If you've got a 10-week-old baby, you'll no doubt be noticing some pretty adorable characteristics and developments this week. As their eyes develop, they're taking much more of an interest in you and your facial expressions which will probably encourage a first smile from them. Physically, you'll also be noticing some serious growth as they hit their first growth spurts.
Ten weeks into your baby’s week-by-week development, you’re sure to have a lot of questions about your baby development milestones and what you can expect. Don’t worry, we’ve rounded everything you need to keep in mind during week 10.
10-week-old baby development and milestones
How much should a 10-week-old baby be pooing?
Feeding more means pooing more, but as long as your baby is filling between one and ten nappies a day, or even once every few days if they’re breastfed, they’re usually fine. It’s not necessarily how many times they poo that matters, but more so if it’s passed easily and your baby is not in pain. If you feel like your baby doesn’t seem to be pooing enough, or you’re worried they look uncomfortable while going, your little one might be constipated and need to see a doctor.
How much should a 10-week-old baby be sleeping?
Usually, in the third month of your baby’s life, they’ll be sleeping about 15 hours over 24 hours. That means about ten hours of sleep at night and five during the day, spread out over three naps or so. A lot of new parents will worry that their baby isn’t fitting into a certain sleep schedule, but remember, every baby is different and they’re still likely to wake up in the night for feeds at this age.
Your baby’s dummy may now be causing issues, as they could be depending on it to settle themselves to sleep. Try taking it out at bedtime, it’ll only fall out in the night, resulting in you having to wake up and put it back in. You may have a few restless nights, but it will be worth it in the long term. To relax your baby before bed, try feeding at about 10pm or before your bedtime to induce a nice cosy just-fed sleep.
If you’re struggling to establish a baby sleeping routine, try not to worry – every baby will take their own time to settle into a routine.
How much should a 10-week-old baby be eating?
Growth spurts mean one thing, a lot more food. If you’re following your baby’s lead you may find them eating more, but don’t worry about overeating as they know how much they need – 5-6 feeds over 24 hours is average at this age, but every baby is different.
A good guideline for feeding is 150-200ml per kilo of their weight, but continue to follow their lead if you’re breastfeeding – your baby will know best!
Try some tummy time with baby
With your baby more engaged at playtime, it’s a good time to focus on tummy time. Spend at least a few minutes each day playing with them while they lay on their stomach on a mat. Not only will this encourage them to use their arms to push up and use their necks to look around, it will help your baby develop the muscles she needs to start crawling. Over the next few weeks and months work your way up to 15-30 minutes a day.
Testing your baby's muscles
This week, you may find your baby is bearing some weight on their legs. Try it by holding them upright and seeing if they can support themselves for a moment. It’s a big ask, and one you should probably only try when they’re happy and excitable, but testing out these reflexes and muscles is a great start to helping their physical development along.
What jabs should a 10-week-old baby have?
You should have had your immunisation appointment at two months old, but don't worry if you’re only just fitting it in or they had to be postponed. During their appointment, they’ll receive their first dose of the 6-in-1 injection against diphtheria, hepatitis B, tetanus, whooping cough, polio and Hib (haemophilus influenza type B).
At the same time, they'll be given vaccines to protect against rotavirus (which is a common cause of diarrhoea and sickness) and Meningococcal Group B which protects against things like meningitis and septicaemia. Their meningitis B vaccine can result in a fever, so your nurse may advise you to give your baby infant paracetamol after the vaccine.
They will receive these vaccinations by injection in their upper thigh, one in each leg. It might sound traumatic, but should only take a few seconds. The rotavirus vaccine will be given orally (a liquid dropped into their mouth for them to swallow).
How should a 10-week-old baby be physically developing?
Between the 9-week old babyand 10-week mark, you will have noticed a couple of growth spurts, with your baby growing two inches and putting on 2-3 pounds since being born. As they’re starting to outgrow their clothes and their Moses basket, it’s time to move up a size. Try keeping the Moses basket inside the cot for a few nights to get your baby used to their new surroundings.
At ten weeks, your baby will be filling out more, and even if her legs and arms are chubbier than you expected, it’s all perfectly normal. Your baby will be starting to realise they can use their arms and hands, finally connecting that they can look and touch things at the same time. That means a lot of grabbing is coming your way.
As your baby enters month three, they should be able to hold their heads up more confidently this week, although not for too long. If they’re having difficulty using their neck muscles, lie in front of them when they’re on their tummy and encourage them to look up at you. As baby develops into week 11, you'll notice their neck strength begins to increase.
How should a 10-week-old baby be cognitively developing?
As your baby realises they can use their legs and arms to kick and punch, they’ll start to be more co-ordinated and grab at everything. This is a great time to introduce toys to help hand-eye coordination more at playtime.
Playtime is also something your baby is starting to engage with more; she will love all of the bright colours and new sounds. Allow things to dangle on their pram or in their cot, it will help develop their 3D vision and encourage them to grab at them.
They’re also loving music right now and will have notably different reactions depending on what type of song you play. Keep singing to them and playing gentle lullabies followed by faster songs to notice their excitement, you may even encourage more smiling!
What problems should parents of a 10-week-old baby be aware of?
Flat Head Syndrome: If your baby is spending a lot of time on their back, which they typically prefer to tummy time, they may be at risk of developing Flat Head Syndrome. The continued pressure on one spot of their head will cause a flat spot to appear. During playtime, let your baby spend more time on their tummy, as this will not only reduce the likelihood of this but also encourage their neck muscles to strengthen. You can also wear your baby in a sling to reduce the amount of time they spend on their backs, and increase bonding for the two of you.
Post-pregnancy sex: While you obviously are obsessed with your new baby, both you and your partner are bound to have started to miss the intimacy that came before you started this new journey. Your bond will deepen with having brought life into the world together, but it’s normal to feel a bit sad that you no longer only have each other to worry about. It’s also normal for these changes to show in your sex life, which is completely normal and extremely common. Make sure to take some time out and reconnect this week.
Postnatal Depression: Postnatal Depression can occur at any time in the first year of your baby’s life. Are you overwhelmed by guilt or feelings of failure? Do you feel like everything could go wrong and it’s all your fault? You may want to visit your doctor and talk about the possibility of postnatal depression. With one in ten women dealing with it, you’re definitely not alone.