Will baby engage?

**Mel09** · February 21st, 2008, 06:24 PM

1. I had my 39w appt wednesday and baby's head is still high and mobile, they were going to induce due to size, and wouldn't as bubs head is higher. I am happy to wait the week out, but today OMG OMG I can't move... my sorry for the term... fanny muscles are so sore that I really am struggling to move my legs, either sitting, standing or walking...

I prob should have posted this in professional support area, but I would love Natalie's opinion, and Kels... and anyone else with experience here...

2. The hosp well the ob was pushing for an elective c-s if bubs doesn't come down as it's in the 90th percentile for size, he said that staying high could be babies way of saying its too big to fit. I am sure that I can birth a bigger baby, and want to atleast try. I told him a cs was out of the question unless an emergency or baby's life was in danger (hence emergency!) anyways, I am a bit worried that if I wait til baby comes on her own, or 42 weeks comes along, then maybe she will be too big, so am seriously considering the induction, even though bub is still not engaged.

NATALIE- I have been doing the sitting pose from your site, will this help bub come down?

**Pandora** · February 21st, 2008, 06:45 PM

ok so I dont have an expert opinion, but i thought it was not uncommon for second and subsequent babies not to engage until labour?

**BellyBelly** · February 21st, 2008, 06:55 PM

Yup there is more stretched space after the first bubby, they usually engage close to labour. I would be making the spinning babies site your best friend right now! I would be more suspicious he is possie than too big - if it's anything at all!

spinningbabies.com - Home

Any walking you can do will help to make sure you are moving your pelvis for baby...

So is your Ob saying babies at the 90th percentile are too big to be born?! I hate percentiles because it takes a big baby and a small baby to make an average baby. Not to mention ultrasound being inaccurate... anything actually on the percentile chart is normal to me!!!

**Lulu** · February 21st, 2008, 07:01 PM

Hang in there hun!!!

**Mel09** · February 21st, 2008, 07:35 PM

Thanks guys... thats what I thought, re being second baby and being so close as DD is only 17 months.

So Kel in you opinion, and I know that it will just be an opinion, there would be no HUGE extra risk in being induced with bub still not engaged to going in naturally with out bub being engaged... maybe if I just have the gel it will help bring bub down... you know not use anything else like synto etc...?

I did a fair bit of walking today... maybe that is why I am so sore???

Thanks again... off to bed to try and sleep.

**BellyBelly** · February 21st, 2008, 07:37 PM

They wont induce with a high baby, they will c/s as there is a risk of cord prolapse if they break the waters.... hang in there hon, you are so close!!! See the checkered flag, you can do it!!!

**blue daisy** · February 21st, 2008, 07:39 PM

Hey lovely Mel

yes that sitting pose will open the pelvic cavity and encourage your baby to engage when he or she is ready

some babies are so cheeky before birth

what your OB didnt tell you is that a baby with lots of room to move, due to an ample pelvic cavity, will pop in and out of the pelvis without engaging until labor starts

well done you for saying no to c/s

any guestimation of baby size is usually so very wrong, and even an ultrasound is not a reliable source of info

an induction at this stage would prob result in lots of unnecessary medical intervention and maybe a c/s due to failure to progress or fetal distress

your only 39weeks lovely, you still have 3 weeks up your gorgeous sleeve

your baby will engage when he or she is ready to be birthed, and you may find that once engaged your labor will start

dont feel forced into having your waters broken either to induce, as a high head has the risk of cord prolapse (not good)

even if you go into labor with the babes head high this is fine

, and with the waters intact will allow things to move along at a pace that is right for you and your baby

another pose you can practise is to sit back to front on a chair, facing the back rest, legs straddling the seat. This provides a supported squat position and again opens the pelvic cavity. Also bring your elbows to the back rest and rest your forehead in your hands. This calms the nervous system, relieving anxiety and increasing endorphin release (which encourages oxytocin release)

I hope this has helped, please dont hesitate to email me directly if you want to chat (or even ring

)

x

**BellyBelly** · February 21st, 2008, 07:43 PM

your only 39weeks lovely, you still have 3 weeks up your gorgeous sleeve.

I don't think she wanted us to tell her that LOL

**blue daisy** · February 21st, 2008, 07:47 PM

Kel

another thing

silly doctor

subsequent babies can engage just prior to birthing

the gel will not help with engaging the baby, but certainly help with the slippery slope into the medical cascade of intervention

and a sore fanny is prob from all that walking LOL
rest up lovely Mel, get DH to rub your feet and your back

have a good sleep

x

**Lulu** · February 21st, 2008, 08:05 PM

Oh yeah, that chair position is greeeaaat!

