Talk

Flip

Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

Childbirth

Fully engaged for 3.5 weeks!! How much longer? Any experiences?

6 replies

ELB1 · 02/11/2008 20:44

My due date is not til 6th Nov for DD2, but I have been fully engaged for 3.5 weeks and am getting seriously uncomfortable. MW said 3 weeks ago she would be surprised to see me again at next appt, but that has been and gone. At appt last week, she said baby was so low that she could only palpate the shoulders.
I have read that in 2nd births onwards it's more common for baby not to engage until labour actually starts - so what's going on?

I know there is no "formula" for when baby comes, but I was wondering if anyone had a view on whether this is likley to be a long running thing based on experience!
Any tips for survival (i.e. walking!!) would also be gratefully recieved!

OP posts:

Report

pippylongstockings · 02/11/2008 21:04

Haven't got a magic answer for you - but my ds2 was much the same.

DS1 came 3 weeks early so when my midwife told me my ds2 was fully engaged on 10th dec and his due date was 31st dec - she TOLD me that I would have my baby before christmas

Yipee I thought - but xmas came and went and
he finally arived on Jan 2nd after a sweep.

His ear was really flat when he was born as it had been squashed for so long but it soon popped out. The best thing to report about the birth was it was 45 min from begining to end!

Report

ELB1 · 03/11/2008 13:30

Crickey!! I'll settle for 45 mins though after all this!

OP posts:

Report

pippylongstockings · 03/11/2008 15:09

I too could hardly walk and when you already have a little one to chase around it was a pretty miserable time.

I found that being on all fours helped relieve some of the pressure - and sitting with my feet slightly elevated. But other than that take it as easy as you can.

The actual birth was all a little panicicky to say the least. I had wanted to go to a mid-wife led unit about 15 miles away have a water birth etc. My midwife had said to me - be aware 2nd babies in a good position tend to come very quickly. So when my contractions started at just after 7am I went to get dressed. My waters broke and I was completely floored with pain & realsied there was no moving me, got DH to dial 999, got to hospital at 7.58 and had DS2 at 8.02!!

Good luck it's hard all the waiting but you know that it will be soon,

Report

chocbiscuits · 03/11/2008 15:34

Hello am 40+1 with dc2, not engaged though. Still hopeless at chasing after Ds1.
Ds1 never engaged till labour either and had to be induced at 40+11.
Hey ho....
Bit puffy, had to take my watch off.

45 minutes would be alright!!!

Report

belgo · 03/11/2008 15:36

all third of my babies were engaged from 35-36 weeks, but they weren't born until past 40 weeks.