39 weeks today with 1st preg, and no sign of belly dropping or baby engaging... does this mean it'll be late?

[FloralOne]

As I said in the title really. I keep reading how babies engage/drop early with 1st pregnancies... but have reached 39 weeks and still no sign of the baby wanting to go anywhere. My belly sticks out as much as ever! Does this mean that I'm going to go really overdue? (so don't want to be induced)...

Means bugger all. You could give birth tonight or in 3 weeks time.

Fret not. Term is 37-42 weeks and chances are that your baby will appear somewhere in that window.

Not at all!

With DS (my first) he hadn't dropped at 39 weeks and I had everyone from my mum to the hairdresser to the lady in the Post Office telling me I'd go overdue.

I went into labour at 39+5 and delivered exactly on my due date. He didn't drop/engage until I was 6cm dilated (my waters didnt even break until 10cm and even then it was the midwife who popped them).

Some babies like to sit up high and some like to drop nice and early but either way his head will eventually drop, it's no indication of when labour will start though (for what it's worth my SILs baby was fully engaged by 34 weeks and she went ten days over).

Yep - means nothing. Everyone, but everyone told me I'd be late - 1st baby, head not engaged, small baby so still plenty of room inside, bump didn't drop etc... etc...

Had a show at 39+1, laboured for 3 days (OK - so I know you don't want to hear that bit, but it's just how it happened for me) and delivered at 39+4.

2nd baby's head engaged at 37 weeks, but was a stubborn little madam who decided to keep us waiting and was 5 days late! (however, as her labour was a much more acceptable 5 hours start to finish, I wasn't complaining in the end!)

(Babies 3&4 don't count as they were twins, breech and 5 weeks early!)

Thanks ShowofHands and CBear6 - guess I better finish packing my hospital bag! (i'd been thinking there was no rush since my bump is so high).

Thanks ILoveDrKarl - I guess i'm just getting impatient and I'd always thought that the bump would have to drop first before there was any chance of anything happening.

When baby does drop too it's just swapping one pain for another - pressure on your lungs vs pressure on your pelvis and bladder.

Hmmm - CBear6 - think I prefer the sound of having problems breathing rather than needing the loo all the time! I'll try and be patient...

Mine too!! My first was the same as cbear6, she dropped in labour! The midwife did say that because it's your first the head never fully engages!! Because all your bits are nice, neat and in tact!!! And they had to break my waters at 6 cm, which went with a right gush due to her head not being right down! Was fun that bit! My second engaged at 34 weeks and felt like a bowling ball in my pants for 7 weeks as she was later than my first, when my waters broke with her, it trickled for about a hour, every time I had a contraction and she moved, a bit more came out!! I much preferred the first!! Was much more fun covering the midwifes and hospital in green amniotic fluid and mecconium!!! :)

Well, in case anyone else is in a similar position I am now 40+1. I went for a check up yesterday and the baby was apparently engaged! Was very surprised as my bump still looks exactly the same and I'm still walking normally (no waddling!). The Dr did say that I have quite a lot of amniotic fluid, so that might explain the shape of the bump? Just need for the baby to make an appearance now - come on baby! :)