Sorry bout the sore fanny (tee hee) but I think that is a good sign too! Can you try kneeling in the bath? It helped when I felt like that.
Darn babies! I'm sure Beth bounced up and down on my cervix for a good week - I could feel it "oh good she's down, oh bugger she is up again" etc etc.

She came 3 weeks early! Yahoo! Remember - these last 2 weeks of preg are bloody hard - like a balloon that can't pop! BUT! You're body is getting ready now. Trrrryyy to find some patience or distraction. it won't be long now!

**Mel09** · February 22nd, 2008, 07:47 AM

Thanks guys... your right kel... I didn't want to hear 3 weeks!!! lol... but thats the problem, I cant see the checkered flag at all...

I will keep up with walking a little, and having a bath after! and will def try the chair pose too....

I dont want a cs... what if bub still hasn't come down at 42 weeks, they wont let me go longer... they will cs then wont they? I would rather a medical vaginal birth than a cs...

Well I can hang in for a bit.... please send as many engaging labour vibes as possible... lol it might work!

**Pretty Butterfly** · February 22nd, 2008, 08:03 AM

My last 4 babies didn't engage till well into labour, and all last 3 were over 8 pounds, one at 8 p 13 oz!! All born naturally , no drugs and no tears or cuts! My last one was very mobile and refused to engage even in labour. He only came down when my waters broke, and he done the whole trip in the next push!!

You still have plenty of time, so please dont stress ( I know it hard not too!)It can only take a short amount of time for bub to engage, and it could happen at any moment! Also if you have a lot of fore waters, bub may not move down till they break ( happened with 2 of mine) So hang in there, do your exercises and lots of luck!!

paradise lost · February 22nd, 2008, 08:12 AM

Mel, hang in there hun, you're doing great!

I know you're too big to get on a plane but if you could you could pop over to Niger. My friend is from there and where she was born they were 126km away from the nearest hospital with no roads for the first 40km. She tells me there are no 49, 67 or 238wks PG ladies out there. Your baby WILL GET BORN. I know you feel huge and sore and the ob's making noises about big babies and c sections and it all seems impossible, but it really could be any day now. DD was my first and she didn't stay engaged (2/5ths in and out for the last week) until the evening before my waters broke.

My midwife told me the only reliable indication that birth is imminent is crowning (thus one can never say "it's not going to happen" based on the million other things they look for) and the only way to tell if the baby is very big is to weigh it (i.e. when it has already fit through where it might not fit through!).

Practice your relaxation and visualisations. Think "down baby", "i am ready to birth" and "labour is coming" in your peaceful moments and hug your baby to yourself and enjoy these precious few days of secret togetherness you have left.

Really truly do not worry that you will be pregnant forever. You can wait as long as you want. You can get to 42 weeks and tell them you will consent to induction IF the scan reveals that the placenta is beginning to fail. As long as your fluid levels are good and bubs is happy there is no rush. The ultrasound can be SO unreliable. My (very good) technician said DD was 7lbs 14oz at 40+1. She was born, 10 days later, weighing 7lbs 14.5oz. even *I* gained 1.5kg in those 10 days, so i'm pretty sure DD put on more than 0.5oz. I've known babies born up to 3lbs lighter than the scan guesstimate, it's just not worth worrying about. It's like those competitions where you guess how many sweets in the jar. SOme people are REALLY good at it, but they will still be a couple of 100-1000 out.

Big hugs and calm but laboury vibes

.

Bx

**visitor1** · February 22nd, 2008, 09:05 AM

Jasmine never engaged until labour started. I was always told she was a big gorl anfd only came out 7lb 12oz....not big to me...

The end is in sight...your going strong.. all the best babe

**Mel09** · February 22nd, 2008, 10:03 AM

How early or late did you guys go into labour?

**visitor1** · February 22nd, 2008, 10:37 AM

Chels i was 3 days early
Jas 5 days late

**Pretty Butterfly** · February 22nd, 2008, 10:48 AM

Jayden... 1 day over... 8hr labour
Taylah...9 days over...4 hr
Mason...10 days over...2.5 hr
Zavier....2 days over... 1hr 10 min
Kane..... 6 days over... 45 min.. from 1st contraction!!

Good luck, your little one WILL be here soon!!!