Not Engaged--Should I Be Concerned?

[augustmom]

Hi all, I had my 38 week appt yesterday and my little guy is not engaged and still floating. I really really really want a VBAC this time around and to go into labor like a normal woman (didn't go into labor with DD). Should I be concerned that the baby is not yet engaged or is this normal? THanks.

B

[MyLittleWonders]

Just to compare - I'm pregnant with #3 and the baby hasn't engaged nor have I really started dilating. IIRC, it was the same thing with ds#2 - he "dropped", engaged, and I began to dilate when I went into labor. My mw said it's totally normal for 2nd and 3rd's (and beyonds) to not do anything until birth is immenent - she said the whole dropping and engaging thing tends to be a first-time mommy thing. I'm not sure if that'll be your case too, since you didn't go into labor with your dd, but it might give you a little hope.

[ckhagen]

Everyone keeps telling me not to worry about it, but I'm in a similar position as you. With DS1, he never engaged and I never went into labor. Now, I'm desperately trying for a VBAC and this little guy isn't engaged either. My m/w isn't concerned at all. But I know the worrisome feeling you're having

[cymbeline]

My second was the same way. My midwife called him a "floater" because his head would float in and out of my pelvis depending on how I was sitting or standing or lying down

In fact, he didn't engage until I was in labor at 8cm! It was a fast labor, too, only 6 hrs.

You're going to be fine! Keep talking to yr babe and reminding both of you that this is going to be a wonderful experience

[eco_mama]

I agree w. the pp's. But I just wanted to add that my mw gave me an exercise to do to encourage the baby's head to engage. Get on your hands and knees and put your face all the day down so your butt is just sticking up and lay like that for about 10 minutes. Good Luck! I tried it only twice and the baby's head wasn't 'completely' engaged but was definitely lower and in a much better position. I've been doing it for about 5 days now a couple times a day and I think it's engaged. I'll find out Sat. unless I go into labor before! :

[coco4cloth]

I always read that your subsequent babies don't engage until labor.

[AugustineM]

Yep, it's totally common for babies that aren't your first to not engage until labor. Common for women not to dialate much at all with their subsequent pregnancies too. The only thing that I've heard that can encourage engagement is walking a lot. My childbirth teacher said "Find a really big hill and walk down it."

[grace's voice]

Originally Posted by EcoMama7

I agree w. the pp's. But I just wanted to add that my mw gave me an exercise to do to encourage the baby's head to engage. Get on your hands and knees and put your face all the day down so your butt is just sticking up and lay like that for about 10 minutes. Good Luck! I tried it only twice and the baby's head wasn't 'completely' engaged but was definitely lower and in a much better position. I've been doing it for about 5 days now a couple times a day and I think it's engaged. I'll find out Sat. unless I go into labor before! :

I do this every night to get the baby OUT of my pelvis! His movements are so painful on my cervix and when I put myself bum up he falls out of there. I know mw's use this position during some transferrs, such as for prolapsed cord because it decreases the pressure of the head in the pelvis. I was actually scared I was KEEPING him from engaging by doing this! Maybe I'm wrong...

[PrairieBohemian]

I was really wondering the same thing--so I am glad someone posted. With ds, I could feel his head, literally, all around my cervix if I checked inside my vagina. I think it was like this for at LEAST the last 6 weeks of pregnancy. I only felt this baby's head once and I think my prodding pushed the head back into a float position.

I find it strange that I can't feel this baby's head since I am carrying SOOOOOOOOOOO low and there is a tremendous amount of cervical pressure.

Anyway, from what I read, engagement doesn't necessarily happen before labour in subsequent pregnancies. I wonder why this is? You'd think we'd be all stretched out and more "ready" for the baby to settle into the pelvis...

[The4OfUs]

Originally Posted by ckhagen

Everyone keeps telling me not to worry about it, but I'm in a similar position as you. With DS1, he never engaged and I never went into labor. Now, I'm desperately trying for a VBAC and this little guy isn't engaged either. My m/w isn't concerned at all. But I know the worrisome feeling you're having

For DS, I dilated completely in 8-1/2 hours, so I was ready to rock, but DS didn't engage even remotely after 2 hours of pushing....they said he didn't budge even a millimeter and they said I was pushing effectively, so who knows why he didn't engage.

My MW told me to do hands and knees (but not butt in the air) to get her to spin to LOA from ROA, and to do squats to get her to engage....so off to spinningbabies I go to find that squatting info, I know I read it before but don't remember exactly what they say to do.

Hang in there mama, there's always hope!!!!

[augustmom]

Thanks for the great input everyone. I feel more positive about it. I'll keep squatting, doing what ever so that I can birth this baby!

B

[laralee16]

What about first time moms? I am 39 weeks tomorrow and my cervix has not sofened or diolated at all, and he does not seem to be dropped! Is this normal? Is there anything I can do to get him pushed down. I have tried the butt in the air thing. (sorry for the spelling)

[grisaleen]

I'm due in three days, and my babe is only barely dropped. My m/w doesn't seem concerned at all. *shrug*

[eco_mama]

I just had an app. yesterday after a week of doing an exercise to encouraged the baby to engage. Still not engaged, which surprised the heck out of me because I feel sooo much pressure and I feel like the babys head is REALLY low. But my mw said not to worry. It doesn't really matter because this is my 2nd baby. Sometimes they don't engage until active labor so, I'm not stressing it.