Anyone else with no signs whatsoever yet? No engagement?

[beatee]

Sigh..... I just went to my MW appointment (40 weeks on Saturday). Baby is still not engaged, been hanging out on the brim for a long time now and seems to have no intention of heading further down.
I am getting bugger all in the way of contractions, no more BHs than for the last 5 months, no show or change in mucus, a few cervical twinges but really nothing that says 'baby is coming'.
I'm dubious about my dates, from the US my due date is more like the 22nd, but I didn't have it early enough to be accurate for dating, and the MWs want to stick with my LMP date.
My midwife was fine about it, really. She's sending me fore a stretch and sweep on the 22nd, as long as baby is engaged, of course. But I'm very worried about losing my homebirth. I really don't think NHS midwives will deliver at home after 42 weeks, and of course then comes the pressure to induce... She will come when she's ready, I know, but I want it to be at home, and I don't want to have to be fighting people off left right and centre in my last days of being pregnant.
How quickly can things happen in a first pregnancy? Is there any chance of baby dropping, engaging, early labour starting and then birth within the next week? Or do things tend to be a bit more spread out?
Damn, I never thought I'd be so eager to feel some bloody pain!!

Is there anyone else in this DDC who hasn't got an engaged baby yet? I feel so left out

[Sunflower223]

With my first pregnancy I didn't "drop" until after 12 hours of regular contractions and I never had a contraction (bh or otherwise) until that day. As far as other signs: I never lost my mucous plug, my water didn't break first, no nausea/vomiting, I didn't even have pains in my cervix (though I am making up for it this go-round). It's not always spaced out, it could quite easily all happen in the next week. Hang in there.

[JanB]

Well, as of last week's appointment, the baby was still pretty high up, and I was "maybe a fingertip dilated". We'll see if there's been any progress at tomorrow's appointment, I guess. (I am neurotic and kind of like the internal exams to know what's going on. : ) But, you are not alone.

[Nature]

Not in your ddc, but I just wanted to comment.

With my last pregnancy, my baby didn't engage or drop down at all until I pushed her out. She was still high and floating all through labor and when I felt the urge to push, I was able to push her down and out quite easily. It made for some ultra sore ab muscles the next few weeks, but it all worked out.

[veganbaby]

Baby is not engaged yet. I think that baby is trying to descend down, but I can tell that the head is still floating.

[jessma]

Apparently, my cervix is very soft, but I'm only (as of last Monday) 1 cm dilated. I'm having all sorts of twinges and cramps, but no real BH or contractions that I can tell. No other signs either. I'm so ready for this to start moving forward already. :

[amyleigh33]

beatee, i'm pretty much in the same position as you. i'm 39 weeks today, i thought my baby had "dropped" but i asked the midwife and she said no, it's head is down and fairly low, but not "engaged" by any means. the main difference is last week i was having some mild contractions sporadically, but now they've been gone for the entire past week. no bloody show, no mucous plug, no contractions, no sign of baby coming any time soon. not sure what to tell ya in terms of what to expect, but wanted you to know you're not the only one...

[Ilana]

Beatee,
FWIW, I had NO signs whatsoever with DD1. I felt phenomenal and the day before I gave birth I went for a super long two hour walk with a friend. That night I just went into labour. The baby never dropped, I had no water breaking, no mucous plug loss, no warning contractions, NOTHING. She just came. So don't lose hope! It will happen so just don't hang in there. And if there is no reason to do a sweep, then just let the baby come when they are ready!! You REALLY won't be pregnant forever, I promise!

ILANA

[beatee]

Oh, thank you ladies! That definitely makes me feel better (it's all these early labour and birth threads making me feel bad, haha!). Everyone keeps telling me that she'll come when she's ready, and I do know it, but why can't she be ready when I am, dammit!
I'm so silly, I've been willing her to stay in until I got my uni work finished off, which I didn't do until Monday, and now I want her straight out as I've got nothing more to do! I know that isn't how it works, I'm just daft I think...
Anyway, the EPO and RRL and sex and all the rest of it are still helpful before baby engages, aren't they?

[Ilana]

Originally Posted by beatee

Oh, thank you ladies! That definitely makes me feel better (it's all these early labour and birth threads making me feel bad, haha!). Everyone keeps telling me that she'll come when she's ready, and I do know it, but why can't she be ready when I am, dammit!
I'm so silly, I've been willing her to stay in until I got my uni work finished off, which I didn't do until Monday, and now I want her straight out as I've got nothing more to do! I know that isn't how it works, I'm just daft I think...
Anyway, the EPO and RRL and sex and all the rest of it are still helpful before baby engages, aren't they?

All they'll do is help you feel more in control, which I know in my case is VERY helpful for my mental health But they won't do anything until the baby is ready to come out...

