10 weeks pregnant: pregnancy symptoms  and your baby’s development

By now, it’s likely that you’ll have had your booking appointment with your midwife and be more in the know about what your antenatal care will look like.

As you approach your second trimester, you may find that some of the early symptoms of pregnancy will start to ease off, leaving you feeling more energetic¹. Here we’re looking at some of the symptoms you might be experiencing at 10 weeks pregnant, how your baby is developing, and the importance of iron for a healthy pregnancy diet.

Your baby is now around 30 mm long - about the size of a small apricot¹.

Whilst your baby’s head is still out of proportion to the rest of their body, their tiny face is really starting to take shape. There’s an upper lip on their mouth, and their nose has nostrils. Little ears are starting to form, and inside their head are the beginnings of the ear canals². Your baby’s eyes are now more defined, and whilst they’re still partially closed, they can respond to light¹.

At 10 weeks gestation, your baby’s heart is fully formed and beating away at 180 beats a minute².

Even though you’re only just coming to the end of the first trimester, your baby has rapidly developing jaw bones that already contain every one of your baby’s milk teeth².

If you were to go for a 10-week ultrasound, you’d be able to see your baby moving around and making small jerky movements².

If this is your first baby, you’re unlikely to develop a bump or look pregnant to the outside world until around week 12 of your pregnancy. If you’ve already had children, you may be starting to show now. This is because the muscles in your uterus will have stretched from a previous pregnancy³.

During your booking appointment (which usually takes place before you’re 10 weeks pregnant)⁴, your midwife may discuss any vaccinations or tests you’ll be offered while pregnant, such as the flu and whooping cough vaccines².

Your midwife will also ask if they can take your height, weight and blood pressure measurements, and give you a blood test to determine your blood type and rule out any underlying conditions such as HIV or hepatitis⁴.

If you’re yet to experience any pregnancy symptoms, that’s not uncommon. Some women experience the whole range of pregnancy symptoms, while others don’t experience any at all. As long as your midwife or healthcare provider is happy with how your pregnancy is progressing, there’s no reason for concern.

There are several first-trimester symptoms you might be experiencing at 10 weeks pregnant from feeling tired, to heartburn and an increase in vaginal discharge. Let’s take a look.

As you come to the end of the first trimester, there are plenty of things you can do to ensure that you’re as prepared as possible for the rest of your pregnancy. Let’s take a look. 

If you want to take antenatal classes, now is a good time to explore your options. Antenatal classes are a fantastic way to prepare for labour and birth, as well as meet other parents-to-be.

There are many different types of classes, and your midwife will discuss some of the options at your booking appointment. You can also look online for antenatal classes local to you.

There’s no set 10-week ultrasound scan, but you can expect an invite to your first ultrasound between 8 and 14 weeks of your pregnancy.

Screening tests are also something to consider. Screening tests are offered as either a blood test or an ultrasound. A blood test can help to determine whether you have certain conditions or infections, for example, sickle cell anaemia, HIV or hepatitis. When combined with an ultrasound, a blood test can discover what the likelihood is of your baby having Down’s syndrome¹⁹.

Continue to eat a healthy pregnancy diet and take the necessary supplements and prenatal vitamins such as folic acid, vitamin D, and any others if advised to do so by your healthcare professional. 

Regular exercise during your pregnancy can help your body prepare for labour and birth²⁰. As long as you’re exercising safely, it has many benefits for you and your baby.

Running and walking, swimming, and yoga are all great for staying active. In addition, if you haven’t done so already, remember to start your pelvic floor exercises.

Many women prefer to wait until they’ve had their first ultrasound scan before they let people know that they’re pregnant. As this will happen any time now, it’s worth giving some thought to how you’ll be telling your friends and family.

If you’re working, you’ll also want to consider when to tell your employer and what your working life will look like as your pregnancy progresses.

You may have had your first ultrasound at 10 weeks pregnant, and if that’s the case, you’ll know whether your baby is doing well and your pregnancy is progressing healthily.

If you haven’t had your scan yet and you have any concerns, always speak to your healthcare provider, who can help put your mind at ease.

Weight gain during pregnancy depends on your pre-pregnancy weight and varies from person to person. Most women gain between 10kg and 12.5kg (22–28lb) while pregnant, some of which is the weight of the growing baby²¹.

If you’ve had a baby before, you may start to notice a baby bump around about now. If this is your first pregnancy, however, it’s unlikely that you’ll start to show until around week 12.