measuring in fifths

[betty.boop1]

I am so full of questions in this last trimester, I think it is because I am now starting to think a lot more about the big day coming closer.
I had a check up this morning and the midwife told me that baby is four fifths engaged. Now I understand what this means that the baby is four fifths of the head engaged but does that mean anything in dates? Does it mean that labour could be around the corner?

[Babushka Doll]

Hmmm, I would like to know the answer to this one too...
My OB put 2/5 on my card yesterday, does this mean bubs has dropped down 3 stations, or 2? Im confussed.....

[betty.boop1]

babushka doll- I know that some midwives measure diferently as in, some will measure being two fifths engaged and some measure two fifths out. Hope that makes sense. Mostly they will measure how much the baby is in, so you are more likely to be 2/5 engaged as in bubs head in.

[Danni]

Yep Babushka-- your bubs will be 2 notches in out of 5.

Betty: being 4/5 means your baby is stuck in the right position..but some bubs stay there for a while before coming out.

[Karina]

My midwife wrote 2/5 which meant she was 3/5 in and 2/5 out . as in she was still able to feel 2/5 of bubs head.
She measured me as 2/5 on thursday and Claire was born on the following saturday.

[Ashlee]

Oh lordy Karina, at my GP appointment this afternoon, bubs was in 5/5...doc doesn't think I'll last much longer at all and if you're anything to go by that's true (I've had steroid injections so babys lungs are fine and he will be fine to arrive now as he's measuring ahead!). He was 3/5 last Wednesday so just goes to show how quickly they do move down!!

[Karina]

Ashlee , wow sounds like things are happening quickly for you. Good that your doc has picked up on things and given you the injection just in case. Hope everything goes well fr you.

[Ashlee]

Thank you sweetie

[dueinfeb]

So glad to read this thread, was thinking of posting a similar one!! Ob told me the head was fully engaged last appt 36weeks (presuming this means 5/5) and I'm now starting to wonder if that's any indication of when things might start to happen. Our ob is very calm about everything...which is great in a way, but hesitates in giving any indication of timing (I think so as not to get our hopes up) so lucky I can use BB to see what everyone else thinks hey!!!

[meegm]

So what does "mobile" mean does that means still not engaged at all ?

[betty.boop1]

Thanks girls, Karina- I cant beleive it happened that quick for you. So does this mean that it could be happening for me soon or am I just getting my hopes up?

[Babushka Doll]

Ok, now im confussed, some OBs must take 5/5 as being fully engaged, like Ash was told and some meaning that the bub isnt engaged, because mine has been writing 5/5 for a while and this week wrote 2/5, so im assuming that the baby has gone down 3 stations.

Confussing... but happy that bubs is engaging well. Im only 34.2 weeks so I hope bubs doesn't go in too fast!

[Ashlee]

Yep Beck I think different GP's say it in different ways - mine definitely means 5/5 as being just a tad off full engagment.

[betty.boop1]

ashlee- did you midwife say anything to you about how far they think you might be?

[Karina]

Thanks girls, Karina- I cant beleive it happened that quick for you. So does this mean that it could be happening for me soon or am I just getting my hopes up?

not too sure - a good question for your midwife/ob though! When I had my last midwife appointment and she told me I was 2/5ths and since I had lost my plug a few days earlier she told me i'll be beack within in a few days to give birth. I was back two days later lol. But having said that, I'm sure some people take a bit longer.

[Rachel]

yep, personally i wouldn't get your hopes up based on bubs being engaged. we were fully engaged for a couple of weeks and almost engaged for a lot longer and we went 5 days overdue! the only thing beong engaged means really is that bubs knows the right way out and it can fit in your pelvis (that's what my doc said), and until you are fully engaged, bubs can move. sorry to dash anyones hopes but i got my hopes up when we were fully engaged and it hit me hard when we went over.

[~Raven~]

My OB wrote it this way:

Starts of as 5/5 and as the head is engaged further it goes down the scale to 1/5. I think it's more to do with how much head he could feel rather than how much head is engaged.
A bit confusing if other's do it the opposite way...no wonder we have trouble talking about this stuff!

[Ashlee]

Bettyboop - Because I've had some other complications and a hospital stay, the liklihood of me making it past 37 weeks are pretty slim. I am dialating aswell, not quite sure how far exactly, but I'm trying to hold him in for a few days yet.