39w and baby's head still not engaged / EDIT now 40w!

[lily28]

I'm 39w tomorrow and I'm concerned about the fact that my baby's head has not engaged in the pelvis yet. He is still pretty high in my belly with lots of water and although I'm active doing a lot of house work and walking at least 1-2 hours a day, plus pelvic exercises he is not engaging. I'm doing my part but obviously he is lazy.
He is with his head down ready to engage the last 2 months btw, he is not breech.


My u/s from Monday (at 38+4) measured him a little smaller than average, 36+5. Not a big difference but could he be immature and needs more time in the belly?
Any tips? Anyone else in this position? Will he engage in time for the delivery?
I really want a natural birth without interventions, and all I think about today is that they will push me for c section because he is not engaging.

 

[ispeakinsongs]

sorry to hear this xx

 

[Kota]

You still have 1-3 wks to go in to labour, if your bub is head down, then engaging is just the next step, it could happen at anytime and I wouldnt' worry about it just yet.
A couple of tricks though that may help, walk stairs, or gutter/curb walking. so with one foot on the road, one up on the curb.

 

[pebbie1]

Some babies don't engage until actual labour so you can be just fine

 

[lily28]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm reading here:
https://www.spinningbabies.com/more-info/for-pregnancy/38-weeks-is-baby-engaged-yet

" Some babies have to rotate so the back of their head is on the mother's left before they can engage in pregnancy or in labor. "

My baby's back is on the left side anyway. This is why I don't get it. He has optimal position but he will not budge...
I have a wide pelvis, which is not pretty or fashionable, but it is good for giving birth. But what is the point of this wide pelvis if silly baby doesn't drop in there???

BTW I'm not trying to bring labor, just get him in the correct position so we will avoid an induction and/or c section.

I just got a stability ball and I will sit on it instead of chair when I'm home.

 

[charbaby]

My first was engaged early but my 2nd didn't engaged un till half way through labor so I don't think they would go for c section just because of not engaging so don't worry x

 

[annaki]

I'm in the same situation. Baby wasn't engaged a week ago. I am due Saturday. He appears to be on my left hand side Nd feeling a lot of pressure on my left hip. Back off to see MW this afternoon. I'm sure he still isn't engaged. Bump very high still!

 

[lily28]

My first was engaged early but my 2nd didn't engaged un till half way through labor so I don't think they would go for c section just because of not engaging so don't worry x

Forgot to mention that this my first baby. I read that 2nd and 3rd (etc) babies usually don't engage until labor starts so you are normal

 

[lily28]

I'm in the same situation. Baby wasn't engaged a week ago. I am due Saturday. He appears to be on my left hand side Nd feeling a lot of pressure on my left hip. Back off to see MW this afternoon. I'm sure he still isn't engaged. Bump very high still!

Ask your MW if she knows the technique to make your baby engage. I don't know exactly what it is but my midwife told me if exercise, sex, and luck doesn't help until next Tuesday to go see her so she will make baby engage.

 

[Kota]

sitting on the ball should help, otherwise sounds like everything else is just as needed and this will come along as well.

 

[birdieboo]

With my first I had a midwife appointment at 39 weeks & was told that baby wasn't engaged (he was still very high up in my ribs). I had him 36 hours later! Don't worry!

 

[lily28]

So in 2 days I'm 40 weeks and I have zero changes.

Doctor told me last night: "you are nowhere near labor" after examining me... I feel do sad. I was crying all night because I was hoping this week we would make some little progress, but apparently nothing.
Tomorow I have a new stress test and an U/S to see what is going on.
If baby doesn't come on time doc told me he will induce me, and it was my worse scenario from the beginning. I feel it is so unfair to induce me, as I have no pathological signs to excuse it. I don't have high BP, GD, reduced fetal movements, I didn't even had naucea for crying out loud.
It is sooo infuriating when you have a text book pregnancy and everything goes wrong in the last week.
I can't help but feel guilt on top of everything, even if I know I did my best all through the pregnancy, and continue to do so. People are calling me and ask me when the baby will be here as if it was up to me alone, and I do something wrong or I keep him inside the belly by force. If it was up to me the baby would be here since last week....

So so stressed and unhappy right now.

 

[Smanderson]

Lily i really feel for you hun, i have an induction booked for Monday and i desperately want to pop before then, it means so much to me to go naturally as i have had a lot of issues with my BP and i feel sad i cant have a natural birth but at least i have been aware of this for some time, its such a shame to have this put on you when you have had a healthy pregnancy. Keep up the pineapple, ball bouncing, walking, clarey sage burning and hopefully you will go pop before your induction

I think everyone past 37 weeks gets the daily texts/calls hun try not to take it to heart, i know its a kick in the teeth but they do mean well and i get sad now when someone doesn't bother thats pregnancy hormones for you!! LOL

 

[ellieb31]

Lily, why do they want to induce you? Your edd is an estimate and if you're low risk I don't understand why they want you to give birth on or close to an exact date?

