Any community midwives about??!

[alwaysthinkingofsleep]

Just had my 36 week appt & checked my notes as I left. MW has written 5/5 in the engagement box...after I asked about baby position she said it was head down but didn't mention anything about whether or not it was engaged.

Excuse my ignorance but is 5/5 engaged fully on not at all??! TIA!

5/5 means that all 5ths of the head are engaged, so yes fully engaged.

My last notes (also 36 weeks) states 1/5 so a 5th of her head was engaged.

Yes baby is fully engaged at 5/5, just where you want them to be

Hmm, although I've just read this on madeformums

"So if you read 5/5 or 4/5, this means that the head is not engaged yet.
Notes of 3/5, 2/5 or less means your baby's head is engaged."

My notes have it as 'palpable' eg 2/5 palpable meaning 2/5 of the head is still out of the pelvis (ie 3/5 engaged). I also previously got 'brim' ie head at the brim of the pelvis.

It depends which way round she did it.

It could mean fully engaged or not at all. Not that it makes any difference to when you will go into labour. Makes quite a big difference to your general comfort and bladder through

Yes 5/5 engaged is definite 'bowling ball between the legs' territory!

I can't tell from the notes what she meant but this is the first time she has recorded a figure in the box...My first baby was early & I wasn't aware of him being engaged before labour. Hopefully it does just mean that baby is in the right position 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

If this is not your first baby, then it doesn't really matter whether the head is engaged or not. As far as my midwife has advised, the head can be 'free' right up until labour

Thanks for replies, just trying to confirm what the recording meant not what might or mightn't happen at what point...fully aware that full engagement does not mean labour is imminent. Thanks!

It depends on whether she was recording "palpable" or "engaged". If she's recording palpable and has noted 5/5 then baby is not at all engaged. If she is recording engaged and has noted 5/5 then baby is fully engaged.

To be honest they only way to know is to ask next time but if you're feeling pressure then baby is probably engaged. I think I've been told before that after the first, babies tend to engage quicker because the body is used to the process but obviously everyone is different.

In my pregnancies 5/5 has always meant the baby is not engaged, as in they could still feel 5/5 if the babies head.

Had a few different midwives and they all recorded it that way.

Yes looks like I will just have to confirm at my next appointment, no big deal! Just wanted to understand what it was. Thanks for replying! X

We tend to note how much of the head is palpable (what we can feel) vs how much of it is engaged and can’t be felt so 5/5 palpable would mean not at all enagaged. It depends how she has recorded it however.

As above. Tend to record how much is palpable as that’s what you can actually feel. Second and subsequent babies tend to engage later or at the start of labour as there is more room in the pelvis.

Thank you for replying! I certainly don't feel like I've dropped although the heartburn has subsided which is a welcome relief..! X

It's more likely to mean 5/5 palpable which means the head isn't engaged at all, as that's how it's usually recorded in the Antenatal period. Although there is a small chance it's been recorded as 5/5 engaged but this is unlikely.