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Original poster

37 weeks, baby not engaged, have to go see consultant - what will he do?

49 replies

Lottielou · 18/05/2006 14:48

Hi!
I've just came back from check up with MW and found out that baby isn't engaged, she said that as this is my first, really baby should of engaged at 35 weeks.
I now have an appointment with a consultant on Tues to see if there is any reason for the baby not engaging. I asked what he will do, she said the same as her, palpate to feel the baby's position and then decide what to do from there. I asked what are possible reasons for baby not engaging and she kinda looked at me with a blank... didn't really say anything apart from "lets see what they say on Tues" wanted some indication at least.
What are possible reasons for baby not engaging? (other than that baby will probably be late and it will happen in time) I'm thiking more on the line of possible complications as she said just keep an open mind about a c-section.
Got me all worried now!

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karenj1980 · 18/05/2006 18:39

Hi Lottilou
DD (11 weeks) was not engaged until 4 days before she was born and I did not have my MW making any comments about a C Section. Good Luck.

beckybrastraps · 18/05/2006 18:41

My first didn't engage until, well, until he was on their way out I think. Certainly not at any of my midwife checks. No-one batted an eyelid.

beckybrastraps · 18/05/2006 18:42

Oh, and it was a vaginal delivery.

beckybrastraps · 18/05/2006 18:42

Hope it's all fine for you!

Yorkiegirl · 18/05/2006 18:43

DD1 didn't engage until I was in labour. DD2 only engaged a teeny bit so no idea why your MW is saying this!

spacecadet · 18/05/2006 18:58

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

LeahE · 18/05/2006 19:05

A baby that's very big often won't engage. Babies that don't engage (for a first pregnancy) are statistically less likely to be born through a spontaneous vaginal delivery, and many consultants don't like to induce them because induction tends not to work (ISTR that mine said that if a baby hasn't engaged and they tried induction, in her experience it only tended to work about 20% of the time and the other 80% wound up with a c/s anyway after being messed around with induction attempts, so her personal recommendation was to avoid induction although they would try it if I particularly wanted).

In my case DS never engaged and growth scans showed he was probably on the large side, and the plan was to go for a c/s if I got to the point where they would normally have induced. I did go into labour at 39+4 but after 40 hours of labour (inc 90 mins pushing) he had still only just got to 0 station and we had a c/s anyway (ventouse considered but felt to be too risky). DS was 10lb 5.5oz in the end.

Someone else in my antenatal class had a DS who didn't engage and she had an elective c/s at 41+something (because of the recommendation not to induce). Her DS was big-ish but not huge (she was tiny though).

I haven't heard that they should be engaged at 35 weeks before, though -- that seems a bit early to me. And plenty of non-engaged babies are born with no problems (it just affects your odds a bit).

Rianna · 19/05/2006 19:52

mine engaged/ turned around ( from posterior to anterior0 in the last two contractions.no one said it was a problem that baby was not engaged- no 2 was, no 3 wasn't.

MummyToToby · 04/06/2006 21:43

to those of you who didn't engage till labour - did you have big babies?

Frieda · 04/06/2006 22:08

I've never heard that not engaging at 35 weeks is a problem - sounds to me as though your m/w may be worrying you unneccessarily. Ds didn't engage until I went into labour (at 40 weeks + 6 days) and was born in the normal fashion, big - ish (4 kilos), but not unduly so. Hope the consultant puts your mind at rest & all goes well.

Piffle · 04/06/2006 22:15

absolute tosh IMHO
I just posted on mummy totobys thread here is the post

my ds was not engaged at 41+4 and they were planning to induce me
I decided not to turn up to the appt, and he arrived safely of his own hasty accord at exactly 42w
Short labour, easy, home after 1 hour
So I'd says Bollox

And he was 7lb 11 oz

spacecadet · 04/06/2006 22:22

mummytotoby, all mine were big, yes.

mears · 04/06/2006 22:42

Seems a bit early to be worrying about it to me I have to say. I would be more concerned if you were 38 weeks.

Consultant might arrange a scan just to make sure placenta is not in baby's way. Other than that it would be a case of waiting and seeing. Try not top worry too much at this stage.

SecurMummy · 04/06/2006 23:02

All of mine would engage and disengage regularly for a while before becomoing fully engaged very shortly before I went into labour, they all came vaginally and quite happily.

I would have thought taht she is just being very cautious.

Hope it goes well on Tuesday

sunandmoon · 05/06/2006 15:08

Hi Lottielou. I was 10 days overdue when DD was finally engaged. She was a big baby. I don't think your MW should worry you like that. I will always remember my MW telling me on my 9th day overdue "None of my patients had caeserian this year and I am sure that you won't need one, this baby will come all naturally!".. THe following day, I had one hour of reflexology, DD was finally engaged 6 hours after reflexology and was born naturally 48h22mn later!!!!
So don't worry you are still in early stage..
All the Best

Marne · 05/06/2006 15:14

DD2 did not engage until i was in the last stages of labour, she came on her due date.

Piccalilli · 05/06/2006 15:19

dd didn't engage til I was in labour - I was induced at 42 weeks, did need ventouse and forceps as she was posterior and got stuck turning round, but she wasn't that big (7 lbs 8)

Mercy · 05/06/2006 15:20

dd wasn't engaged until I went into labour - vaginal delivery and weighed 5lb 9, born 3 days early.

Sounds a bit OTT to have an appointment with a consultant

ProfYaffle · 05/06/2006 15:21

My dd didn't engage at all, my midwife wasn't worried, never mentioned any possible negative effects.

However, as a result although my waters broke I never got any contractions and I ended up with emergency cs.

This might sound worrying to you but I didn't find this a negative experience. I didn't have a long and painful labour, dd was born healthy, I recovered quickly and found the cs nowhere near as bad as I was expecting it to be (was walking to the pub when dd was 5 days old!).

Try not to worry, the worse case scenario isn't that bad!

ProfYaffle · 05/06/2006 15:24

Only just read LeahE's post - interesting. I was booked for an induction but my waters broke the day before, wish I'd known all that at the time.

Original poster

Lottielou · 14/06/2006 10:56

Hi All!
Thank you for all your lovely messages.
Well since i first posted the initial message, i'm now 40+4 and have had 2 scans since and numerous appt with my consultant.
They were concerned that the head couldn't fit into my pelvis, baby is big and in an awkward postion, is posterior but almost oblique.
They decided y'day that as it's only a 50/50% that baby will turn and can fit i'm having a section on Friday. I think it's for the best as i really didn't want to end up with the emergency section scenario, this way it's planned and i feel more in control.
So i'm trying to keep myself busy now until then!
Thanks again for all your messgaes.
xxxx

OP posts:

SecurMummy · 14/06/2006 10:59

Ooh, good luck for Friday - it must be nice to have an end date IYSWIM and know how long you will have to wait until you meet your LO!

Flum · 14/06/2006 11:07

What a load of b*llcks could be any reason.

mine never really engaged all the midwives came out with hazy things like - erm coule be 3/5 - hard to tell blah blah blah

turns out she was undiagnosed breech anyway.

get them to do a hand held scan when you see the registrar then you can see for sure

Original poster

Lottielou · 14/06/2006 11:24

Flum, It's not a load of bollox, I have had scan after scan, an internal and they see this as the reason for the baby not engaging.
I really dont think after all the apptointments I have had over the past 3 weeks that they would do something they dont have to. They feel this is the safest option for me and the baby.

OP posts:

SecurMummy · 14/06/2006 11:36

Flum, that was a bit harsh wasn't it? LottieLou posted to update with some good news - your tone seems a bit rough TBH!

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