Your week 10 guide

The eyelids have formed and can close over the developing eyes. They will stay fused shut for several months, which protects the delicate retina while it continues to develop. This is a protective phase rather than a pause; the eyes are working on structure now and on function much later.

Tooth buds are forming in the gums. These are the beginnings of the milk teeth, with the first teeth commonly appearing around six months after birth, although some babies start earlier or later. Some permanent teeth also begin developing before birth. These tiny foundations have a long period of development ahead before a first tooth becomes visible.

The kidneys and digestive system are starting to function while the brain grows rapidly. The kidneys are beginning to produce small amounts of urine that pass into the amniotic fluid, and the intestines are forming the muscular wall they will later use to move food. Brain cells are being produced at a rate of many thousands per minute during this period.

Nausea, constipation, wind, heartburn, headaches and tiredness may all still be present. Progesterone relaxes smooth muscle throughout the body, which slows the gut and loosens the valve at the top of the stomach, and that single hormonal effect explains most of the digestive complaints at once. It is not a sign that anything is wrong with your digestion.

Mood changes and sensitivity to smell can remain intense. Being close to tears at an advert and unable to tolerate the smell of the fridge in the same afternoon is a genuinely common combination. These usually ease as the first trimester ends, though not on a fixed schedule.

A small bump may start to show, particularly if this is not your first pregnancy. Abdominal muscles that have been stretched before tend to give way sooner, so second and later pregnancies often show earlier. There is no correct week to start showing, and comparing your outline with someone else's rarely tells you anything useful.

Ask about the first-trimester screening offered where you live and when it needs to happen. Combined screening usually depends on a scan and blood test taken within a specific window, and some options, including certain blood tests looking at fetal DNA, may only be available privately or after a particular week. Understanding what each test screens for, and what it cannot rule out, is worth more than deciding quickly.

Switch to looser clothing whenever your current clothes stop being comfortable. There is no need to wait for a particular week or to buy maternity wear yet; larger sizes of what you already like usually work well and feel less like a costume. Tight waistbands can make nausea and reflux noticeably worse.

Use the approaches your care team suggests for constipation or nausea rather than reaching for whatever is in the cupboard. Fibre, fluids and gentle movement help many women with constipation, and there are safe treatments if those are not enough. Some common laxatives and remedies are not suitable in pregnancy, so it is worth checking before you take them. InshaAllah, asking about relief can make these everyday discomforts easier to discuss.

Gentle sources of protein: Protein is needed throughout pregnancy and can come from many different foods. When your appetite is limited, smaller amounts spread through the day are more realistic than large portions.

Suitable sources include eggs, pasteurised yoghurt, beans, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, nuts, seeds, well-cooked poultry and meat, and pregnancy-safe fish. Choose the options that fit your diet and that you can currently face, rather than the ones that appear at the top of a list.