Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

39weeks +5 weeks pregnamt and baby not ingaged

30 replies

alicedp · 10/06/2007 16:11

If anyone has any advice for me on what happens when baby is not engaged at this late stage. My Gynae keeps saying that he should be engaged by now ( I thought some only engaged in labour??) and wanted to do a C section. I asked if I could have a trial of labour and he agreed but wants to induce me on Tuesday, I'll be 40 weeks. Is this normal? I really was hoping to go into labour naturally but he is very vague about why I should not and I can't help feeling like we are being pushed into something that could be un-necessary.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

SoupDragon · 10/06/2007 16:13

Sounds fairly unnecessary to me. Certainly a lot of second babies don't engage until labour commences so that alone isn't a reason to do a c-section or induce.

elsieanjoanne · 10/06/2007 16:15

it might make your labour bit longer but no biggy have you sat wrong way on chair or used gym/birthing ball?

Original poster

alicedp · 10/06/2007 16:22

It's my first pregnancy. He seems very set in his opinion that they should be engaged at this point. Says the baby is stuck. Not sure what to do as when we told him we would like to postpone the induction he said that that was fine if that was the risk we were willing to take. Talk about making you feel like a bad parent!

OP posts:

Original poster

alicedp · 10/06/2007 16:25

Have been taking brisk walks and doing lots of squatting all week but he is still very high up.

OP posts:

lulumama · 10/06/2007 16:29

the baby is stuck?? really??

if there is a genuine concern that the baby's head is too big and won;t fit through then you will need a c.s....but if he is wanting to do a c.s without good reason..then i would be dubious

true cephalo- pelvic disproportion is rare, and if he is happy to postpone the induction then i would imagine he thinks the baby will engage at some point..also, your body might not be ready to go into labour bang on 40 weeks..also, why agree to a trial of labour if he genuinely believes baby cannot be born vaginally..sounds a bit

if your Bishops score is less than 5, i wouldn;t agree to an induction personally

i would seek a second opinion ASAP

LynetteScavo · 10/06/2007 16:33

DS1 and DD were very high up, even when I was over due. They didn't drop untill I wnt into labour.

Megglevache · 10/06/2007 16:35

Message withdrawn

mears · 10/06/2007 16:53

Are you in the USA?

I would only consider C/S if you got to 42 weeks with no sign of the head engaging if the pregnancy is otherwise normal.

perpetuaphoenixfire · 10/06/2007 16:58

have you been offered a scan? i had emergency cs cos ds was breech, we knew he was not engaged but noone noticed why. dont want to panic you, i was very pleased with the way it all went, but mw did say i might need a scan to check there was nothing in the way to stop him engaging, we just never got round to it

caterpiller · 10/06/2007 17:17

Don't let them induce you yet. Most probably your body knows what it is doing. I wouldn't agree to induction until 42 weeks.

Btw, mine only engage the day before they are born. Quite handy for me to know really

cece · 10/06/2007 17:22

I wasn't induced till I got to 42 weeks.

Princesspowersparkle · 10/06/2007 17:43

I agree- unless baby is in distress I would refuse the induction until later. He will come when hes good and ready! Hope everything goes well for you.
PPS (34+2) xx

rozzyraspberry · 10/06/2007 18:54

DS2 didn't engage until I was well into labour. In fact when I 8cm dilated the midwife said she still couldn't feel his head as my waters were still intact and he was still so far up. They broke my waters at that point and things moved pretty quickly after that. I've never heard of a baby being induced this early just because it's not engaged. Surely it's better to wait for longer to see if it will engage rather than make it happen sooner. Can you see your midwife or get a 2nd opinion to find out more? Your gynae seems very vague and obviously isn't giving you all the information you need to make an informed decision.

denisej · 10/06/2007 23:30

As with other posts here, with my DD (my first pregnancy) her head did not engage until I was in labour at 40+4 weeks. My labour only last 8 hours from start to finish and there were no worries here.

