When you are 10 weeks pregnant, your baby is still developing even when most of the organs are starting to become functional. During this week, focus on taking your prenatal vitamins and increase fiber in your diet. Do not get tired of noting that a good diet and vitamins are important for both you and your child.

Water

Create a routine that ensures you take 10 to 12 glasses of water every day. You want to avoid being dehydrated in this beautiful journey as that would be a reason for headaches and other issues.

Sleep

As earlier mentioned in the article, be sure to have a sleep routine and follow it. You need enough sleep and rest. Since your womb is starting to get bigger by week 10, improvise ways to ensure that your sleeping time is as comfortable as possible. One way is to get a comfortable pregnancy pillow. You can also use spray on your sheets to boost your bedtime.

The Good News

By week 10, you are already very excited about your pregnancy. It is a good time to let the world know about your good news. It is also an appropriate time to get an ultrasound, to hear your baby’s heartbeat. It is also highly likely that you will have increased libido at week 10 of your pregnancy. It is very safe to have sex during pregnancy unless underlying conditions dictate otherwise.

Week 10 of pregnancy is good progress but there are still 30 more weeks to go. Take care of yourself and focus on your wellbeing and that of the baby.