Your baby is beginning to stretch and kick. At 10 weeks, the joints — knees, ankles, elbows, and wrists — are all fully functional. Though the fetus is only the size of a strawberry, it is practically dancing inside the amniotic sac, even though you won't feel these tiny gymnastics for another month or two.
🍼 What's Happening With Your Baby
The webbed fingers and toes are completely gone; your baby now has distinct, individual digits. Tiny fingernails and toenails are beginning to sprout from the nail beds.
The stomach is now producing digestive juices, the kidneys are producing larger quantities of urine, and the liver is aggressively pumping out red blood cells.
If your baby is a boy, his testes are already producing testosterone. The vital organs are fully formed and beginning to function together as a cohesive system.
🤰 What You're Feeling This Week
As you approach the end of the first trimester, you may notice the severe nausea beginning to ease slightly as the placenta takes over hormone production and hCG levels stabilize. However, don't worry if you're still sick — many women take until week 12-14 to feel better.
You might start noticing the 'pregnancy glow'. Increased blood volume combined with pregnancy hormones causes your skin to retain more moisture and flush slightly, giving you a radiant appearance.
Round ligament pain might start this week. As your uterus grows heavier, the ligaments supporting it stretch. This can cause sharp, brief pains on one or both sides of your lower abdomen when you stand up quickly or cough.
The Bones Hardening
Your baby's skeleton is actively transitioning from soft, flexible cartilage into solid bone. The jawbone is one of the first to harden, already holding the tiny buds of milk teeth.
✅ What To Do This Week
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Get your NIPT blood drawn — week 10 is the earliest you can undergo cell-free fetal DNA testing (NIPT). This screens for Down syndrome and can accurately determine the sex of the baby.
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Increase fiber intake — the rising progesterone is slowing down your digestion to extract more nutrients for the baby, which leads to severe constipation. Eat prunes, oats, and drink copious amounts of water.
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Avoid sudden movements — to minimize the sharp twinges of round ligament pain, roll onto your side before sitting up in bed, and bend at the knees rather than the waist.
"You are nearing the finish line of the most exhausting trimester. The placenta is almost ready to shoulder the hormonal burden. The fog of fatigue is preparing to lift."
— A Note From Your Body, Week 10