Pregnancy Week 10
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Inside Pregnancy Week 10
The internal organs are continuing to grow and develop and most are functioning, while the liver, kidneys, brain and lungs are maturing.
The appearance of the baby is still a bit out of balance, as the head makes up half the length of the fetus. However, certain delicate, detailed features are becoming more fine-tuned like the hair, finger and toe nails are now visible. And the fingers are no longer webbed. While the eyes are tightly shut until late in the second trimester, eye color has already been determined.
The big developmental spurt is now over, with the focus now on gaining weight and maturation of those organs now present. The baby is now an official fetus, having left the embryonic stage behind.
New processes are taking place, too. The baby is actively swallowing the amniotic fluid, and producing urine and digestive juices. Baby boys’ testes are functioning by producing testosterone. The placenta will start functioning fully over the next couple of weeks. The baby is now over 2” long, and weighs about a quarter of an ounce. This is roughly the size of a small lime.
Pregnancy Symptoms You May Feel During Week 10
Your appearance is changing these days. You might notice a roundness in your lower abdomen, depending on your build. That’s because your uterus is now the size of a small grapefruit. That is much more expected than the roadmap lining your chest and abdomen. Those blue lines, which can be pretty vivid on light skinned women, are due to the substantial increase in blood production, which is in the neighborhood of a 40% increase. They are probably most noticeable on your breasts, but you might notice that veins in your hands and feet are also much more prominent. Relax, though, because you will return to normal after birth, or when breastfeeding ends.
About this point in the pregnancy, many expectant mothers will feel uncomfortable and rather irregular. Constipation is caused by those darned hormones (what isn’t affected by the pregnancy hormones?) which make the muscles of the large bowel become downright lazy. To counteract the hormones’ influence on your bowels, make sure you drink plenty of water (yes, you will need to run to the bathroom even more, but it’s worth it), eat plenty of whole grains and vegetables, and get regular exercise. If you still are struggling to get things moving, talk to you doctor about safe over the counter remedies.
Another common pregnancy symptom that emerges in week ten is the onset of headaches. These can be troublesome, and you can ask your doctor is it is OK to take anything for them. Otherwise, you need to just take some extra care of yourself and do what you can to alleviate symptoms. Cool rags, low light, noise reduction, whatever works for you.
Visit With the Obstetrician
This week your doctor might talk to you about another test to screen for possible abnormalities in the baby. This test is called the NTS test, or Nuchal Translucency Screening. This test is normally done between weeks 11 and 14 and uses both ultrasound and blood test results. It screens for a variety of disorders, but most notably Down Syndrome. The ultrasound checks the thickness of the fetus’ neck specifically. This test is not invasive, but does carry some risk of a false positive. Any expectant mom who gets a positive test result will want to discuss more detailed screening to follow up on the NTS results. However, when done at 11 weeks, the test picks up over 85% of Down Syndrome cases.
Preparing for Baby
It may seem early, but this is a good time to start considering options for what you’ll do after baby arrives. Will you be working fulltime, go to part-time or stay home fulltime? If you’re working, will you have a family member available to provide care, or will you need a daycare or nanny? You want to start considering your options early. Talk to other moms, visit places, and do some research. It’s a big consideration and takes real time and thought to find the best solution for your growing family. So while it seems early, it’s really something you don’t want to be rushed to decide later, and the options are smaller the shorter the time involved. In other words, don’t procrastinate!
Pregnancy Lifestyle
The arrival of pregnancy headaches illuminates a need in every pregnant mom’s life; stress reducers. Not to mention that after baby’s arrival, the stress won’t be dissipating any time soon either. Learn about yoga, breathing techniques for lowering stress, aromatherapy, meditation methods, and relaxation tapes and music. Replace harsh lighting in some special corner of your home. Perhaps have some music that you find relaxing playing in the background, gather some extra soft and comfy pillows and blankets, and have a fragrance like lavender that is known to calm wafting through the air. Read a book, or just lie down and let yourself unwind for a bit every day. Taking a little time to focus on relaxation will be a valuable investment, and a skill that you’ll be glad you’ve perfected later, when dealing with a cranky baby or spouse.
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9 weeks an feel absolutely awful sickness headaches mood swings 2nd pregnancy an definetly my last x
10w1d today-- wishing i felt better. had morning sickness from week 6 and still have it, but not as bad. praaaaying it will get better xoxoxx
I am nine weeks now feeling nausea all the time, it started around the 6 week i am so looking forward to feel normal again and actually enjoying my food, this is my second pregnancy and i also seem very big i have a clear bump i was not this size on my first until i was 20 weeks.
Hi i am 10 weeks and 5 days today, this is my first pregnancy and the past 2 days i have felt nothing and it is really scaring me. is this normal or no?
