2nd+ timers - how long from baby being engaged to actual birth?

[Tinker]

Had midwife round yesterday who has written 1/5 engaged in my notes. I understood that this means engaged. Am 38 weeks on Tuesday and don't finish work until Friday

I understood first pregnancies can engage and disengage for some weeks beforehand but thought, with subsequent ones, engagment came pretty soon before labour.

Stop my panicking please? Please

I think 1/5 could either me slightly engaged or lots engaged, depending on the midwife's way of putting it.

I have no idea how much engaged I was at any time, but DS appeared at 38+3.

Don't do too much work .

Still dithering about where to have the baby - 2 Libran parents, we've got no chance. Nothing so far, thank god. 38 weeks tomorrow. Yes, I shall set up a webcam if have it at home. Am, very naively, hoping it comes so fast it'll be an unplanned homebirth. How I will laugh ruefully at this post in the future

Tinker, dear, I think that perhaps you should make a few more plans. Stay at home, go on, you can always go to hospital if it gets too much.

It's definitley lots engaged in this case PC. I'm struggling to tear myself away from work...

I know mi but the hospital was so lovely and clean and tidy and our house, well, isn't. Have to make decsision about Vit k as well. 2 decisions on one week to make - need a cup of tea I think.

It was 2-3 weeks for me.

i always though 1/5 meant that 4/5 was not engaged?

Hi Tinker, at my antenatal appointment a few weeks ago my babs was 3/5 engaged, however she said that as this is my second he can 'bob' about a bit and become disengaged.

Know exactly what you mean about Librans - my DH asks me at breakfast time what I want for dinner and I still never know!!

Tinker - 1/5 engaged is not that far down in the pelvis, at 35/36 wks mine went from 1/5 to 3/5 to 1/5 again then never went in any further..... went into labour at 39+2 wks and dd's head was still really high. But BOY was it fast when the head finally did drop right down! 6cm dilated to born in 50mins!

Oh, like the sound of it being fast Toothache.

Lou - think the 1/5, 5/5 thing can be either way. How much they can feel or how much they can't. I know in my notes, 1/5 adn 0/5 = engaged, 5/5 starting to become engaged. You can tell I've become a bit obsessed about this

Thansk for other messages everyone.

Tinks, since you're a pregnant woman and all that can't you get dp to clean up the house? (wot, no nesting? I am impressed, I am uber slut and even I cleaned like fury before dd arrived!) 'my house wasn't clean enough' doesn't sound like a reason for hosp over home to me. Hey, good luck whatever you decide. Like you'll decide anything, ha ha. If you're going to be at home you should plan it you know, or they might try to make you come in when you don't want to. You won't need the stress at the time. Here endeth the lesson

Sweetie, tell them you want a home birth. Then you can decide - er - nearer the time but you still have the option.

Nesting, pah, you sit around and eat chocolate.

my ds2 didnt engage until just before he was born, i was dilating and his head wasnt even against my cervix, when he did engage, my waters broke and 4 mins later he was born, just goes to show you never know, be interesting to see how this one goes (i am 38+3)!