Tell me about engagement in second pregnancies please!

[hairtwiddler]

34 weeks today with baby no.2. DD arrived at 36/2 with very little warning so am struggling at the moment with the not knowing whether this baby will be early too or completely different and hang on until two weeks overdue! That means I could be waiting another 8 weeks!

Midwife said today baby is 3/5 engaged and asked me if I'd seen any 'signs'. Emmmm, well I've had seriously intense braxton hicks, slightly upset stomach, and I am probably nesting.

Was hoping for home birth though so would be nice to hang on until 37 weeks. I know there's no magic prediction. Anyone know if it is true that second babies don't tend to engage until labour imminent?

[reikizen]

They can 'bob' in and out of the pelvis until labour becomes established. Or they can nestle in tight and stay there. Either way is fine. Do you know why first baby arrived early? Did you have a UTI, were your dates right etc?

[hairtwiddler]

I always felt dates were right. She was born a wee bit small and jaundiced and struggled to establish feeding. Milestones were always right for due date. They never investigated for uti as far as I know. I always blamed it on my pal's buffet I ate the day before!

[Habbibu]

not sure ds engaged until the very end, ht - certainly wasn't at 39 weeks, anyway. And haven't you been nesting for weeks? ~Or is that Mr ht?

[hairtwiddler]

I'm probably always nesting hab.... but yesterday had a strong urge to buy wicker baskets to put clothes in and this morning shoved half a box of milton tablets down the loo.
So frustrated!! Plus can't have afternoon nap as new cleaning lady here.

[Habbibu]

Milton? Milton?! Oh, dear Lord. You know what this means, don't you?

[hairtwiddler]

I just realised.... it was bound to happen, but really didn't reckon on turning into my mother so soon!
No one else seems to have any wisdom to offer me... sigh!

[carocaro]

DS1 was born 5 weeks early and was not engaged at all

DS2 was born 3 weeks early and was engaged for about 3 weeks, so was in a panic as wanted to hang on

Does that help? Probably not!

Both births after that were pretty similar, 1st one 5 hours, 2nd one 7 hours, I have a super cervix that likes to dilate from 3-10 in aboout an hour!

[Tamlin]

My second baby has gone from being 4/5ths engaged and head-down at 34 weeks to free-floating and suspected breech at my 36 week appointment. So yes, apparently second babies can bob up and down like little meerkats.

[hairtwiddler]

So it could mean something, it could mean nothing.... such is the way of things with pregnancy.
To add insult to injury, have developed pelvic/joint pain over course of afternoon.
Thanks for responses everyone. I'm off to lie on the sofa, watch mindless tv in the form of Grey's Anatomy dvd, and try not to think about potentially 8 more weeks of feeling this rubbish.

[StealthPolarBear]

was 3/5 at 38 weeks
gave birth at 40+6!