Most women are done with their first prenatal appointment by the 10th week. Wasn’t it amazing to see your baby for the first time? It definitely would have been! Until now, you knew there is a baby growing inside you but it was nothing more than a feeling. But now that you’ve seen your baby with your own eyes, you might now be excited for the coming weeks. And you have every reason to be excited.
The baby is doing an excellent job and is already in the fetal period when the organs and tissues would start growing and maturing. From the bones, teeth, to the eyes, a lot is happening to the fetal to ensure that it turns into a full-fledged human baby by the time it is time for the delivery. For the mothers-to-be, the symptoms would be quite annoying in the last few weeks of the first trimester but would probably get better in the second trimester.
Apart from the surging hormone levels, even the blood circulation in your body has increased considerably by now. Daily walking, not crossing your legs when sitting and sleeping on the left side are some ways to improve the blood flow and can help prevent the problem of varicose veins which generally occurs in the second and third trimester. What is happening to your baby, your physical changes, some handy tips, and more to help you navigate through the 9th week of pregnancy are discussed below.
- 1st Week of Pregnancy
- 2nd Week of Pregnancy
- 3rd Week of Pregnancy
- 4th Week of Pregnancy
- 5th Week of Pregnancy
Baby’s Development in the 10th Week
The webbed toes and fingers that were formed in the last couple of weeks are not webbed anymore and the nails too are gradually developing. While the teeth generally appear around the 6th month, small buds have already started sprouting in the mouth. The cartilage is now making way for the bones and soon the joints would be formed. Once the joints are developed, the baby would then be able to use their tiny elbows, wrists, and knees.
The brain, kidneys, liver, and intestines are in place already and have started working. However, they’ll improve further in terms of their appearance and functionality in the coming months. Tiny hair has also started forming on your baby’s skin. Around the second trimester, the entire body of the baby would be covered with a thin layer of hair known as lanugo.
The skin is still translucent and organs like the spinal cord can be seen through it. The head is still pretty big and is almost half of the baby’s body. A lot of organs like the eyes and ears are yet to take their place which they’d surely do in the following weeks. However, they’d start functioning even before they reach the correct spot. Overall, the baby now measures about 1 ¼-inch from head to rump and is about the size of a kumquat.
Physical Changes in Women in the 10th Week
By now, your belly would have started increasing in size. The baby is now developing at an increased pace and the uterus would start pressing against the pelvis to make space for the baby. While most people won’t really be able to figure out that you are pregnant, you sure can feel it.
This can be the right time to shop for some loose clothes to accommodate your increasing waist size. However, there is still time to start shopping for maternity wear. Just go 1 or 2 sizes higher and you should be fine. Apart from the growing belly, you also would be concerned about your growing breasts. Bigger bras with better support can take care of this problem.
If you haven’t already talked to your doctor about the weight gain, this can be the time to do so. Depending on your BMI, the doctor would recommend the right amount of weight that you should gain in the different trimesters.
Symptoms of 10th Week Pregnancy
Your muscles and ligaments are stretching too due to the growing baby. So, apart from the symptoms that you have been experiencing in the past few weeks, you might also start experiencing pains and aches in the body, especially in the abdomen. Apart from the round ligament pain, some other common symptoms for 9th-week pregnancy are as follows-
- Growing breasts
- Morning sickness
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Mood swings
- Headaches
- Cramps
- Indigestion and heartburn
- Increased vaginal discharge
Tips for 10th Week Pregnancy
Now that you are done with your first prenatal visit, you should make sure that you follow all the advice that your doctor might have offered. You as well as your baby are going through one of the most important phases of life and you are responsible to ensure that you both navigate through it without any severe difficulties. These tips can help you in the process-
- Cut down the caffeine consumption
- Alcohol and smoking are strictly prohibited
- Take your prenatal vitamins every day
- Eat healthy home-cooked meals
- Do not sit for long hours if you are a working woman
- Exercise for 30 minutes every day
- Yoga can be excellent too but only when done under expert supervision
Conclusion
You are now only a few weeks away from completing the first trimester which is known to be the most difficult of the three. While a lot of symptoms can be very annoying, apart from looking for ways to alleviate them a little you can’t really do much about them. However, if any of the symptoms are unbearable or very severe, make sure that you bring it to your doctor’s attention.
You can also look for pregnancy classes or exercise programs close to your home. Being with other pregnant women would provide a lot of emotional support and would also keep you occupied.
Pregnancy Checklist at 10 Weeks Pregnant
- Buy bigger clothes
- Fix the genetic testing if you want to get them done
- Avoid cleaning the litter box of your cat as it might result into an infection
- Start making a list of questions that you’d like to ask during the next prenatal visit