When did your 1st babies head engage??

[Leilababyno1]

...Had my 34 wk antenatal today and baby is head down but not engaged at all.

I know this is quite normal for 1st baby...but just wondered when other 1st timers babies started to 'engage'?? Also, are there any exercises I can do to kick start this process?

Ta!

It didn't. But 34 weeks is very early. I think things like walking and the rocking motion helf the head to engage. But, some dpn't engage until labour.

And some don't ever engage and just simply aren't going out that exit. Could be the head is too big or the cord is around his/her neck. But, could also be perfectly normal and your vervix just isn't ready (as much as you'd like it to be).

My MW didn't check till my 36 week appointment (at 37 weeks + 5) and she had only just started to engage then.

It didn't, with either of mine. Not even when labour started. Not until my waters were broken.

Thanks all...Only really asking as baby is predicted to be on the large side, and only turned head down the other day after being breech for a long time. MW said babies head 'should' start to engage any time from now- so just curious...

Never , my little one stayed breech - cue CS.

I had my scan at 31+3 weeks and was told that the head was engaged... I did lots of yoga and swimming which help a lot from what I read. My baby was initially in breach and then spine to spine, but then turned... When you are sitting down, make sure you are always on a cushion so that your knees are lower than hips. Get a birthing ball and sit on it as much as possible. If you are comfortable with yoga, then do hip swings, yogic squats and inversions as often as possible. Any kind of swimming and doing flips in the water is good. Good luck!

Thank's lilly13, that sounds like good advice..

I am a trained dancer, so should be quite flexible down there..- been on the birthing ball a lot and will definitely try some squats...

31 weeks- that's very early for the head to be engaged, well done you!

Mine didn't engage until I was in labour! Partly depnds how much space they haev to move around - apparently I have a "roomy" pelvis so might eb why

At about 35 weeks. For some reason the MW made me think that this is a sign of the baby coming very soon. Err.. he was born after an induction at 40+10.

Neither of my babies engaged until I went into labour with them. I had normal births for both (a really quick one with my second baby!) so please don't worry. I was told that because I am quite small and had quite toned stomach muscles (at least with my DS), that might make it less likely to engage early... not sure how true that is though.

DS1's head engaged at 33 weeks. I was smug at first, but soon came to regret it - his head put constant pressure on my bladder and by 34 weeks it felt like I had a permanent case of cystitis (I didn't, I made them check urine samples repeatedly).

DS2's head didn't engage until 38 weeks, and I was delighted!

I was told baby had engaged last week- I was 37/40 then. Wasn't engaged at appointment before at 34 weeks. It's my first baby.

I swim twice a week, still work fulltime (now 38 weeks) and an generally very busy. Not sure if this makes any difference!