Head not as low as I thought. Disappointed.

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I'm 39 weeks today.

2 weeks ago, the midwife told me the head was nice and low, about 3/5 engaged, and it had been so the week before too. Yesterday I saw a different midwife who prodded a bit more thoroughly and said, no, she thinks the head is not that low at all, she helpfully showed me you how can still feel a lot of the head so it's not engaged yet and wrote "free" in notes.

So either the first midwife was wrong, or the head has moved back upwards- can that happen? (it's not like I've been hanging upside down or anything!).

Either way I am a bit disappointed as I'd got my hopes up about baby being "any day now" and now it seems less likely.

What can I do to help head engage? I walked miles at the weekend and was on my feet a lot, been sitting on my ball lots but it clearly didn't help.

Luckily it's been an easy pregnancy and I'm not desperately suffering, though getting fed up and achy. I finished work over a month ago and have done plenty of relaxing, so I hate to say it but I'm bored now. The thought of potentially waiting three more weeks.... I'm ready to snuggle my little baby now.

Also- how quickly does head usually engage? Does it happen gradually, could it move down right at the last minute, or does it mean a few more weeks waiting?

Is this your first?

As I understand it 2nd and subsequent babies tend to pop in and out of being engaged and often don't engage properly unti, you're in labour.

Yes, it's my first.

With my DC1 the head didn't engage until labour started. I, too, did loads of walking and sitting on the fitball to encourage baby to engage but to no avail. However, DC1 arrived the day after due date and labour was short and easy. So, it honestly doesn't mean a thing. My other chums were due before me and their babies were engaged and yet arrived late and with a longer labour. Carry on walking and sitting on the ball and I hope you get a nice, straightforward labour.

Just to agree with others, my first baby never engaged past 2/5 until she was born and she went from 2/5 at around 2pm before I went into labour and was born the same night at 9.45pm. So engagement never gave much indication to my little one's imminent arrival! There is hope!

Me too. Same as last poster. Ds never engaged past 2/5 until he was born.

DS1 was still turning round in the last week - never mind engaged - he was almost breech but I went into labour on my expected date and he was born 36 hours later.

DS2 (bigger baby) was engaged for weeks and I was convinced I would go early. He was late and I was induced - my particular consultant wouldn't let mothers go beyond a week overdue.

I have the same thing going on. Am 38+6, baby had previously been 3/5ths engaged, is now back at the pelvic brim. This is DC4 for me, but all the others gradually engaged and stayed put until labour. I was feeling a bit rubbish about it earlier, but have since found out that some babies don't engage until labour anyway.