10 weeks pregnant

At the 10 week pregnancy, you are approaching the end of the 1st trimester. At this point, the embryonic period concludes, and the fetal period begins. This 10-11 week period of pregnancy implies that you are 3 months along and experiencing new sensations due to the change in your hormonal levels with the rise of estrogen and human chorionic gonadotropin.

Body changes at 10 weeks pregnant

Regarding your physical appearance and abdominal area at 10 weeks pregnant, typically there are no visible changes since the uterus is still quite small and there is no notable shift in the intestines.

A variety of symptoms of toxicosis can characterize the tenth week of pregnancy, for example, a metallic taste in the mouth, chest pain (by the way, heartburn manifests itself more often), morning sickness, headaches, mood swings, the emergence of new food addictions, increased sense of smell, intolerance to several odors, to which previously you were, for example, indifferent.

You will likely have new sensations in the pelvic area, resembling those in the second half of the cycle and before the onset of menstrual bleeding, you may experience white, mild vaginal discharge. 

At this stage, many pregnant women experience abdominal discomfort due to bloating, increased gas production and increased bowel movements. Additionally, some pregnant women may notice dark spots on their face, known as the ‘pregnancy mask’.

Women’s health: What you need to know?

In addition to the already familiar changes in your body, you will notice new sensations at 10 weeks of pregnancy. On the one hand, your health may not differ from usual at this stage of pregnancy, which is absolutely normal. But on the other hand, there will be distinct changes as the mammary glands continue to grow and their tissue becomes a little denser than usual which is still associated with an increase in the level of hormones responsible for maintaining your pregnancy. Early hormonal changes can cause you to feel bloated, and your bowel movements or contractions become more sluggish, making you constipated.

Interesting!

Signs of toxicosis can appear as early as the 6th week of gestation. These symptoms are typically more pronounced in the mornings, yet they can occur at any hour of the day. In most cases, morning sickness should cease after 12 weeks of pregnancy. Be comforted in the fact that mild toxicosis won’t have any negative repercussions on the baby’s health and progress.

Fetus development at 10 weeks of pregnancy

The development of the fetus occurs in the uterine cavity and the baby constantly changes its position. 1 At the tenth week of pregnancy, you can see the development of your baby and parts of his body with an ultrasound.

At the 10th week of pregnancy, the unborn child continues to grow and develop actively. It no longer looks like a set of cells but visually resembles a small person. During this period, the following changes occur to the baby:

• The formation of the placenta is completed. The activity of the corpus luteum gradually fades away, and the child’s place takes over its function.
• The muscles of the oral cavity are formed. Taste buds appear on the tongue. Chewing muscles are actively developing.
• The stomach takes an anatomically correct position. The digestive system continues to develop.
• The process of closing the neural tube begins. In the future, it will become the basis of the entire nervous system.
• The formed kidneys, liver and brain begin to function actively. They cannot fully fulfill their tasks, but they are transformed and developed daily.
• The sexual organs have already formed. With a good ultrasound machine, it is possible to determine the sex of the embryo with high certainty.
• A diaphragm is formed in the chest cavity. It separates this segment from the abdominal cavity.
• The length of the embryo reaches 9-10 cm. Its weight ranges from 9 to 13 grams.

Here are fetus development and changes in the body of a woman at the 10th week:

Medical examination at 10 weeks pregnant

When registering for a dispensary for pregnancy, you passed all the necessary tests, did an ultrasound of the pelvic organs, we wrote about this in detail in the article about the 8th week of pregnancy. For a period of 8–10 weeks, you need to get a consultation from specialist doctors: an ophthalmologist, an otorhinolaryngologist (ENT), a dentist, a general practitioner.

Tips for 10 weeks pregnant

Indeed, toxemia at 10 weeks of pregnancy is an unpleasant nauseating feeling in the first trimester, which pregnant women compare to seasickness or motion sickness. Such nausea often begins in the morning, but can appear at any time of the day or night. In addition, you may develop a strong aversion to certain smells and foods, which may even make you vomit. Nausea is often accompanied by bouts of hunger or appears after eating. 

