39 weeks today - baby only 1/5 engaged :(

[sdickinson11]

Hi I'm due a week today and my baby is old 1/5 engaged, I'm worried I wont be able to have a sweep next week.

Can a babies head move down quite quickly after a few days even? as shes being a 1/5 engaged for two weeks now, starting to worry I'm going to go the whole 42 weeks lol!

Generally the number out of 5 refers to the amount of head palpable which actually means in your case baby is as engaged as they can be. Did your midwife say baby not engaged yet? Occasionally they can write it down the opposite way so 1/5 engaged meaning 4/5 palpable. There is every chance baby will move down soon if not already. Bouncing on a birthing ball can help but after having my 2 and going well overdue with both, all I can say is try to relax with it all as no matter what I did, neither babies were coming until they were ready, and I tried everything! All the best x

Unfortunately she does it the opposite way so it means that her head is mainly free she said but thank you so much I'll definitely relax more and do more bouncing!

It doesn't mean anything at all really, babies can stay unengaged until the day of labour sometimes.

You could give birth tomorrow or in 2 weeks! Best to just relax and roll with it. Easier said than done I know!

Doesn’t mean anything. I was not engaged in the afternoon and baby was born next morning.

Hi there, I think babies can move about and become unengaged as I went for the 40week appointment with my second and my son was 4/5 engaged and then the next week he was only 1/5 engaged.. I was told as long as engaged they can do a sweep so I wouldn’t worry too much about it

thank you so much all, you have made me feel much better :)

With first baby's normally once they are engaged they stay engaged but second third etc. can bob in and out of being engaged right up until labour. However, the amount first baby's are engaged to change very quickly so I don't think it is any indicator of how long you will be pregnant for.

Thank you, it is my first baby, I just hope I am ok for a sweep next Tues eek lol

I was not engaged at all when I had my 1st when I had a midwife appointment on the Friday I went into labour the next day. Also I don’t think it would stop you having a sweep. Sometimes sweeps are not possible if they are unable to get into the cervix which is quite common especially as a first time mum

I was the same and did end up being 2 weeks late, which I ended up having a sweep at 41+5 that worked I just wish I accepted one sooner! So have a few if they offer! Good luck x

Thank you so much! Do you mean first sweep? If so that is great! Hopefully they can still do a sweep for me then even if she isn't engaged a lot 🤞🏻

OP, you seem very excited about getting a sweep - have you read about the chances of it working and the risks involved? If baby isn't ready then it's very unlikely to work, especially if this is your first baby. Look up 'Bishops Score' - and ask your midwife to rate you before she attempts a sweep - that'll give you a better indication where things stand.

One of the hardest things about being pregnant is accepting that you can go to 42 weeks - some babies cook for an extra month, and it's usually because they need to (just read all the horror stories on here about inductions leading to emcs as people try to shoehorn babies out before they're ready) - and I say this as a very pregnant woman 40 weeks into her second pregnancy and desperate to get baby out. He/she will come whenever they're ready, just like their big sister (who incidentally went all the way to 42 weeks before coming entirely of her own accord in a very straight forward and textbook birth).

Hi no I meant my 1st baby I didn’t go over with her so didn’t get to the stage of being offered a sweep.
in regards to sweeps they don’t always work I had 2 with my second and nothing happened I think if I was to have a 3rd baby I wouldn’t bother having them, but other people I know went into labour quite soon after so everyone is different i suppose

There is evidence that the risk of still birth increases as it gets towards 2 weeks overdue.

Evidence Based Birth is a great website OP.

Is there a particular medical reason for you to have the sweep at 40 weeks? Gestational diabetes, for instance?

40 weeks isn't necessarily a hard and fast duration of pregnancy rule if there are no complications.

Yes that's why I'm having it

I've has 6 babies OP and not a single one has ever engaged their head before I was in established labour. It meant I had to go into hospital earlier than I would have liked to, in case the cord came down first, but otherwise all successful deliveries. The "bonus" was that I didn't need to be up in the night for a wee every half hour like some of my friends did, and I didn't get any pelvic pain or pressure. The heartburn though 😫
Very good luck to you, there's nothing nicer than a new baby!

Thank you for your lovely message, that does make me feel better and also makes me excited for my first baby too with you saying this after having 6 😍

@Hazelnuttella I am fully aware of the exact increase in risk, thank you, so there's no need to attempt to scaremonger. The increase is minimal and does not take into account individual circumstances, or the use of additional monitoring (which the NHS would rather not spend, preferring a blanket approach that leaves many women having a much more traumatic birth experience then just waiting)

That’s nice that you’re fully aware of the risk. OP and others may not be. I certainly wasn’t before I looked into it.

Odd that you think pointing out risks and signing posting to information and evidence is “scaremongering”.

That increased risk of stillbirth is a very very small percentage if you look at the data!

And looking at the data is exactly what I’m recommending people do!

I decided on balance that I would have an induction at 12 days overdue if I didn’t go into labour before. But other people’s tolerance for risk might be lower (or higher).