Rules of engagement?

[FlossALump]

Everything I read on t'internet seems to contradict the last thing I read! At 39 weeks I was told I was 2/5ths engaged. Spent a day in happy 'pregnancy nearly over' land until I was told that this actually meant not very engaged at all. been depressed ever since until my latest m/w app when she said that I had been initially right and baby was head well down, that 2/5s engaged was more than 4/5s engaged etc. And yet I see things still where people are stuggling while being 4/5s engaged and think this is very engaged iyswim. So I am very confused and wondered if anyone could please clear this up once and for all!! TIA.

By lulumama on Fri 23-Feb-07 16:53:57
0/5 means fully engaged.

BUT

depends how it is written!!

3/5 palp means 2/5 of the head is engaged in the pelvis and 3/5 can be felt above the pelvic brim

i checked this in a midwifery book after some confusion, and 5/5 is 'free' 0/5 is head on the pelvic floor !!

it can depend on how it is written, but TBH for 2nd and subsequent pregnanices engagement not that relevany as baby's often don;t engage until labour starts and they can pop in and out a fair bit.

thank you - it is written as 2/5s engaged.`

so baby is clearly head down, and facing the exit !

lulumama, does how far the baby's engaged mean more in the 1st pregnancy then? I'm 36 wks and 2/5 engaged (or is it 2/5 palpable? not sure) and I can really feel the baby's head bearing down on my cervix. Does this mean it's likely to come soon or have I got another 4+ weeks of this to look forward to?

I started a thread on this elsewhere and there seem to be mixed opinions. Some women say they were engaged early on but still went overdue whereas others came early. It's really confusing!

being engaged is good, means that the baby is head down, and getting ready for birth, and a sign the baby will fit through the pelvis. but it is a bit like 'how long is a piece of string?'

if the women in your family tend to go over 40 weeks then you might be more likely to go full term or more

and vice versa

if this is your first, then enjoy the last few weeks, rest and prepare, and don;t dwell too much on your EDD. it is an estimated due date, not an accurate prediction, only around 5 % of women give birth on their EDD.

Thanks lulumama. I know I should enjoy it but I'm just starting to find it all a bit uncomfortable (what with the pressure on my cervix). I often get sharp twinges when I walk which isn't a lot of fun

Ah well, I guess it will come when it's good and ready!

MB - FWIW I've been that engaged now for 3.5 weeks. was planning a home birth but now looking like I'm going to have to be induced.