40 + 4 - head not engaged

[footstep]

Hello all
Does anyone have any words of wisdom for my friend?
As the title of the thread says, she was due a few days ago, but saw her gp today and she's not yet engaged at all. She's been told that this may be because the baby is breech or is too large to fit into her pelvis (or, of course, that it just hasn't engaged yet). Also that if her waters break she has to rush to hospital in case of cord prolapse.
What are the chances of there being an actual problem? Is it very unusual to not be at all engaged at this point (first baby)?
Words of reassurance greatly appreciated
Thanks
footstep
x

Hi not an expert but I do know that she is not overdue until 42 weeks, a normal pregnancy is between 37 weeks and 42 weeks quoted by the WHO.

Did she see her GP or a midwife?

Some babies, even firsts, do not engage until the last minute. Just do a dive during labour!!
Surely they will double check for a breech baby at this point? Sounds a bit like GP panic inducing - what does her MW say?

My first baby didn't engage. All I'll say is that if I were to relive the experience I would demand a scan to see where the cord is (i.e. not wrapped around her neck) before I let anyone mention induction. I think (in my oh so very novice opinion) that your friend may be headed for a section. She should see a consultant, not a gp, at this point.

Not being engaged at this stage in a first pregnancy is unusual but not abnormal. It doesn't necessarily prove that there is a problem (though what the gp says could of course be the case).

Is she booked in for a scan? I would have thought that this would be essential under the circumstances, in order to be sure that all is well. If the baby is breech at this point, there might not be any point waiting further, similarly if the cord is between the baby and the cervix, and it might be better to go for a calm Caesarian, rather than wait for labour. Otherwise, she's still within term and all could still go perfectly well.

This happened to me. 72 hours of stop/start labour, lots of pain and stress and they finally told me that he still wasn't engaged. I was trying for VBAC. If they had told me this at the start of labour ( at 40 + 8 )I would have gone straight for a section.

I agree with Uwila. Get her to insist on seeing the consultant.

Neither of my dd's engaged - and found out subsequently that they were both back to back. Ended up having a lovely forceps with dd1 and a c-section with dd2 - but am thinking of a 3rd so can't have been all that bad.

Get your friend bouncing on a birthing ball and doing the Mecca position with her bum in the air - this is supposed to help get the baby in the best position. HTH

Obviously the 2 exercises are seperate - don't try to do them both at the same time!

Agree with Uwila. Get a scan. I was in labour for 30 hours with an undiagnosed breech baby. Not and experience I would recommend

"an"

Not being engaged 1t baby doesn't necessarily mean there's a problem. They can tell if its breech by feeling it.

Head didn't engage with ds1. m/w sent me to ante-natal at hospital at 38wks, they did a scan to check placenta wasn't in the way, everything was fine. They booked me in for 40+3 to have induction if head still wasn't engaged, in the hope that inducing labour would bring the head down, if this didn't work they hadme booked for c/s. Head still wasn't engaged at 39+5 when I saw my m/w, so was preparing to go in on the Tues.

DS was born naturally at 40+1, quick labour, no complications. So there are the exceptions and I' sure if there was anything to worry about her m/w would have arranged a hospital appt.

Good luck to your friend

Sorry jaberwocky, just read your post, didn't realise sometimes they couldn't tell with breech. Ooops!!

My sister's ds didn't engage until she was in labour, at 40+6. She delivered him vaginally after a textbook labour with only TENs for pain relief.

My ds didn't engage until I was in labour, at 41+6, and it ended in a cs for arrest of descent (his head got stuck at the engaged position and didn't move any further down after 50hrs of labour).

So, it might be fine or might not be. She should be prepared for all eventualities, as should any first timer . Good luck to her.

dd (first baby) wasn't engaged until labour. she was a small baby by average standards and born 3 days early.

(just to add to the stats for your friend)

Thanks everybody

My friend had a midwife appointment today - apparently 3/5 engaged (which is almost half way there - right?). So there has been progress!

She's been booked in for an induction next week (41+4) if the lo hasn't turned up by then.

She's feeling a bit more confident now that everything will be OK, but she's getting very hot and bored!

Thanks again

footstep

x

Had good births with all my numerous kids. None of them ever engaged until they were well and truly on the way out. I could feel them moving down once labour had got to that 'ouch' stage!

Quick update

My friend had a beautiful baby boy in the early hours of yesterday morning. She arrived at the hospital to find she was 10cm dilated and he was born 90 mins later. They're home now and doing really well. I can't wait to meet him!

Thanks again everybody

footstep
x

Brilliant, congratulations to her, babies will come when they are ready

There you go - classic hasty dive for freedom! Congrats.