Notes say baby is 2/5 ... does this mean shes actually engaged??

[EnchantedwithEdwardCullen]

I thought 2nd / 3rd babies didn't usually engage until labour?

if written 2/5 palp. or similar means that she is partially engaged, i.e 2/5 of the head is palpable above the pelvic brim, and 3/5 is not palpable as it is in the pelvis. IIRC.

DD was 2/5 palp from 34 weeks. hung on in there until 40 weeks

Still ... its exciting

so 3/5 of her head is down into the pelvis? not 2/5ths?

its confusing!

I am 39 weeks with DC2 and have been 2/5 engaged for weeks and weeks. I am now 3/5 engaged and 2cm dilated and effaced and apparantly that still means nothing!

oh yes, can't beleive you are nearly full term. are you home birthing?

Yes.

DH is setting up the birthpool now for a dettol scrub as am 37 weeks tomorrow

means nothing really. I was 3/5 45 minutes before DD was born! I think I must have a short pelvis or something!

oooooooooooh, babies are a'comin' !

If you are still here Lulu, can I ask you a question (or two)???

• What does "effaced mean"?
• And how long is a cervix before it begins to shorten (mine is 2cm at the mo)?

effaced means thinning. your cervix , when you have your first baby, has to efface ( thin) then dilate ( open ) , when you are on second babies, it tends to thin and open at the same time. 2 cm is getting there i think, don;t think cervixes are terribly long anyway. also, the position of the cervix is useful to knbow, if it is anterior then that is a good sign.

Oooh, the effacing sounds like progress then. Thank you.

I want this baby out so much

she is such a wriggler, ive just been crying because she had her whole foot under my rib.

Seriously had enough now.

sex & nipple stim, my dear, sex and nipple stim

PMSL, not likely to do much at 37 weeks though is it?

I was never this uncomfy with my boys, i think shes a big heffa like her mummy, pmsl!

By Lulumama on Wed 03-Dec-08 19:29:34
sex & nipple stim, my dear, sex and nipple stim

Story of my life for the last week. I don't think he'll ever come out.

Poor you Enchanted. I felt like that last week. But now I am ill and am terrified labour will start before I am physically up to it.

Poor baby, for weeks I have told it to come out. On Monday I got a sweep and then I immediatly fell ill and have spent the last three days lying in bed with my legs crossed beginning the baby to stay put.

They mark off on your notes how much they can feel, so if it says 2/5 the mw can feel 2/5th of head so 3/5th are engaged.
My ds was 1/5th at 33 weeks and bobbed back out again. Was told that's more common in 2nd, 3rd pregnancies etc.
Good luck, hope it happens soon.

Im hoping the fact that the birth pool is ready and that FIL dropped the moses basket off might temp fate ... the thought I could still be here for 5 weeks is horrifying!

BabyKayz has been 1/5th engaged for 2 weeks now. He better bloody hurry up.

Hi, my babies really low down and had hospital yesterday and told me my baby girls head is engaged and on my notes says 2/5th palpable and in alot of discomfort, mycervix wasnt open just yet yesterday whwn checked at hopsital but was very red and sore getting back pain too and this is my second child. Can Anyone help ?