In my case the RRL is causing tons of BH contrax, I think. I've stopped it for a few days to give my body a break and will start again in lesser quantities. Contractions are really annoying when they don't do anything.

ILANA

[engineer_mom]

exact same boat as you.

I attribute the LO not engaging because he has so much damn room in my torso (and he was breech back and forth up till 37wks).

EDD this Sunday (although I would have said the 18th)

[tofutti]

me tooo, not much going on and i am due in FIVE DAYS!

i have no clue if the kids dropped. i do know i cant walk so maybe thats a good sign?! i have to remember to ask my OB next visit.

i AM starting to panic that i will never go into labor and be forced into some scary intervention stuff.

i am gonna go do acupuncture on my due date if nothing else happens by then...due date is next TUESDAY....and its a very very solid date (as these things go) because i was charting, using an OPK and had IUI to boot.

i wish this could be a bit more "predictable" but trying to be patient.

maybe the kid is waiting til we get the new bedroom fixed up. it's almost done.

[Munchkimo]

I don't know if I'm dilated or not (wish i could reach), but my guess would be that I'm not. Baby is not engaged and I've maybe felt all of six BH contractions this month. The cervical twinges are certainly present though.

My due date is the 24th and I know which day I conceived. This will be my second child.

It's a relief to know I'm not the only one who has a whole lot of NUTHIN' going on. It's also great to know that this doesn't mean I'm bound to go seriously overdue.

[megviolet]

Hey! My little one is not engaged either! I can feel a head right on top of my pubic bone and i can push it behind the bone but then it shakes it and pops it back out!! Also, baby is still moving a lot. Its back has been against my navel but now he switches side to side and seems to have settled with his back right up against my right side... still mostly facing my back though.

I figure that the baby just needs to find the way that will be most easy and comfy for him to fit his head into my pelvis. I SO WISH i was nicely engaged too though, so i know what you mean. I was under the impression that first babies always "dropped" in there before labour, i guess not!

Other than that, i have lost mucous (maybe the whole plug now?) but no blood or anything. Have dull cramps in my back that turn into pretty strong contractions... had a lot of sharp cervical pains. Not much today, no contrax today really. It is frustrating.

I'll be 1 week overdue on Saturday. I resent that we are made to feel rushed so we don't have to undergo interventions and inductions!!!!! Being rushed and scared and stressed isnt' really helpful to relax and go into labour imo :/

Best wishes for you!! Remember lots of women have 'silent' early labour, and really it can be for the best since you won;t be all antsy and wondering if its the real thing for days (like me LOL).

A good friend of mine had her first baby recently. No signs of labour at all. Late afternoon she had a few irregular mild contractions for the first time. At 11pm she got up and her water broke, and her baby was delivered at 4am. So, it happens one way or another!

[LoveBaby]

My DD didn't drop or engage until I was well into labor. In fact, I was nearly 5 or so before she was well engaged and she was born about an hour later!

[AKmoose]

Nothing going on here either...baby three was "due" two days ago! My girls were born at 39-4 and 40 on the dot, so I'm in uncharted water here! I think I'm barely dilated (maybe 3 cm by my best guess - hard to reach!)...and I don't feel anything different...so here's to baby vibes all around

[tofutti]

eeps just got back from the doctor.

zero progress, not dilated, 30% effaced! same as last week!

i love my doctor, though, she said :

"oh i know you're the type of person who it will all happen at once for. one day, nothing, the next day, boom, you'll be in labor!"

but then she scared me and said she doesnt like her patients to go past 41 weeks.

acupuncture time!!!

[VOBetz]

Man, I'm getting impatient! As far as I can tell, there is no progress. No plug, show. Yesterday my cervix was "very soft, but thick and maybe 1 cm dilated". I don't know why I agreed to an internal exam. I am so bummed out and I can't seem to shake it. :

I'm sure if I pushed the issue, my doc would let me go to 41 or 42 weeks... but honestly I just don't want to. My son's 2nd birthday is June 2nd.... if I'm still pregnant I'll be 41w+5d. We have already planned to have quite the big party for him (especially because we assumed his sister would be around taking a lot of attention). I can't possibly be pregnant for his party or have a 2 day old newborn. I've got to have like a week to recover from birth before this party. And the more time I have to recover the better. Not to mention get going with breastfeeding, because sister's coming to the party!

Side note: I can't believe I did this to myself by planning this party. :

[roadfamily6now]

with my first 5 labors I had no signs whatsoever of impending labor.
It just happened.

This time i did loose my plug in bits, for the 2 days before labor.

[Munchkimo]

Originally Posted by roadfamily6now

with my first 5 labors I had no signs whatsoever of impending labor.
It just happened.

That sounds good. I think I'll try to copy you.

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