Head engaged!

[MistyBxx]

Hi all, hope you're all good!

I'm 37+2 today (1st baby) and went to midwife today, all good, measurements etc, my girl is head down like she has been for weeks, and midwife felt my belly, said oh her head is down in your pelvis now, and marked me down as 2/5.
I got excited/terrified like omg what does this mean? I am fully expecting to be late as first baby etc, so had a panic then! I'm ready if she was to arrive early, but would rather go nearer 40w!

Tried googling but finding mixed results!

Does 2/5 mean they can feel 2 x fifths of the baby's head left OUT of the pelvis OR that only 2 x fifths are engaged IN the pelvis?

And does this mean I will go early? Or does it have little effect on my due date and is normal to be engaged at this many weeks?

Any help appreciated! I'm impatient but don't actually want her to come too early you know lol 😂🙈

First babies engage weeks before they come usually so you could still be late. Further babies tend to bob in and out and engage fully immediately before labour.

Yeah sorry. My DD was really low for weeks. And she was late

I was engaged at 34 weeks with my first and still went to 42 weeks! Sorry!

My Midwife does it as amount in the pelvis. So at the moment I’m 4/5 engaged so 4/5 of the head in the pelvis (I’m 39 weeks) I do think all Midwife’s do it differently though so it depends.

2/5 engaged, so 2/5 babies head in the pelvis. Quite normal, doesn't mean anything about when you may deliver.

Don't get me wrong, I'm excited for my baby but I'm happy to wait lol I never expected her to come early being my first, and would defo rather she stays where she is and fattens up that little bit more for the next few weeks, I just don't know what's normal for head engagement and if it means she is on her way... or just getting comfy in the right position to make her way in a few weeks.

I wish there was a standard way of measuring, either 2/5 in or 2/5 out you know?!? X

It's 2/5 out of your pelvis. When it gets to 5/5 (technically called 0) you're "at station". This is usually before the pushing starts. But baby could bounce back up to 5/5 the min you walk out the room

This makes it much clearer

I went in to hospital the day before I had my baby due to complications and was told she was sitting really high and I had ages to go. My waters broke 12 hours later!

My first never engaged really as far as I know before labour (she wasn't engaged as of 36 weeks and I never felt her engage like I have my 2nd). I had her naturally at 37+5. I'm 37 weeks with my 2nd and he's engaged and I'm pretty sure has been for about 2 weeks now. I never felt anything like this the first time around, so he feels so much 'more' engaged than my first ever was. No idea really want that means, but I've at least not gone into labour these past two weeks. It's totally possible you could have weeks to go yet, though obviously being engaged isn't necessarily for an early labour either. I went into labour spontaneously last time and it was relatively quick, even without her being engaged, so who knows.

Sounds very normal . 1 st babies engage weeks before they come . Some 1st babies engage at 31/32 weeks . 2/5ths is not that engaged so I don't think labour is imminent but nobody can know for sure . Babe will come when ready

My first baby engaged very early on. And was a week late! :)

It doesn’t mean anything - babies generally have heads engaged for weeks before delivery.

Don’t forget to ask your midwife these questions rather than a bunch on unqualified ransoms on the Internet!

My first was fully engaged and fixed from 31 weeks. Born at full term. My second didn't engage once, even in full blown labour.

I'm afraid it's no indication of anything.

Girls I'm NOT in a rush to have this baby 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Don't get me wrong, I'm excited of course, but I'm only 37+3, I'm not expecting her to arrive any time soon, I'm fully assuming I'm gonna be late! And I'm not asking for expert advice, the midwife didn't bring anything to my attention, I was just reading over my notes after the appointment and noticed that in the "engaged" column, where had always been written "free" was now written "2/5" and decided to Google it (I'm sure everyone falls victim to googluriosity now and again 😂) and it was giving me mixed results, so yes I thought I'd ask some randoms on the Internet for a bit of help, but if I was seriously concerned about anything, I'd obviously go to my midwife. I always enjoy reading other people's experiences, no babies/births are the same and I'm quite happy for my girl to stay put for now, if anything, I was worried that she would come early when I'm not quite ready! But if she's likely to stay where she is for now, I'm relieved. Excited, but willing to wait 😂

If she came now, she wouldn't really be early. Full term is 37-42 weeks so you can expect her any time in the next 5 weeks. Worth being prepared. Mine were born at 38 weeks and 37 weeks respectively.

I've got her hospital bag ready but not mine. I've got most stuff, but haven't packed it yet. If she came tomorrow, we would manage. But if she came in a fortnight, 3 weeks, 5 weeks, we'd be 100%... well as ready as anyone can be! I bet nobody is ever actually 100% ready for a baby 😂😍 little world-shakers that they are! Thanks everyone xx