Head not engaged at 40 weeks

[Squaffle]

Just had 40 week midwife appointment and baby is showing no signs of going anywhere! Head is barely 1/5 engaged, baby still very high up, possibly back-to-back and lying in a very strange position. I'd love to know if anyone else has been in a similar situation and if so how long it took for you to go in to labour, or were you induced? Having a sweep next week but not sure there's much point if the baby hasn't 'dropped'?

[ispymincepie]

Assuming it's your first as subsequent babies don't usually engage until labour. You have 2 weeks yet so I wouldn't worry. I'd also decline a sweep as if your baby is still high then it can cause them to drop without their head being flexed into the right position for birth.

[ispymincepie]

Lots you can do to help turn baby into a more anterior position though. Check out the spinning babies website. Good luck!

[BendydickCuminsnatch]

My baby never engaged before labour. I was induced at 10 days over and was in labour 40 mins once things got going (12hrs from pessary to baby). Good luck!!

[sharonthewaspandthewineywall]

Put it this way with my first the day before my waters broke when I saw the midwife head was not engaged. It makes no odds to how likely you are to go into labour imminently

[ChannelFiftySeven]

I'm another one whose baby wasn't engaged at 40 weeks and was told baby was back to back. Went to 40+4 and had a beautiful labour and birth. Think positively!

[Finola1step]

Another one here in 1st pregnancy. Was told to avoid relaxing on the sofa and spend time on knees, leaning over a footstool or birthing ball to encourage ds to get into a favourable position.

He arrived spot on 42 weeks in hospital water birth as planned. No induction.

He's now 8 and still a cheeky, awkward fella.

Good luck.

[Junosmum]

3 days before my waters broke I was the same, don't worry.

[Loraline]

Do check out spinningbabies.com for techniques to help baby move down into a good position.

[ElphabaTheGreen]

DS1's head never engaged. My waters broke bang on 40 weeks. Aaaaaand...nothing happened. Even after waiting for 36 hours, followed by 12 hours of completely uneventful induction. I was asking the midwives, somewhat expectantly after about six hours of the syntocin at max dose and pacing, pelvic rocking, bouncing on a birth ball, crawling around on all fours etc, if it was supposed to be hurting yet. They told me I either had the world's highest pain threshold, or absolutely nothing was happening. It was the latter. He never engaged and I dilated not one nano-metre. I went on to EMCS for failure to progress (or even, one might suggest, to even get bloody started). He was 9lb 2oz and the obstetrician said, once she went in, that it was patently obvious from the size of his head and the minuteness of my pelvic ring that he would never have descended. DS2 was even bigger, so I just went straight to ELCS rather than going through that whole boring rigmarole again.

[OrlandaFuriosa]

I had exactly the same experience as Elpha save that I was in agony for 36 hours without being in labour. ECS did the biz.

My stairs have never been so clean, though. I was on my knees sweeping them to turn the awkward sod.

[ShowOfHands]

DS was high and free at a 11am appointment. My waters broke 12hrs later.

[Squaffle]

Wow, thanks so much ladies! Glad it's just another one of those "unknowns"; was expecting a thread full of inductions! It's my first baby so who knows what will happen: I'm totally chilled and don't mind how he/she arrives. Will definitely check out spinning babies, am walking for an hour a day and doing lots of exercises on the ball. Thanks again and enjoy your Easter chocolate x