when does head engage?

[kbaby]

Hello,
Can anyone tell me when the head would engage on a first pregnancy. Also would I know if it had and what would it feel like.

Thanks
kbaby 34+6 weeks

Hi kbaby,
my first didn't engage until labour started! And to be honest I couldn't tell when it had... I was more concerned with everything else that was going on! First babies engage very late.

My baby's head engaged at 37+5 on first preg. It happened overnight. Felt like i needed to do a very big poo but couldn't!!!

ditto stellarmum (and labour started at 41+ weeks...)

Mine also didn't engage until labour. But it was like lesley said and I spent a lot of the early hours of labour sitting on the loo with nothing happening because I hadn't realised it was actually the baby's head! I think quite often it starts to happen 2/3 weeks before though.

My pregnancies were ages ago (4 & 5 yrs) but can honestly say nothing 'engaged'. There again, waters didn't break either, ... so p'raps not to listen to me

Awww, I've never had an "engaged" baby and like Carla, never had waters breaking spontaneously! Spent weeks and weeks sleeping on an uncomfortable, sweating plastic sheeting whilst pregnant with No 1

Hi,

Mine was engaged at 37 wks but felt no different. Lots of people say it feels like a bowling ball between your legs - I wouldnt know - lucky me!

I thought first babies engaged earlier than subsequent ones? I am 39 weeks pregnant with my second baby, which is currently 3/5 engaged - midwife told me today that this might not change now until labour actually starts.
I get the impression if you've had heartburn or trouble getting your breath during pregnancy this might ease once your baby is engaged. Also your bump might appear lower.

I've never had an 'engaged head' through four pg's! Two of them were OP babies, though.

Trying to remember ? certainly a few weeks before ds actually showed up. Maybe three or four? Remember getting very excited when GP told me his head was engaged thinking it would all happen soon. Then stupid junior doc at hospital decided was breech. Ended up scanning me because I said that would be very unusual AFTER the head was engaged. GP was right.

In my first pregnancy it says on my notes at 36 weeks that the head is 3/5ths engaged and it stayed like that, on my notes, up until 40 weeks. Not sure what happened afterwards baby arrived late and I don't know if it engaged any more or if it engaged during labour. Never had the feeling of a bowling ball between my legs though.

Don't know if this baby is engaged yet or not don't see GP again until I'm 38 weeks.

During my first pregnancy DD engaged at 5 and a half months. I was sent for a scan because she was measuring a low fundal height, it turned out that it was because she had engaged, 3/5's, very early! For me it didn't feel so much like a bowling ball between my legs as a watermelon 'up there'! It was uncomfortable down there, but I think it helped avoid a lot of the problems ladies often get with indigestion and things. Though I did still get sore ribs!

Thanks everyone,

Mine engaged and then disengaged a few times! Thought it happend earlier in first pregnancies as well. Can't say I really noticed a difference though.