Due date & not engaged

[Coletteypie]

Hi all,

FTM and due tomorrow. Went to my midwife today and my baby is still not engaged - has never been engaged yet . Was so convinced they might be at least a bit engaged as been feeling lots of pressure on my cervix. So who knows what that has been/is!

Am back on Monday to see if they can do a sweep then as they wouldn't do one today (notes say baby on brim). What are your experiences with not being engaged by this stage? I've been looking at the spinning babies website. I've been walking, sleeping on my side with pillows propping up my leg since week 28 (helped my PGP pain), I bounce on my ball for hours a day, been leaning over the ball with knees on the floor, pelvis rotations... You name it - I'm doing it!!! Am just a bit nervous - why isn't baby engaging!? Is my pelvis not big enough/too big (allowing them in and out), will I ever go into labour naturally!? Will I need a c-section if they don't engage?

Just wonder if any of you ladies have been in a similar position and ended up with nice uncomplicated labours !?

TIA xx

 

[Syndilou]

I don't know if this is gunna be good or bad for you to hear but with my first she didn't engage until I was 12 days over, I had a sweep that day and she was here the next morning! Sometimes they just take their time! Naughty babies! From what you've said I don't think you can really do much more to encourage baby to engage! lol x x

 

[Emapot1]

I was going to say, don't be disheartened because babies don't geneally engage until labour. So your sweep might just help things to move along. X

 

[Coletteypie]

Thanks for the info Syndilou...nice to hear you got there eventually! My health board only let you go 12 days over (induction starts on day 11!), so I'm not sure what happens if baby still not engaged by then! So I have 11 days for baby to play ball!

Emapot - they won't sweep me until baby engages in case of cord prolapse. So I still might not get one on Monday if wee monkey isn't in place.

 

[Emapot1]

Oh god in that case I hope my baby stays put! I would say once baby finds a comfortable place head down they stay there fx xx

 

[Toni.C]

I was never engaged more than 3/5. By day 11 of being over due I went in for my induction. Babies head was over my hip bone! Then moved round so his head was in the right place but not engaged. They think my pelvis was too small so he kept moving down and then popping out, in the end they couldn't sweep because of my cervix was to the front but they could hardly feel it and so couldn't feel if I was dilating as it was causing me too much pain with them rooting around! In the end on day 14 he was evacuated by c section! Seven before the cervix issue, they would've had to have got him out by c section if he hadn't of moved down. I hope this makes sense!

 

[buggy1]

My baby's head wasn't engaged until I'd been i early labour for a while! I wouldn't worry. Head doesn't need to be engaged for labour to statt

 

[kumber]

I was also never more than 3/5 engaged cus bubs decided to keep his hand by his head right up until he arrived, so we think he kept popping out because of that. He came at 39+5 which was unusual as a first time baby. Have hope, not being engaged doesn't necessarily mean not going into labour naturally!

 

[Coletteypie]

Toni c - I think I might be similar to you. Baby hovers over my pelvis but seems to struggle getting in. So I find I mostly have the head over my left hip - with baby curled up facing the right. lying on the left isn't a bad position etc but if they don't get their head in my pelvis they won't be coming out the way I want them to!!

I am dreading the thought of being 12 days over, induced, 48 hours later having an emergency section. That is my worst fear!

Thanks buggy and Kumber. Although 3/5 is a lot more engaged than what my wee bubs is up to. My baby is totally free. Such a troublemaker!

 

[buggy1]

Yes but think of those breech babies that are born and head isn't even down! Don't worry X my lo was free until 1st sweep then only 4/5 about an hour before he was born

 

[Coletteypie]

Hmmm that's good info buggy thanks !

Are you having lovely hugs with Toby?? xx

 

[buggy1]

Yes but he's a booby monster so I'm getting sore! Really want to go home too!