The severity of toxicosis at the 10th obstetric week of pregnancy is assessed by the doctor based on the severity of clinical manifestations.

There are tips to help you deal with morning sickness, nausea and vomiting at 10 weeks pregnant. Let’s dwell on some of them:

Choose right food

When toxicosis strikes, select foods you enjoy that don’t make you feel unwell, even if you’re eating the same items repeatedly. Avoid eating, looking at, smelling, or even thinking about any food that makes you feel ill.

Balanced nutrition diet

Try to find the most useful and balanced in vitamins and microelements from the products you like and include them in your daily diet until it becomes possible to expand the set of products to the usual and return to the usual diet.

Get in the habit and eat early. 

To avoid going hungry for too long after waking up, make sure to have breakfast with a good appetite before the sensation of nausea begins. Additionally, planning a physical activity after breakfast can also help lessen the nausea’s intensity. If you wake up hungry during the night, then it would be good to have a snack that you find acceptable and desirable. Such snacks can be light carbohydrates like fruits, crackers or a protein-enriched fermented milk product like kefir, fermented baked milk or whole grain muffins. A glass of milk or cheese could work too.

Don’t stay hungry.

Remember that you do not need to endure hunger, as it will increase the severity of nausea, spoil your well-being, and reduce your efficiency for the coming day. For the same reason, eating a light snack high in protein and complex carbohydrates is useful to avoid feeling hungry at night. 8 Eat often throughout the day. The idea is not to feel hungry, but at the same time not to overeat and gain weight, not to gain mass from adipose tissue, but to keep your weight optimal throughout the entire period of pregnancy.

Have frequent meals

Gastroenterologists recommend that meals be frequent and in small portions, not allowing for long fasting periods, meaning that the stomach should not be left empty for an extended period of time and, at the same time, be overfilled. These are known as small meals – you should have three main and three extra meals throughout the day. Additionally, these smaller portions are more easily digested and less likely to make you feel nauseous or give heartburn, another common pregnancy symptom.

Good pregnancy diet

A good recommendation is to bring your favorite healthy snacks and meals to work (dried fruits and nuts, muesli bars, dry cereals, whole grain crackers, yogurts). Eat well and avoid restrictive diets. A pregnancy diet high in protein and complex carbohydrates (such as cottage cheese, vegetable oil salads, hard cheese, and crackers) is good and healthy for the baby and helps prevent and reduce nausea. 8 It is very helpful to avoid fatty and fast foods, which are hard and slow to digest and can worsen your nausea.

Stay hydrated.

It is important to focus on the drinking regimen. Drinks must be present throughout the day. Right now at 10 weeks pregnant, getting enough fluids is more important than getting enough solids, especially if you’re vomiting. 8 What can and should be done if you cannot tolerate water? You can try popsicles, frozen smoothies, and chilled yogurt. If you can’t drink liquids with meals, drink them between meals. Try cold liquids, they are easier to tolerate. If they make you feel sick, eat solid foods that are high in water, such as fruits and vegetables, especially melons and citrus fruits.

Stay away from smelly food.

Stay away from those smells and foods that disgust you, whether it’s sausage, eggs or perfume smells. 

Supplement in the diet. 

Talk to your doctor about taking vitamins and minerals, in particular folic acid, vitamin D, iron, calcium and others, to compensate for the nutrients that you are at risk of not receiving during this period.

Here are some foods and ways to combat nausea recommended by WHO experts: ginger, chamomile, vitamin B6 preparations and acupuncture, depending on the availability of these products and the preferences of the pregnant woman.

Do’s and Don’ts of 10 weeks pregnant

At a period of 10 weeks, the formation of embryonic systems is completed and its active growth begins. The protective functions of the placenta protect the unborn baby. But this does not mean that his mother can forget about the new position and lead a familiar lifestyle. The possibility of a carefree existence will rapidly decrease with an increase in the period. Therefore, now it is necessary to understand what can be done and what is better to refuse.

