Pregnancy Week 10: Mom's Constipation and Baby's Sex Organs Begin to Develop

Your first trimester is almost over. During your tenth week of pregnancy your baby is developing ears, and fingers and toes. This is the week when his or her sex organs begin to develop. Mom may be experiencing some constipation problems which are easily explainable because of all the changes going on in her body.

Pregnancy Week 10: Baby’s Development

Your baby has doubled in size over the past two weeks and is now 30 millimeters, or just over one inch, long. Your baby now looks more human as his ears develop. He has also developed very stubby, but well defined, fingers and toes by the tenth week of pregnancy.

Are you curious about what color your baby’s eyes will be? His eyes now have pigment, but you will still have to wait another thirty weeks to find out.

Pregnancy Week 10: Baby’s Sex Organs Develop

This week your baby’s sex organs will begin to develop. If a Y chromosome is present, your baby will begin developing testes. If your baby has the double X chromosomes then the ovaries will begin to develop. Your baby’s external organs still look the same so you cannot tell if your baby is a boy or a girl on ultrasound yet.

Pregnancy Week 10: Are You Constipated?

You may be experiencing some constipation. Constipation in pregnancy is common because the pregnancy hormones slow down your digestive system. Your uterus is also pushing on your large intestines and rectum which may block your digestive tract.

Your uterus is the size of a softball and it is still pressing on everything in your pelvis. Since the uterus is still contained within your pelvis it will continue to squash everything below your hips for another couple of weeks. After your twelfth week of pregnancy your uterus will have popped above your pelvic bone and you will experience some bladder and bowel relief.

To ease constipation, increase your fiber intake by eating more whole grains and vegetables. Fruits are also a good source of fiber as long as you eat them with the skins still on.

Since your digestive system has slowed down, your body is reabsorbing all the fluid in your gut. In order to make your digestive system flow better you can also increase your water consumption to help ease constipation.

Read more about your weekly pregnancy calendar:

Pregnancy Week 4

Pregnancy Week 5

Pregnancy Week 6

Pregnancy Week 7

Pregnancy Week 8

Pregnancy Week 9

Pregnancy Week 11

Pregnancy Week 12

Pregnancy Week 13

Personal Experience

Fit Pregnancy (2009). Pregnancy Calendar. Retrieved: April 8, 9, 2009. Web Site: fitpregnancy.com/calendar/40251887.html

Myers-Gorrie, Trula, Slone-McKinney, Emily, & Smith-Murray, Sharon (1998). Foundations of Maternal-Newborn Nursing (2nd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: W. B. Saunders Company.

What to Expect (2009). Weekly Pregnancy Calendar. Retrieved: April 8, 9, 2009. Web Site: whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/week-by-week/landing.aspx