It's your body and your baby so tell them where they can shove their induction while it's not medically necessary! I had dd at 38-2 so feel like Ive been waiting for this little one forever but would still rather wait out the next two weeks than have an unnecessary induction. I know some people have positive induction experiences but all too often it leads to more and more interventions.

Good luck...I hope baby comes naturally for you.

 

[Pielette]

I really don't understand why they would try to induce you at this stage. The general guideline is 37-42 weeks. The estimated due date is just that, an estimate, and some babies need longer in the womb than others.

You absolutely do not have to be induced and you can tell your doctor that. As for saying you're nowhere near labour - well plenty of women have been told that and gone into labour the same or the next day! They cannot know for sure, they are simply giving an educated guess, which may be wrong.

An unnecessary induction is just a joke in my opinion. Plus your baby and your body will not be ready for it and it forces unnaturally strong contractions. Much better to let baby decide when he is ready.

Just to let you know how I will deal with induction suggestions - no thank you. Baby boy has until 42 weeks to come out if he wants to, and beyond that I will request fetal monitoring to ensure he is still happy and healthy. ANY sign of that not being the case, then absolutely fine, get him out. Doctors and midwives need to give me a medical reason for induction before I will consent to it.

Please, please try to relax. I know it's hard. But if you have to, turn off your phone, ignore calls, put your feet up and have a nice bath, watch some tv and cherish some quiet time before bub arrives

Oh, and my first baby was not engaged until I went into labour I remember feeling really disappointed at my midwife appointment when he still wasn't engaged at 40+2 (I think it was then), and I had him at 40+4.

 

[Kota]

Completely agree with the prev suggestions to tell your Dr to shove his induction, There is absolutely NO reason he should be inducing you on an EDD alone. That is seriously being done for his convenience rather then your benefit. It's just a guess date, some babies take longer to cook and need that extra time in there to avoid any chance of a length intervention filled labour, or needing any assistance once they are out. I would suggest seeking out an experienced accupunturist or massuse that work in pregnancy and see if they can do some natural induction treatments if you are wanting to try and hurry things along, but otherwise, try to not stress, your baby knows exactly what its doing.

 

[JenX]

Sorry you are going through this, Lily. Hopefully it will be one of those situations where he just comes on his own without all the signs leading up to it. It can happen!

 

[lily28]

Aw thanks everyone...

I saw the midwife just now, and she says it looks like I'm just finishing 8th month not 9th (more like 37 week than 40) and doc should wait/ hold his horses. She suggests what most of you actually. To wait and tell that to doc. If I give birth now it could cause my baby to go to icu...

I have some U/S and many questions for the docs the next days and I will let you know how it goes.

Just wanted to say I'm not in UK and docs here push women for induction after the end of 40w. Well they push them for many things, and I know it is up to me to decide what we should do.

I just want it to happen naturally, and imho everything should point this direction instead of fighting off an induction at this time.

 

[candycurls]

Aw thanks everyone...

I saw the midwife just now, and she says it looks like I'm just finishing 8th month not 9th (more like 37 week than 40) and doc should wait/ hold his horses. She suggests what most of you actually. To wait and tell that to doc. If I give birth now it could cause my baby to go to icu...

I have some U/S and many questions for the docs the next days and I will let you know how it goes.

Just wanted to say I'm not in UK and docs here push women for induction after the end of 40w. Well they push them for many things, and I know it is up to me to decide what we should do.

I just want it to happen naturally, and imho everything should point this direction instead of fighting off an induction at this time.

I never understand the US trend to examine women as they approach their due date and make inferences as to when they will go into labour. Surely this either creates disappointment as you have face the idea that baby will be late or you are given false hope that labour is imminent.
I mean what is the point?
Is there a medical reason why it is helpful to know how close you are to labour as you approach due date?
If I were you I would find something relaxing to do to keep your mind off pending birth. Baby will come when he it is ready.
Good luck and

 

[MrsGreen12]

Feel free to say no to an induction. Yes, the Dr is going to push for it if it's what he wants to do but If you're not comfortable with it & you don't consent, it doesn't happen. The main reason docs here in the US push things like this is because people are so quick to want to bring a lawsuit if anything happens even if It's not actually the doc's fault. By him recommending an induction at 40 weeks when he believes the baby is doing fine he avoids the risk of something developing later & him being blamed for not doing something earlier. It's sad but fear motivates docs to do a lot of things even if they're not totally necessary. But if you say no, you say no & that's the end of that. Good luck.