engagement, what does it mean?

[x.Lilly.x]

Right on the notes it can be anything from 'free' to '1/5' to '5/5' what will they right when baby is fully engaged/hardly engaged at all?
and does baby HAVE to be engaged for you to go into labour/do people normally go into labour when there babies ingaged or doesnt it really matter?

Thanks

 

[lealea85]

I'm still trine figure that one out myself

 

[Heulyn]

As far as I know, 5/5 is fully engaged.
Working on that, I'm guessing free means not at all, and 1,2,3,4 are the stages of baby engaging.
Usually baby will engage earlier if you've given birth before, but not always, could wait until the last minute! x

 

[x.Lilly.x]

Ah okay, i did read online though that its normally the other way round?
& that if youve given birth before they normally engage later and with first babys they normally are engaged around 36 weeks. I may of read it wrong though.
and ah okay, that makes sence about the 1/5 etc

 

[lealea85]

How do u know when ur engaging? How does it feel?

 

[x.Lilly.x]

well the things I think are that u get stabbing pains in ur foof, and heavy feeling like u have a melon between your legs.
But saying that iv had so much of this and waddle everywhere and my babys oblique so im guessing she wont be engaged at all yet iv had all of those symptoms?!

 

[Lacey's Mummy]

Apparently if your on your 2nd or more you start engaging later but I was 4/5th's engaged at 34 weeks but was still 4/5th's 2 days before I had charley!

 

[Heulyn]

Here's a bit of info from some googling I just did:

Engagement is when the foetus descends down into the pelvic cavity.
This is also known as dropping or lightening.
You may feel your baby gradually dropping and your lungs and stomach stretching out a bit.
Walking may become increasingly uncomfortable and it may feel almost as if your baby is going to fall out.
This usually occurs two to four weeks before delivery during a first pregnancy.
In subsequent births engagement does not usually happen until labour begins.

Hope it helps! xx

 

[Emmamb]

5/5 is not engaged
2/5 is engaged
babies often don't engage till labour after ur 1st baby xx

 

[flexilexi394]

Mines 1/5 engaged and according to my midwife that's fully engaged. I can fit a hand unde my bust to the top of my bump, I have loads of room up there! And I have the weirdest feeling like there's something about to fall out of me! Lol. That's best way to describe it x

 

[x.Lilly.x]

Ooo thanks peeps, thats cleared it up for me!
Ooo how exciting Lexi! Eee cant wait for ur labour thread! x

 

[lealea85]

Prob explains why his head is partially engaged yet I'm still getting the occasional kick in my rib lol

 

[first-timerhello]

The MW feels above your pelvic bone to see how engaged you are. 1/5 engaged simply means the MW van on feel 1/5 of the babies head. Hence this means the babies head is down as far as it can go if it's 1/5 engaged....

 

[emma_85]

My notes don't have any number recordings like 1/5 etc. In the presentation column it says "ceph" and the midwife has felt above my pubic bone and said his head is engaged.

 

[midnight]

2nd babies can sometimes wait till labour to get engaged

p.s i wanted to say going of the title of th thread it means you are going to get married hee hee