4/5ths engaged question

[Phoenix82]

Hey Ladies

So my midwife said I'm 4/5th engaged yesterday at 37 weeks, she said she could feel the chin but not the round part of the head.
I've read that the 5ths go backward ie if your 0/5th your fully engaged but then I've also heard it the other way so now I'm confused.

I said so I'm nearly there and she agreed but said it didn't mean anything on labour just that things are going the right way.

So am I missing it and thinking the head is further down then it is? I've read 4/5th palpable means it's only just started as there's 4/5ths left to go to get there and 4/5ths non payable means almost there!!

Any ideas if I'm right that it means most of the head is there?

Help x

 

[Pens]

That does sound confusing. I know that my midwife does it so 0/5ths means fully engaged and 5/5ths means that she's not. When I got checked the other day she said she could feel 2/5ths of her head and that's what she writes down in my notes.
If she could only feel the chin then I would assume that baby is nearly fully engaged and she can only feel 1/5th of the head?

 

[Munchkin30]

I thought it was how much of the head they could feel too. Ie 4/5ths engaged means they can still feel 4/5ths of the head but 1/5th means they can only feel 1/5th of the head so nearly fully engaged?? Always feels backwards x

 

[katestar53]

Argghhhhh this confuses me so much, lol! I am 3/5th palpable whatever that mean!

 

[smileyfaces]

4/5 engaged means 4/5 of the head is engaged in the pelvis.

4/5 palpable means 4/5 of the head can be felt therefore 1/5 is engaged

Its not confusing really, its only confusing because different midwives use different methods...some use engaged and some use palpable

 

[button05]

Yes it sounds like your midwife meant 4/5th engaged, as in nearly there. My midwife said I was 1/5th engaged at my 34wk apt which meant I bad quite a way to go

 

[Phoenix82]

Ahhhh thanks ladies, although I've just been for a pregnancy massage and am slightly annoyed that I had to be semi reclined and feel like baby has moved completely now - maybe not but the pressure seems to have gone - gutted as I felt like things were getting there

I think if every midwife used the same terminology it wouldn't be confusing!!!