what stage does the head engage!

[dani200420052000]

Hi All!

Ima fter a littl advice.... I was at my 34 week appointment today and the midwife said that babies head was not engaged yet! At what stage does the babies head engage roughly... just im am a little puzzled. Does it mean if babys head does not engage till later that there is a greater chance that I will go past my due date! n e advice n e 1! I did not really ask my midwife as I dont know her! Ite was my 1st appointment with her today as i had to change midwife as i moved to a different area! so all your thoughts and answers would be greAT!

Love Dani x

 

[Layla]

it can engage at any time hun, there is no set time limit for it,

with first babies they normaly engage a week to 2 weeks before, but sometimes it can before, sometimes later.

for 2 + babies the head might not engage untill you go in to labour.

it doesnt mean in any way you will be overdue, it just all depends on our baby and body

xx

 

[Tara & Liam]

Hi Dani

I was going to say exactly the same as what Layla says. There is no set time for this to happen. They will go when they want to.

x

 

[Ragna]

Think Layla said it all. No particular time Danni. My babies head is Ceph but free..which means its heading the right way but not engaged but as this is my 6th it wont until I go into Labour although It feels might low down there !!! Good thing is that baby is heading right way !! Also you will be surprised at how different each midwife sees things.

)
Hope you ok and feeling alright & not too nervous !

Ragna xxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Urchin]

I had a pregnancy newsletter today that said this:

- As your baby grows towards the end of pregnancy, the shape of your uterus, your liver and intestines encourage your baby's presenting part (usually head, but sometimes bottom) to dip down into the pelvic cavity. This can occur as early as 33 or 34 weeks, but may not happen before labour starts. If the baby engages in the pelvis early this does not mean that you will give birth early. Usually the baby will engage in the pelvis by 37 to 38 weeks, but this process can also be affected by lots of other things:

• If you are very sporty and have well-toned abdominal muscles this may mean that your tummy is held in tighter, which changes the angle of the baby's body and presenting part to the pelvic brim. In this position it is harder for your baby to engage in the pelvis. To encourage your baby's head to engage you need to relax your tummy muscles and "dangle your belly" out at the front.

• If you spend a lot of time sitting down at work, in a car, or in soft easy chairs to watch TV, your baby is likely to be lying in a posterior position — that is with its back to your back. In this position it is harder for your baby to enter your pelvis. This baby position is not the best position for an efficient labour, partly because the presenting part remains high for so long. Take care to sit leaning forward whenever you sit down, with your knees below your hips, which will help your baby turn its back towards your front and to move down. A kneeling chair is ideal for this.

• If you have had several babies before, your tummy muscles may be loose, which makes it easy for the baby to move and change position a lot. Sometimes your baby may not lie up and down (longitudinal), but across your tummy (transverse) or at an angle (oblique). Positions like these make it less likely that your baby will engage in the pelvis before the start of labour.

• Your baby may be a large one, in which case it may not descend into the pelvis until contractions start.

• The shape of your pelvis may also be relevant. Sometimes the pelvic inlet is narrow. In these cases it may take a long time for the baby's presenting part to enter the pelvis, but once it is in, birth is usually rapid, because the pelvic outlet in these cases tends to be roomy.

 

[hope]

Just back from my antenatal appointment , my baby has been lying head down for the last 10 weeks or so, but STILL not engaged!!!!!!!!!! And Im 4 days away from my due date, and this is my 1st. Im afraid, it doesnt bode well for me. My midwife thinks, its b'coz I have a lot of fluid ( Im measurinmg the equivalent of 45 weeks pregnant!!!!!!! Bad news is my cervix is 0cm dilated. Which means inducing with this is going to be rather difficult too. So here I am stuck with a HUGE pumpkin of a bump, with a huge baby, with lot of fluid. BABY, R U IN THERE WITH A PLAYSTATION OR SOMETHING??????????????????????????????

 

[honey7733]

i know its not a laughing matter but danielle`s head never engaged!!!! her bum did tho lol

 

[Rachael]

Hiya Danni

My baby's head was still not engaged at 38wks when I had a scan, nor was it at a check up at 39wks. All the info I read said that first baby's heads can engage as early as 6wks prior to my due date so I assumed my baby was taking it's good sweet time and would be late!
I actually had my little boy 3 days early, so just because your baby's head has not engaged yet, does not necessarily mean your baby will be late.

Not of of us conform to the "normal" pregnancies/ labours. I certainly didn't with a 4hr29 min labour for my first baby!

Love

 

[Urchin]

I certainly didn't with a 4hr29 min labour for my first baby!

Love

Bah! I'm so jealous, I was 24 hours with my first!

 

[dani200420052000]

Hi Ladies!

Thanks for all your great advice im totally reassured now thanks to yous.. Hope all your pregnancies are going well.. Im so exited to meet my baby 9 well i will be when it arrives, hopefully my due date... lol... which i know that will prob not happen!

Im not too well today im having a qiute aching back and a few pains down below but I take it that it is just pregnancy taking its toll on little me!
I have just saw some woman in the chemist and she said to me @ Oh my god your bump is so perfect when are u due.. and I said 5 wks and 6 days and she just could not believe it.. she had another 11 weeks to go and looked like a god damn beach whale bless her! No matter How cute ppl say that my bump is. I have put on a healthy stone in weight and i feel huge as im only small on height and I feel like I now waddle about lol.. I cant remember the last time it actually felt like I walked n e where I just waddle. ha ha

n e way I hope all u girlies are feeling fat and fed up like me too.. take care all and thanks again for all your great reassuring comments..

Love Danielle and Bubble xxx