Baby engaged with six weeks to go?

[Now we're 3]

Hi

Hope you can help with some advice for a friend who has just found out that her babys head is engaged. She has six weeks to go. This is her first pregnancy. She is only 1/5 engaged at present. Is this normal or does it give any indication that she might go into labour early. I had understood for first pregnancies engagement could take place between 2-4 weeks before due date. She is booked in for a planned c/s at 38.5 weeks. I am not sure what happens as I wasn't engaged at 38 weeks when I had to have a section due to pregnancy complications.

Thanks in advance

NW3

[Jaycee]

As far as I'm aware, being 1/5 engaged is completely normal at 34 weeks, I'm fairly sure I was at around that stage too. I don't think it has any bearing on when she'll go into labour too, I gave birth the day after my due date, and I was induced for that, so I could of gone longer too

[MummaSue]

From what I understand, babies can engage and then float back too, so just because she is engaged just now doesn't mean that is where baby will stay.

Sue x

[kungfubecca]

Yeah, babies seem to do whatever they please, one minute they are down, and in the righ spot, the next they are back up under your ribs and doing sommersaults leaving you all bruised feeling 'cause there isn't enough room left.

I wish mine would get down and engage!

[Lewis's Mummy]

Sounds normal to me. I was like that with my first and he was born about a week before due date, which isn't really early given that due dates are estimates anyway. I wouldn't stress over it. This time we still have 6 weeks to go and the bub is 2/5 down already which I thought was unusual for a second, but mw says all is fine and it might change its mind and pop back up yet... so it seems they do whatever til the day they decide to arrive or are helped to do so.

[Kass79]

First babies tend to engage early. Subsequent babies engage later and later. I am currently 36 weeks, and baby is not quite engaged yet. I think he is leaving it til the last minute!

[CinderToriella]

very normal

my bub was almost full engaged throughout most 3rd tri

bubs can engage and disengage all throughout ..
very very normal and does not indicate early labour

[Nikki87]

My DD was 2/5 engaged at 35 weeks, she came at 39 + 2. I think your friend should be ok

[Tiff+2]

I was 3/5 at 28 weeks, DD came at 40+2. Being engaged doesn't at all determin when bub will arrive. Also bub can move up and down until the big day too so may not even stay engaged.
I'm sure she'll be just fine.