what are symptoms of baby's head being engaged?

Im 35 and a half weeks and in the past week have been getting diarrohea/loose bowels.. and in the last two days, and an intermittent pressing down sharp stabbing pain on my cervix.. (not overly unbearable or anything)
im also getting strong kicking like feelings up around my diaphragm for the first time in the last two weeks.
Does this sound like baby has engaged? They have not checked me at the hospital yet to tell me where baby is sitting but I feel as though it is mostly upside down, but sometimes on a diagonal across my stomach..
When does baby usually engage? and does it indicate how far away labour is?

It sounds like it could be possible.. but in saying that, some babies dont engage until in labour, such as DD. DS was engaged from 36 weeks, he was born 2 days overdue and DD just sat on the brim the whole time, engaging during labour. I have read that loose bowels can indicate the onset of labour though, so may be.. but then again, i didnt get any signs. Hopefully bubs holds out another few weeks for you.

I feel the same...
Gross but I've been getting the loose bowels, random pains in the cervix but i don't have the pumpkin in between my legs feeling..

I am just guessing it is baby starting to move around and get ready and our bodies relaxing n moving everything in place for labour..,

FX it's not too long for either of us!!

My baby engaged very early (24 weeks) and it was very obvious to me as my tummy 'dropped' and looked a different shape to me (looking down) and i could feel his head just inside my vagina. He stayed down until birth. My midwife was convinced that i would have him early (not just because he engaged so early but that was one reason why) but i had him at 42 weeks!

I have the same cervix pains as you, ob said it's normal, bub grinding on your pelvis. My bubs head was1/5 in last week. I feel that sideways pressure & that's because my bub has her bum on one side, legs on the other, hence that feeling. I get lots of pressure down there and feel like she is going to fall out! Sounds like your bub might be!

It sounds like bubs is heading down ready to engage but not quite there yet, it get really heavy and feels like a bowling ball on your pelvis.

They can stay head down for weeks, Ds was head down for a long time and engaged for the last 6 weeks.

From a similar time i too could tell that bub had settled in the head down position. At my checks it was never said that the baby was 'engaged' just down and ready to go. Since baby was head down i have gotten many 'head butts' and twinges in my pelvic area, some feel like an uncomfortable twinge, some make me double over slightly, it really has been a regular occurance since the head was down.

As for the loose bowels i too had that for a day or so at that earlier stage but it went away.

It really does sound like bubs is just settling in to where she is comfortable but it doesn't mean it's all that comfortable for you. Hope you both find a comfortable little spot for the next few weeks yet :D

My bub is head down... no idea how long she's been like that for but for several weeks I get loose bowels every three or so days without fail. No idea why and I keep forgetting to mention it at my appointments. It has been like that for weeks now... I too get the slightly (and sometimes more than slightly!) painful headbutt feeling.