Baby totally 'free' after 41 weeks

[DorothyDove]

Currently 41+2 with DS2. DS1 came on time so a bit lost with it all. Last week I had a sweep and he was 4/5 engaged and cervix was 2cm and soft - felt pretty positive. Been in 3 times since for sweeps but they've not been able to do them as he's not come out of the pelvis entirely and is floating around in there!

Anyone experienced similar? Any tips I might not have thought of to get him to engage again? I'm doing all the love walks/bouncing on ball stuff, never sit back, never slump etc. I feel like if he'd just engage then he'd probably come quite quickly as cervix is so favourable.

Also they told me today the baby being totally unengaged can affect options in the induction process as they worry about cord prolapse, so no gel or pessary or waters but straight to drip and/or section. I'm gutted as I had DS in a pool with just g&a, can't quite believe the second birth is so much more complicated!!!

Any advice or experiences would be really appreciated!

Ps sorry for typos not in the best state of mind for proof reading at the moment!!

This is quite normal for a 2nd baby. They pop in and out of being engaged and it has no bearing on labour starting. You have very little control over it too.

My 2nd never engaged. He was high and free at every check. My waters broke spontaneously with him in this position.

The only impact it had on my care was that I was told if my waters went, I needed to be checked out asap because of the risk of cord prolapse. All was fine though and I was checked out and went straight home.

I know it's frustrating but it's normal for second babies to drop in and out.

I've heard / read that after the first, babies do not engage sometimes until they are going to be born.
Just go with the flow.
I'll look for an article...

It's not uncommon for subsequent babies not to engage until you go into labour.

Yes it can affect induction, if they induce they will be very aware re cord prolapse etc.

You will probably go into labour soon anyway but you do know you can opt for expectant management rather than induction as wrll?

My first didn't engage until I was in labour, and it was a lovely quick one with just gas and air. Don't give up! I credit it with being so uncomfortable the night before that I spent the entire duration of a film bouncing on my ball, I imagined I must have shaken him down!

Thanks all. I know about expectant management but a bit nervous to try as DS was well clear of 9lbs at 40 weeks and they seem to think this is a big baby. Good to hear that he can still come spontaneously, although he's running out of time now!! I know I need to relax more about it all but finding it hard at the moment with time pressures on it all. Raxa pleased your DS' birth was straightforward. My first baby was only 1/5 engaged when waters went so I shouldn't be so upset about it but I think it's the fact we're running out of time which is worrying me so much!

As others have said, being engaged has no bearing on when labour will start and 2nd babies often don't engage until labour. Hope baby makes an appearance soon x

with my second pregnancy, at my last appointment (40+1) baby was completely free after being previously engaged, she arrived 5 days later with a completely straight forward and easy! spontaneous labour.

I hope all goes smoothly for you OP

Dd2 totally free at 39+4. Labour began 39+5 and baby born 39+6!

I swear by rotations on the birthing ball. Both times I've done this for 2-3 hours fast and slow and figures of 8 and labour had started within 24 hours. I could feel baby moving down each time.

Dd2 was engaged from 34 weeks and stayed that way for 7!!!!! I don't think it has any bearing on anything ime.

Just wanted to update: was induced via pessary at 41+5 as he STILL hadn't come. He was 1/5 engaged by then so fewer concerns about cord prolapse and the labour progressed very quickly but all very straightforward and arrived after just 3 hours of active labour. Good luck to anyone else worried about same!

Congratulations!

Congratulations! Glad it went well!

Great news congratulations

Congratulations op

Same happened to me. Couldn't do proper sweep. They were quite happy to do a standard induction though, I had pessaries, then gel, then drip, then waters breaking ... Pretty much everything

Oh, I missed that last bit of important info! Congratulations op. I was reluctant to say my DD never engaged despite my full on induction and so I had a c section. Your story makes me have hope for next time.