2/5 engaged at 31 weeks- normal or early baby?!

[AmIGoingMad]

Hello!
At my mw appt the other day she said the the baby is very low and is 2/5 engaged. That seemed great until I realised the numbers are back to front from what I thought and 2/5 is more engaged than 4/5. Did anyone else have this sort of thing around 31 weeks with baby that waited until due date or after to arrive? I'm sure this is the case but have been freaking myself out this evening to be honest.

[NoTeaForMe]

Is it? I thought 2/5 engaged meant 2/5ths of the head was engaged? Therefore 4/5 would be more engaged and 5/5 would be fully engaged? Is that not right?

I think babies can engage quite early and it mean nothing though-they can come back up and make their way back down again. Until they are fully engaged that is. Also they can be engaged and just stay there for weeks. I don't think it's an indication of early labour, just that the baby is doing the right thing.

Good luck.

[WeAreEternal]

It's nothing to worry about.
They often engage and then move back up, IYKWIM.

[BedHanger]

It doesn't mean anything! I think it's fairly common first time round. You're right about the figures being the opposite go what you think they should be, though. They usually refer to how much of the head is palpable, so 2/5 palpable means 3/5 engaged.

[NoTeaForMe]

But bedhanger if she said 2/5 engaged then surely that's what she meant and 3/5 were palpable.

My last midwife appointment they said brim - 1/5 engaged. That makes no sense of the numbers are the opposite to what you think they should be!

[AmIGoingMad]

Thanks ladies!
Baby number 2 and ds1 didn't engage til late on so that's got me worrying.
I'm pretty sure that bed hangers right as she wrote 2/5 and said she couldn't feel much of head as so much is engaged. I was told last time when DS was 4/5 that he had some way to go to fully engaged.

[BedHanger]

NoTea sorry, wasn't clear - I was assuming the OP didn't quite mean what she wrote!

AmI, as far as I know, it doesn't mean much for seconds either, as this time you're a bit more, ahem, loose :o so they can pop in and out!

[BlueSkySoftSand]

I was going to ask a similar question to this thread. I'm on DC3, 35 weeks and was told baby's head had engaged. Got me a bit panicked at first as had been told with third head will engage right at the end (i.e. labour imminent) or even in labour . . . after some googling it seems that's not the case for a lot of people.

From what I know 2/5 means they can feel 2/5 of the head (i.e. you're more than half engaged).

So, can baby's head come in and out quite a bit in later pregnancies?

Oh my lord, someone tell me when I'm going to have this baby!!! I know it is a little soon still, but I am so uncomfortable!!!

(sorry to gatecrash OP!)

[Bue]

2/5 engaged means 2/5 of the head is in the pelvis. The trouble is that some midwives use that formula, whereas others say, for instance, 2/5 palpable - meaning they can feel 2/5, so 3/5 is engaged! She probably meant it was 2/5 palpable. At any rate, it really doesn't matter at this stage :)

[Meringue33]

I don't have a clue what the numbers mean but my baby's head was engaged from about six weeks before my due date (walking hurt like hell), baby arrived nearly three weeks early. Pack that hospital bag :)

[AmIGoingMad]

Bluesky you're not gate crashing! More like sharing my worries!

Lets hope that its right that baby can either sit happily there for a while or that the head can move back up a bit as we're more stretched hey?!

Although I think being prepared as per meringue's advice might be a good plan. Must try to get more organised this wkend!!!

[cupcake78]

Also 31 wks and my baby is transverse. I was told it can constantly change at this point and baby can engage and disengage right up to the last minute.

My last dc was 2/5 at this stage but never got any further and was 5 days over.

It doesn't mean a lot in afraid.