Original poster

alicedp · 11/06/2007 14:20

he was not all that happy to postpone the induction but agreed as long as I see him again at 40 weeks (tomorrow)and he mentioned probably re-sheduling it for friday. Does anyone know the success rate of an induction with a baby not engaged? Worried about it failing and ending up with a CS anyway. I was also wondering (lulumama) why he would agree to a trial of labour if its likely to be unsuccessful. Seems odd.

Should I possibly ask for a membrane sweep tomorrow?

OP posts:

cece · 11/06/2007 21:29

I don't think DD was engaged and as I say I was induced at 42 weeks. Are you in the US?

cece · 11/06/2007 21:31

Some babies just take a bit longer to cook. DS was 41 + 3 days. I wonder why your doc is in such a hurry to get your LO out?

lulumama · 11/06/2007 21:34

i think you need to seek a second opinion if you can

an induction with an unripe cervix and a high baby is not the best idea

he cannot make you be induced before 42 weeks...ask about expectant management...when you can be scanned and monitored regularly post dates to ensure baby is happy....

a sweep at 40 weeks is not neccesarily going to work, as a sweep will only get you going if you would have gone into labour within 24 - 48 hours anyway....

but if your cervix is not ready,then induction will be a long drawn out process, especially without the baby;s head pressing on the cervix

if there is no reason to think there is true CPD, then why rush the process, 40 weeks is an EDD, 37 - 42 weeks is ok for a pregnancy..you might need to go that bit past 40 weeks..if there is no reason to suspect the baby cannot fit in the pelvis

cece · 11/06/2007 22:50

Yes I was induced at 42 weeks with DD and it took 24 hours to get going as I still wasn't really ready even at 42 weeks. I also ended up on a drip when I was pushing as my contractions stopped.

Original poster

alicedp · 12/06/2007 06:30

Not in the US, in South Africa. A bit tricky to get a second opinion at this point as it will be close to impossible to get an apointment with another gynae/obs so soon and we don't have an NHS - most people who can go private as our state care is terrible.

OP posts:

lulumama · 12/06/2007 07:26

maybe then stick to your guns re what you feel is best, as you seem to be getting mixed messages

unless there is true CPD, or some other good reason baby not engaging, it is not a good enough reason to give you a c,s or induce at 40 weeks, because baby is high up..in my non medical opinion!!

try and have a more forthright talk with your obs when you next see him x

good luck!

jkb · 12/06/2007 07:41

i havent read the full thread- just the orig?
I too wasent engaged at this stage- no one knew why ... however at the birth this became apparent ... the baby was in the back to back position (widest part of the head facing the wrong way) this was the reason his head never engaged- it couldnt- being back to back makes for a harder labour & in my case an emergency episotomy & forceps delivery... I feel had they scaned me & realised he was in this v akward position, then my baby's life & trauma would have been prevented.....
ask them to give U a quick scan to check baby's position???

hope this helps??

Original poster

alicedp · 12/06/2007 08:02

thanks, off to see the Dr now so will ask for a scan. Thanks for all the advise! x

OP posts:

Original poster

alicedp · 12/06/2007 12:33

Just got back from seeing the Dr. Scan shows that the baby is lying in the perfect possition to engage and is not actually stuck - just seems to be happy where he is!

Dr is still determined that letting him go too far post dates could be dangerous although could not quite give explination why. Kept saying when I mentioned that alot of babies are born after there due date that its because people get their dates wrong and with us we know exactly when we concieved. Tried to scare us with stories of other women needing emergency CS after going too far over due. Has grudgingly agreed to let us wait until Friday and will scan etc again.

When I mentioned a membrane sweep he said that its not something he believes in or would do.

He has really made us feel like we are being irresponsible but I am determined to listen to my instincts. Just hope I am doing the right thing!

OP posts:

elsieanjoanne · 12/06/2007 12:38

you are doing the right thing its your body an your baby so you know what is best your baby will come when they are ready my daughter was late have you spoken to your midwife about your concerns?

Flip

1 2