Nearly 38 weeks pregnant....head "deeply engaged"....?? is baby about to appear

[Melly]

Am nearly 38 weeks in second pregnancy. My lovely midwife came to see me at home on Saturday for the routine 37 week visit, and I began to get quite excited after she said that baby's head was right down and deeply engaged in the pelvis. Would certainly account for funny feelings that started last week, felt as thought the baby's head was pressing on my cervix and it was about to fall out!!! Previous to this the baby was lying with spine against mine but my daily walks (approx 2.5 miles) with toddler seem to have done the trick and baby is now lying in better position with spine against my tummy.
So.....I've read that it is quite common in second or subsequent pregnancies that the head doesn't engage until you are at your due date or even just before labour, unlike in first pregnancies when you tend to experience "lightening" at about 36 weeks. Anyone know if I should be getting a wee bit excited (& nervous) or is this quite common? Any thoughts or suggestions gratefully received.

[judetheobscure]

Sorry to be negative Melly, but my ds3 was engaged for 5 weeks before finally putting in an appearance (and b....y uncomfortable it was too )

[Melly]

oh dear, was hoping it was a good sign. Never mind, will keep up with the walking as it's good for me and dd

[mears]

Don't get over excited melly. You are quite right that babies do not often engage until labour in subsequent pregnancies. However a lot of the do. Expect to go over your date by at least 10 days. If you deliver before then it will be a bonus. Good luck.

[mears]

Don't get over excited melly. You are quite right that babies do not often engage until labour in subsequent pregnancies. However a lot of them do. Expect to go over your date by at least 10 days. If you deliver before then it will be a bonus. Good luck.

[mears]

Don't get over excited melly. You are quite right that babies do not often engage until labour in subsequent pregnancies. However a lot of them do. Expect to go over your date by at least 10 days. If you deliver before then it will be a bonus. Good luck.

[mears]

Don't get over excited melly. You are quite right that babies do not often engage until labour in subsequent pregnancies. However a lot of them do. Expect to go over your date by at least 10 days. If you deliver before then it will be a bonus. Good luck.

[mears]

Sorry - didn't mean to emphasis the point IT connection is not working well tonight.

[SofiaAmes]

Yes, my friend's 2nd baby was almost completely engaged 2 weeks before her due date...she was totally ready to run off to hospital. In the end the baby became unengaged and she went 11 days overdue. Luckily when she turned up for her inducement appointment (on the 11th day), she had just begun labor on her own.

[anto]

Melly, I'm 38wks today. At 36.5wk checkup baby's head was engaged. I was thrown into a panic as expected to go into labour at any min and am so unprepared! Then last Friday babe had popped up, wasn't engaged, and had completely changed position to be spine to spine.

Doc said that babies do move lots right up till the end...esp. in second pregnancies as you don't have all those lovely muscles holding them firmly in place like you do with no.1!!

BTW, I know all about those funny feelings - aren't they horrible? I can tell when baby's head disengaged b/c I stopped having the evil pressing on cervix and pinching bladder feelings - it was a real relief.

[clucks]

Melly,

I have also been engaged for 2 weeks, currently 37 weeks. Consultant yesterday assured me it was unlikely to hop about now, although he's a bit of a thicky and I don't believe him. He also said I had a lovely tummy, was it hereditary!! Dirty, old perve..

Anyway, very impressed you do all these walks, does it get you into good position? I thought washing floors did that? Do you wear your cat-suit while out on your walks

[bundle]

hi everyone, I'm 38 wks tomorrow, when seeing consultant weds (prev c-section, so discussing mode of delivery). IKWYM re: strange feelings as baby jogs around on your cervix, also doing pitiable amounts of pee when felt like was 'dying' to go

[lou33]

Am I going to set a record here? With baby number 3, his head was engaged at 27 weeks!

[Melly]

Thanks for the messages everyone. Feel a bit deflated now (unfortunately not literally ) as it would seem I got myself all excited for nothing. Oh well, seeing m/wife again on Thursday so will see what junior is up to then.
Clucks, you remembered the catsuits!! Well, I have got one old favourite that I wear around the house, but can't bring myself to wear it out even on the walks around our country lanes, don't want to upset any of the local farmers

[bundle]

melly, I'm quite pleased baby's head not too low just now - reducing amount of wobbly walking and feeling like I have a pineapple between my thighs good luck on Thursday, x

[Enid]

sorry melly, dd2 also 'deeply engaged' at 36 weeks but was still 9 days late!!

Good luck!

[Katherine]

Well at least you are 38 weeks so baby will definitly put in an appearance within the next month