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Pregnancy

When did your dc2's head engage?

4 replies

ellesabe · 22/10/2012 19:20

I'm 37 weeks pregnant with dc2 and was told by a midwife last week (at 36+2) that the baby's head was already 2/5 engaged.

In my pregnancy book it says that this is usual for first time mums but that in subsequent pregnancies the head often doesn't engage until labour begins.

So, does this mean that baby might come before due date? Or did other people have dc2's head engage early and then go overdue?

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mummy2benji · 22/10/2012 19:45

I'm 39+2 and baby's head was engaged at 37 weeks. The midwife did say that for subsequent pregnancies the baby's head can sometimes dip in and out of the pelvis, so engaged doesn't necessarily mean that they'll stay that way all the time as it does with first pregnancy. Some people can have baby's head engaged for some time, for others it only happens when they go into labour, so it isn't a good predictor of when you'll go into labour I'm afraid. Having said that, it's a good thing in that baby is head down, in the right position, and ready to get going when the time comes!

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halloweeneyqueeney · 22/10/2012 20:56

I don't think it means the baby is imminent, as I understand it with the first once its engaged it stays there, with the second it can pop in and out for weeks right up to the end

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ellesabe · 22/10/2012 21:30

Ok thanks. No need to panic just yet then Grin

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sittinginthesun · 22/10/2012 21:32

My ds1 engaged at 32 weeks. Ds2 was 34 weeks, but popped and down.

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