10 Weeks Pregnant

The world counts in days and months, but for you “weeks” is the word on your mind. Today, you are 10 weeks pregnant, and your baby is now in the beginning of the fetal stage of development where the body parts and internal organs grow and mature as each day goes by. The baby has grown from the size of a sweet little grape into a lemon this week. The size of your baby at 10 weeks is approximately one and a half inches.

How Your Baby is Growing This Week?

If you’re anxious as to how your baby’s face will look like, you have to wait a little more. The development is going on in full swing and your baby at ten weeks already has fully formed eyelids which will remain shut till you are in the last trimester. The ears have formed and your little one can hear your voice, so it may be a good idea to start talking and singing to the baby as soon as you read this! Tooth buds which are the growth precursors of those little baby teeth are forming.

The baby’s skin now has a furry coat of small hairs. The skin is still very thin and internal organs are visible.

The little hands and legs are growing and the webbed fingers are now fading away to give your baby’s limbs a more human like structure that will hold your hands soon.

The spinal cord and nervous system are growing rapidly. The spine becomes visible through the thin skin with nerves branching out.

Internal organs like kidneys, liver, stomach are growing and maturing this week.

Changes in Your Body at 10 Weeks Pregnant

There are loads of changes happening in your body at ten weeks pregnant. Your uterus is growing rapidly but is still not completely out of the pelvic cavity. The flat tummy is gradually getting rounded and giving way to a 10 weeks pregnant belly. (Although it’s completely normal to begin to show a little sooner or later). This is the right time to invest into some good quality elastic waist pants or maternity jeans as you will need them for a while now. Emotional ups and downs are still there to trouble you but they are on a decreasing trend.

At 10 Weeks, your breasts will be fuller and nipple and areola darker. You may also begin to see bluish lines running across your breasts or tummy. These are nothing but engorged veins and are completely normal. They are seen due to an increased blood supply to your breasts in pregnancy.

Constipation and bloating may lead to uneasiness. Walk your way out of it and eat healthy!

You may notice a change in your vaginal discharge at 10 weeks pregnant, this is due to the increase in estrogen levels which lead to an increased blood flow to those parts making you prone to getting yeast infections and other vaginal infections or urinary tract infections. Good hygiene habits during pregnancy can save you from discomfort and medications to treat these infections)

Week 10 Pregnancy Signs and Symptoms

Pregnancy at 10 weeks is special, more so because you are now in the last phase of your first trimester. A couple of weeks more and you will jump into your second trimester, a comparatively more stable and enjoyable phase of pregnancy. But, until then you still have to go through some of these 10 weeks pregnant symptoms, which include:

Tiredness
Increase in vaginal discharge
Occasional dizziness
Engorgement of breasts and tenderness
Nausea
Vomiting
Constipation
Gas and bloating
Mood fluctuations
Visible bluish veins
Stretching pains (Round ligament pain)

The visible blue lines are the engorged veins which are now carrying more blood to your growing fetus. They are completely normal and will gradually fade away after your delivery. In case you see veins enlarging on your legs, take extra care to keep your feet raised and avoid long hours of standing.

Round ligament pain is a sudden kind of pain you may feel on your sides or lower abdomen when trying to change your position. The uterus is supported by ligaments which tend to stretch as the uterus grows in size. This stretching leads to pain. The best way to tackle it is to avoid a sudden jerky change in position and get up gradually with support.

Diagnostic Tests and Ultrasound Results in Week 10 of Pregnancy

A 10 week ultrasound will show the fine fuzzy hair on your baby’s skin. The spine is also clearly seen and checked for normal growth (detailed growth analysis of the baby on ultrasound will happen later in your pregnancy).

During your 10 weeks pregnant ultrasound, your doctor will measure the length of the baby which is CRL (the Crown Rump Length) to assess if the growth is up to date.

You will also hear the baby’s heart beat on ultrasound and the heart rate will be measured.

The other important assessments will be checking the position of the placenta, cervix size, amniotic fluid etc. These will be seen on every ultrasound and checked for any changes. Any positive findings will need subsequent management to ensure a smooth pregnancy.

Your routine blood tests will be done to check for the hemoglobin status, urine analysis to rule out Urinary tract infections etc.

Pregnancy Health Tips

The morning fatigue and nausea may be taking a toll on you. Have some crackers or ginger lemon tea to get going in the mornings.
Look for antenatal classes and get your partner to come along with you. It will increase the bonding with the baby and help him get into the dad mode.
Since chances of vaginal and urinary infections are high, good hygiene habits will come of great use. Try to keep your private parts dry and get yourself checked immediately if you notice foul smell, itching or an increase in the quantity of discharge.
The tooth buds of your 10 week fetus are developing so be cautious of your calcium intake and talk to your doctor about vitamin D supplementation.
Drink plenty of liquids to stay hydrated and to avoid constipation and urine infections.
Choose a light exercise routine like walking and be regular!
Eat small and frequent meals.
Avoid jerky sudden movements as they can lead to stretching pains. Make it a habit to get up from lying position by supporting your hand on the sides.
Maintain good oral hygiene as you may be suffering from swollen gums around this time.

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