head not engaged at 38 weeks- will baby be late?

[CalaLilly]

I'm pregnant with my first baby and am slightly anxious about the fact he has not engaged yet at 38 weeks. He is head down but still a little "diagonal" (not quite transverse-phew). Has anyone had a first baby that didn't engage who has not gone over his due date? Or is my baby likely to be late now?

Thanks!

I haven't had my baby yet, but at my 34 wk antenatal she was 3/5th engaged, and after my 36+5 wk antenatal today, she has dislodged from my pelvis, and is now only 1/5th engaged?!

I asked the MW if engagement has any bearing on when you will go into labour and she said absolutely none. Apparently, it doesn't make a difference whether baby is engaged or not. Engagement has nothing to do with when labour will start.

So I wouldn't worry, a lot of babies don't often engage til labour has begun.

Thanks! I know that a lot of babies don't but they tend to be 2nd, 3rd etc babies. I thought it was more normal for first babies to engage from 36 weeks? Mind you, it's more normal for first babies to be late anyway! Guess I have to just wait patiently and trust that baby will come out when he is ready to come out, whether or not he engages beforehand!

My Ds 1 didn't engage until labour started at 39 weeks, Ds2 also didn't engage untill he came along at 41 weeks. The only drawback with DS2 was I couldn't have a sweep because of it. No idea if this is connected but both were swift and uncomplicated labours.

I know, it's just a waiting game. I was quite disappointed today when MW said baby was now only 1/5th engaged, thought she was on her way at 34 wks! But found MWs info reasurring...

Have you tried gentle bouncing on a birth ball?? I was doing this the wk leading up to my 34 wk check-up and that's why I think she was engaged at the time...Since then I have been spending most of my time slumped on the sofa- no wonder she's popped out!

Guess, there is no textbook way of determining when things will happen. Unfortunately, that is up to our babies! Just hope she doesn't keep me waiting too long...9 months is long enough ta!

Hope yours makes an appearance soon!

I'm 39+2 and not fully engaged yet! She was engaging last week but popped back out again. I'm not worried at all. Some babies engage quite early and others like to wait until the last minute. Like so much related to giving birth, there's no one way that's more right!

Everyone was telling menDS would go overdue because he hadn't dropped but he was born exactly on his due date - his head didn't engage until I was 6cm dilated.