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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Baby's head down at 29 weeks???

13 replies

lucyjack · 03/12/2010 20:06

My daughter's 29 weeks with her first baby. She saw her midwife today who said baby's quite small and that the head seems down. She added that my daughter shouldn't ignore any sudden gushes of water (???).

The heartbeat's fine and the midwife wasn't appearing to be at all concerned, but surely the head shouldn't be down at this stage...and do the comments about the water mean there's a chance baby could arrive early?

I don't want to make too much of it with my daughter as I don't want her worrying.

Am I fretting over nothing?

OP posts:

lal123 · 03/12/2010 20:10

You're fretting over nothing. Estimating size by fundal measurement is inexact at the best of times - and this "early" it's notoriously inexact. Baby's position will change day to day at this stage - still room to move about, good that it's head down and hope it stays that way!

Weird that she would mention sudden gushes of water - why worry your daughter? Maybe it's something MWs tell everyone routinely?

Please don't be worried!

PureAsTheDrivenShow · 03/12/2010 20:12

My dd was fixed and engaged from 31 weeks. I was never led to believe it was anything like a problem. She was born 8 weeks later.

Lulumaam · 03/12/2010 20:13

head down is different from being engaged in the pelvis...and nothing to worry about

tomorrow, the baby could be bottom down.

and what lal said.

fundal measurement is subjective, and it is hard to palpate accurately.. many women are told they are having a big/small baby and it's the opposite or perfectly average size

i imagine the MW was trying to tell your daughter not to ignore any symptoms at this stage that could indicate prem labour but dd it a bit clumsily

if there was anythign to be concerned about, your daughter woudl ahve been advised, referred for growth scans etc

Lulumaam · 03/12/2010 20:13

and both my DCs were head down from 28 weeks, stayed head down and were born around term ,

sleepingin · 03/12/2010 20:29

My midwife mentioned my baby us head down at my 28 week appointment this week and as others have said this isn't a problem. I wonder if your DD's MW was attempting humour with the gushing water comment!?

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 03/12/2010 20:32

As others have said, head down is not the same as engaged. My baby is head down and I'm 24 weeks.

Having said that, DS engaged at 30 weeks and my midwife thought he would come early, then he bobbed back up again and I had to be induced at 41+4.

If I were you - and her - I wouldn't give what she said another thought.

CrazyChristmasLady · 03/12/2010 20:32

My DD has been head down from 20 weeks. I wouldn't worry. Sonographer just said at least she knows the way out.

gallicgirl · 03/12/2010 21:05

Think my baby has never been anything other than head down. She's lying really low so goodness how I'll know when the head engages.

Not sure about the water comment though. Seems a bit strange and can't think of any reason for it.

Original poster

lucyjack · 03/12/2010 21:23

Oh, thank goodness for that...thanks so much to all of you who have put my mind at rest there with your very helpful advice.

My daughter did sadly lose a baby in her first pregnancy at 9 weeks so maybe I'm a bit paranoid without wanting her to see it.

I just so much want everything to be ok this time, and when you get the comments about sudden gushes of water it's a bit worrying.

Thank God for people like all of you on here.

OP posts:

MissCKitty · 04/12/2010 20:33

My baby has been pretty much head down from my 20 week appt. Scanning her for head/brain measurements has been a nightmare lol However no one has said that there's an issue with baby presenting this way from earlier on.

Tarlia · 04/12/2010 20:48

I'm 28 weeks, saw MW yesterday and my baby is head down too, it's making me waddle :/ She wasn't at all worried at all - I got excited that I wouldn't have a late turn when it's bigger, sadly not the case as she said it could be feet down within the hour.

DancingThroughLife · 04/12/2010 20:54

When I was pg, DDs head was down at the 20 week scan, and at every appointment after that. At my 39 week check, her head still wasn't engaged, but a week later she was ready to see us!

I can see why you would be worried, and off-the-cuff comments about water would make you a bit paranoid. It sounds like the sort of thing my second community mw would have said - she wasn't what I would call a smooth talker!

Hope everything goes well for your daughter

Original poster

lucyjack · 05/12/2010 21:58

Thanks everyone...the advice on here has been so very helpful.

It's a long time since I had my own kids and things have changed so much...I thought the head down thing meant the baby was practically ready to be born!

I've already got two grandkids - my son's children. I love them to bits but it was essentially my daughter-in-law's own mother who was mostly allowed involvement during the pregnancies.

She even forced her way into the labour suite and refused to leave...dread to think what would've happened if I'd done that...!

I suppose that's just the way it is though, and now that I'm the mother of the pregnant lady I'm soooo excited!

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