Induced when head not engaged

[Lisbob]

Hi,

This is my second baby and I am 41 wks. He has not engaged and I am booked to be induced on Friday, they have told me they wil insert tablets to see if that starts anything. They cant do a sweep or break my waters until he engages. I was wondering if this has happened to anyone else. The doctor seemed sure I would end of with a section. Also if he is not engaged does this mean my cervix will not open?

My first was on time and delivered normally.

Thanks

 

[dannii87]

I've always read and heard that second babies usually don't engage until labour begins I'd have thought that when they induce you, he'll slip into your pelvis perfectly and you'll be able to deliver normally

I wouldn't worry, Evie didn't engage til 41 weeks, when I was induced at 42 weeks she slipped OUT of being engaged and turned to back to back. I still had a vaginal delivery, I needed help with forceps, but it was still vaginal x

 

[nazmomi]

I was induced with baby number 3 and his head wasn't engaged until after i had my waters broken. my consultant told me was fairly normal for baby's head not to engage after a first pregnancy and as he was head down anyway they werent really worried. he was delivered in 3 pushes so was definitely heading in the right direction!

 

[jills10uk]

i went through my whole labour with my baby not fully engaged - he was 3/5 so i had to push him the extra bit

 

[purplebluered]

Isaac wasn't fully engaged and I was induced. I ended up having a section but that was nothing to do with him not being engaged. I had a debrief afterwards and they commented that Isaac was well embedded into my pelvis when they pulled him out I've heard it doesn't make too much difference esp if it's not ur first

 

[Fly]

Many second babies don't engage until well into labour so am sorry to say this but the doctor is talking a crock of shite...as so many of them do! There is absolutely no reason why you would need a c-section for the reasons he has given you....and in all honesty if the doctor has said you will probably need one because your baby's head is not engaged yet i would serioulsy consider making an official complaint about him trying to coerce and bully you into thinking about c-sections for his own bloody convenience!!! Am everso sorry but have had it up to HERE with consultants and doctors talking absolute cod shite xxxxxxx

 

[Lisbob]

Thank you so much everyone you have made me feel alot better. I know it is total crap when they start talking about sections without giving you good reasons. I knew it was common for second babies not to drop and how do they know the tablet wont start anything!!

Thanks

 

[trixipaws]

not sure but my daughter wasnt fully engaged until i was already in labour, altho i think she was 2/5 or 3/5 or something from about week 39. iv heard its common for second and subsequent babies to not engage until labour

 

[flowergirl]

Kathryn didn't engage at all- she was just at the brim of the pelvis when I was induced so I didn't even gat to say I was any number of fifths engaged!

I made sure I stayed on my feet or kneeling up as much as possible once the pessary had been inserted and it seemed to do the trick. Labour started 8 hours after first and only pessary was put in and baby was born within 7 hours. I didn't need any other interventions.