0 station

[Rose-Roget]

I had my mw appt yesterday. She estimated Baby is still in -3 station. I'm due Saturday. How long can it take for a babe to fully drop and engage - I was kind of expecting her to be there (or closer, at least) by now.

My mw also said that if my water should break before my contractions are going strong, that I should go into L&D because there is increased risk of cord compression if babe is still that high. Yikes!

[ExuberantDaffodil]

I read that with subsequent pregnancies, there is a higher chance that the baby won't engage in the pelvis until right before, or even during labor. I can't remember if this is your first or not...

I barely feel like my baby has dropped, and I have been encouraging the process with lots of squatting, hip swaying, and tailor sitting. I wouldn't get too nervous about water breaking and high baby position -- isn't there a statistic that only 10% of women have their water break prior to the onset of labor?

It's hard not to have all these potential worries to think about...

[ShwarmaQueen]

I agree w/ Daffodil, it's hard not to focus on the 'what ifs'.

Try to enjoy the final days and just remember that birth is inherently safe, otherwise we wouldn't have survived as a species!

[elisheva]

I've told this story before...

With ds2, he was not engaged AT ALL - so not engaged that the midwife couldn't event reach my cervix during a VE - at 10am on the day he was born. I went into labor around 3 and he was born at 7:40 that night. My babes don't bother to drop until they are on their way out. I can't be the only person like this out there because physically I'm otherwise very normal, ya know

[Shell_Ell]

Subsequent babies often don't drop until labor. And even -3 isn't terribly high, baby is dipping down a little. Not quite floating.

I wouldn't be too worried about cord prolapse. It's definitely something to take into consideration if your water breaks prior to labor, but for most people it doesn't.

[Rose-Roget]

Thanks for your support, all! Good to know that just because she isn't totally engaged I'm not necessarily going to be walking around with her for another 3 weeks! The mw was just being cautious and letting me know what to do in case the water should break first. She also said that it's pretty rare that the water breaks first. I won't lose too much sleep over that possibility. I think I may head out to do some squats in a bit, though.