10 weeks and 4 days. i felt very nausea weeks 5-8. i'm felling much better now. i'm very broken out. way worse then with my 1st pregnancy. (i have an 18 month boy) hummmm, could this mean a girl? constipation somewhat but just really moody and tired all the time. i haven't been exercising so that's not helping i'm sure. excited but kinda ready to get through this pregnancy. it not as fun the second time around.
Im 10 weeks today havnt been sick at all!! i thank god. how ever i havnt gained any weight and i was spotting for a week but docot sd that i just had a mild clot near my cervix that is just draining out. also when i have a orgasim i had the worst cramps!! however i googled it and said that it was normal :( so i can only enjoy sex sometimes. how ever it is a releaf after a long day of work. good luck ladies 30 more weeks to go :)
I haven't really had any morning sickness. i weighed 115 before pregnancy and fluctuate between 116 and 117 now and i'm 10 weeks. i have a layer of fat over my stomach that i've never had before. is that common when you become pregnant? my friends say that my body is softening up to prepare for the baby. is anyone else experiencing the same thing?
Hi i am 10 weeks pregnant with my fourth and last!!! had terrible sickness 6-8 weeks then it vanished and i was able to eat for a week before it returned with avengence!! this is sickest i have been out of all three others,mum to reece,12,ashton,3and mia 1year.
Im 10weeks today nd i feel bad.... i cant keep nothing down nd i have headaches nd heartburn... my 1st prenatal visit is today so ill check with her on some meds i can take
Am 10 weeks pregnant and my first pregnancy, but i feel uncomfortable, not knowing what to eat, just feeling that unusual thing in my mouth feeling bitter...and feel my stomach pain..is this normal.
Hi charie,yes pains all normal especially first time as your uterus is stretching to size of grapefruit would u believe! lol! also i found fruit a saviour with horrible taste that's constantly in your mouth and sip water when you can,you will feel beter next trimester when you have something to show for all these un welcome changes,big congrats! enjoy keeping your lil one safe xx mum to 3 and 10 weeks preg with no4! xx
I am 10 weeks and 2 days. sickness is gone n has been for a week or so. but man this constant pee trips but no bowel movements sucks! !
I am 10wks. today! so happy to be in the double digits. around 6wks i was hit with horrible all day sickness. i was throwing up non stop and ended up dehydrated. my dr. prescribed a suppository called promethazine. it is a wonder drug. i feel 95% better! so if your m/s is real bad i would ask your dr. to prescribe something. i was unable to function and completely not myself. now i am able to enjoy this pregnancy (3rd pregnancy, but lost my 2 angels). this will be our first child. :o)
Congrats on your pregnancy i am not yet 10 weeks i am almost 9 weeks i have had 12 pregnancies and i of course am prego now and i have 2 beautiful babies so i have lost some angels in my time... just know that you are blessed and you have made it past the hardest part in pregnancies. i think i might be in my safe zone but i am not sure yet don't see my dr for another week just hope and pray my baby still has a heartbeat at this point.
Im 10 1/2 weeks, i never throw up but the constant feeling of being sick is the worst. these headaches are killing me especially since i work in front of a computer for 8hrs straight. my doc just prescribed me something for it tho :), don't know if its just me but my pants absolutely did not fit the moment i found out i was pregnant.
Well the morning sickness went away a lil bit but i still feel bad some days.some days i feel great and some i feel like doo doo but my first one was worst
Sick always, not always throwing up but the constant feeling of nausea makes my de-facto feel so helpless. he's always trying to find ways to cheer me up, though it often backfires...especially with the short fuse i have noticed that has been getting ever shorter. can't wear waistbands at all and am having trouble even wearing underwear as bubs doesn't like it and makes me feel more nauseous. bra size gone up, feeling the lump now inside and wondering when it's going to start getting good :)
I was soooo ill with nausea, vomiting, and headaches almost every day for a month for my 1 st pregancy... but am now 10 1/2 weeks into my 2nd preganancy and so thankful not to be sick at all --- aside from the headaches, of course!
No morning sickness which is a shock, i was totally sick with both of my sons. my breasts are super sore and lumpy, which is new with this pregnancy. hoping for a girl this time, keep having dreams of a baby girl. can't wait to find out what this little one is? already gaining weight which is good and bad.
Ginger is the key to nausea. caffeine free ginger/peppermint tea; real ginger suckers; you can even take real ginger, peel a section cut and boil (add sugar for taste). this is what saved me from my last pregnancy. i was soooo sick and landed in the hospital from dehydration because i could not hold down much of anything including water.
Morning sickness has been soo bad! my baby does not like when i have milk in the morning time!!
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I'm not alone! oh my goodness, my nausea, headaches, and fatigue are pretty bad still and my husband doesn't believe that i can be this tired :( i thought that this being our fourth baby together, he'd understand, oh well. he's excited about our new baby and tells everyone about him/her. the smells at my office drive me nuts. so want to be over these symptoms so i can feel normal again. we're hoping for a boy this time around as we have all girls right now but whatever we are blessed with, we hope for a healthy baby and i wish you ladies the same...
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