34+6 baby fully engaged... will I make it another 4 weeks?

[HowBerryPeachy]

I have an ELCS planned for 1 months time. Midwife said today that she can only feel 1/5th of baby's head which is classed as fully engaged. I told her I was worried I'd go into labour before my ELCS and she talked me through what to do/the steps they'd take if it happened.
When we booked my next appointment for a few weeks time she jokingly said 'if baby's not made an appearance by then!'.

DD never got past 3/5ths and ended with a failed induction at EMCS 41+1 weeks.

Now I'm panicking as I have nothing ready/prepared yet! Should I expect to go into spontaneous labour beforehand?

Subsequent babies tend to Bob in and out of the pelvis, so I wouldn’t worry too much.

Funny, the lady on reception said the same to me when I was booking my 38 week appointment!

Not massively helpful comment from the midwife. With women who have had a baby before babies heads can Bob and down more than 1st babies so could be lower down today and higher up tomorrow. It is also subjective on what the particular mw is feeling.

I am a midwife and I can sometimes do a palpation a few hours before/after and get a different 'engagement' to the other midwife (sometimes higher).

Also babies can stay in that position for weeks and weeks and you don't go into labour.

I wouldn't worry too much. If you start having contractions you go to hospital and they can give you steroids and get you a category 3 csection which is like a semi planned one.

Do you feel loads of pressure between your legs like baby is really low down?

@RainbowsMoonbeams I was like 😳

I've been feeling sooo heavy down there for a few weeks now and at my growth scans they keep telling me baby's so low that they can't get a good view of the face to show me 🤦🏼‍♀️ so I suspect baby probably is really low down and engaged now. Hopefully all sticks to plan though.

@00deed1988 thank you for that and it was helpful! Yes I've been saying for the last couple weeks I have a huge amount of pressure really low down now, sitting down feels like im sitting on a ball 😩

My midwife could only feel 1/5th of baby's head when I was 36+4. I went into labour at 36+6 and she was born at 37+0. I hope your baby hangs in there longer than mine did!

Sure you will be fine, but put your feet up when you can (not easy when you have over kids, I know).

Not long to go now until your c section I should imagine. Hopefully baby will stay put for you until the day.

Personally, mine have always been very low in the last few weeks, but somehow I have managed to go overdue with all four of mine!

@pbdr oh wow! Yes let's hope so 🤞🏼