Do’s of 10 weeks pregnant

• Go to work – maintaining physical activity favorably affects the course of pregnancy and prevents excessive weight gain.
• Take vitamins and recommended medications – at 10 weeks, folic acid is usually continued, and multivitamin complexes are also taken.
• Engage in light sports – doctors recommend swimming, hiking, and simple yoga asanas.
• Continue your studies – at week 10 there is a lot of free time, so you can pay attention to your own education.
• Spend time with friends – pregnancy is not a disease and, with a favorable course, allows you to lead a normal life, see friends and travel.
• Lift no more than 2-3 kg – the tummy still does not interfere with bending over, but the load on the back is already increased, so it is better to lift heavy things from a squatting position.

Don’ts of 10 weeks pregnant

• Drink alcohol – alcohol inevitably gets to the child and disrupts the process of cell division.
• Eat fatty, salty, fried, and smoked – all this negatively affects the functioning of the kidneys and increases the likelihood of vascular diseases.
• Take headache pills and other medicines without a doctor’s prescription – even a small dose of dangerous medicines can have a teratogenic effect on the fetus.
• Lifting weights and experiencing strong physical exertion – contributes to an increase in intra-abdominal pressure and increases the risk of miscarriage.
• Make tattoos and tattooing – these procedures are contraindicated during pregnancy, including at week 10.
• Lead an active lifestyle, travel, and play sports – provided that there is a threat of termination of pregnancy or this can harm the expectant mother’s health.
• Take a hot bath, go to the sauna or bath – an increase in temperature can lead to spontaneous abortion for a period of 10 weeks.

Proper nutrition for 10 weeks pregnant

One of the main criteria for a successful pregnancy is a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition. Gynecologists usually do not give specific recommendations that apply to the tenth week. Therefore, the expectant mother must understand what diet will be useful for the embryo’s development at this time.

At the 10th week of pregnancy it is recommended:

• Eat more dairy products. It is important to choose products that contain beneficial bacteria. This information can be found on the packaging. Yogurts, kefirs, and sour cream should be present in the daily diet of the expectant mother. They maintain the balance of microorganisms in the intestines, strengthening the immune system and preventing digestive problems.
• Eat lean meats daily. It contains a large amount of protein needed to form a new organism. Lean meats also prevent large weight gain and prevent the development of diabetes in pregnant women.
• Incorporate seasonal fruits and vegetables into your diet. They contain many vitamins and micronutrients, the need for which increases at week 10. There is fiber in the skin of fruits and vegetables. Coarse fibers remove harmful substances from the body and prevent constipation.
• Give preference to slow carbohydrates. They do not cause fat deposition and saturate the body with energy. The daily menu should include cereals, durum pasta, and whole-grain bread.
• Eat seafood. You should not choose exotic varieties, such as octopuses and snails. It is enough to eat fish, seaweed, shrimp and squid several times a week. They are high in healthy fats and rich in B vitamins.

Checklist for 10 weeks pregnant

1. If the visit to the gynecologist for registration is constantly being postponed, then now is the time to go to the doctor.
2. As the tummy begins to grow, it is necessary to review and, if necessary, change your wardrobe.
3. At 10 weeks, a new bra should be purchased, as squeezing the mammary glands can lead to health problems in the future.
4. Pass all tests to obtain complete information about the state of health and, if necessary, undergo treatment.
5. Make an ultrasound if you can’t wait to find out the sex of the unborn baby, but you should remember the high probability of error.
6. Discuss with your spouse the name for the future baby so as not to postpone this controversial issue for the next few months.
7. Stock up on benefits for the development of pregnancy preparation for childbirth because time flies very quickly.
8. Sign up for a photo session, which is best done quickly. Soon swelling will appear, and the size of the clothes will increase by 1-2 positions.
9. Inform relatives about your new situation if this has not been done before. In a few weeks, hiding the secret will be problematic.
10. Tell your boss about the pregnancy, who will have to find a replacement and prepare a package of documents for the payment of benefits.
11. Give up bad habits if this has not been done before. At 10 weeks, the embryo is already a full-fledged child, and the expectant mother needs to realize the seriousness of what is happening to her.