Welcome to your week 10 pregnancy update where we outline the changes you and your baby are experiencing.

Your Baby

Exciting news!  At week 10 science no longer refers to your baby as an ’embryo’. They are now called a ‘foetus’ (also spelt ‘fetus’), which is a Latin word meaning ‘young one’.  Maturing from embryo to foetus signifies baby’s tissues and organs are rapidly growing. At this point in development, uncontrolled movements and twitches occur as muscles, the brain and pathways begin to develop.

By now, your baby’s head is still bigger than the rest of the body, but there’s so much going on! The brain is developing at a rapid rate and your baby’s nervous system is actually responsive, with many internal organs starting to function. The kidneys are moving into the upper abdomen area and the beating heart of your baby is almost fully developed.

Inside baby’s mouth are all the tooth buds that will eventually burst through her gums once she’s six months old or so. There’s also taste buds on her tongue. You are also now carrying a tiny poo-factory as your little one now sports a functioning digestive tract capable of moving food all the way through to their bowels.

Just like adults, all babies are different and develop at varying rates in the womb. This information gives a general idea of your baby’s development and progress.

The Mum Update

Although science is calling your baby a foetus now, you may not yet think of it as an actual person yet. Some women ‘feel’ pregnant almost from conception, others when they hear the heartbeat for the first time and some struggle to believe it, even while vomiting copiously, until they feel the baby giving them a good kick! Like most things with pregnancy and parenting, there is no right or wrong.

Some mums feel anxious about being pregnant – the baby may not have been planned, they are anxious about how they will cope with childbirth emotionally or financially and with the interruption to their career.The hormonal shifts sending your emotions on an unpredictable rollercoaster ride are all playing their part in these anxieties and can turn worries into huge fears.

Arming yourself with knowledge about what exactly your body is going through, and learning about the developmental stages of your growing baby, may help alleviate some of your concerns. Getting organised can help as can having some fun searching for baby names.

Mood swings during pregnancy are a normal part of the hormonal changes happening to your body. For around 10-15 percent of pregnant women, though, mood swings can be episodes that last more than two weeks and disrupt daily functioning. If this happens, speak to your LMC for professional support.