Head Engaged?

[LottyB]

I'm 37 weeks & 1 day now and last night I had a really odd pressure low down and now I can't sit properly as I can't get comfy.

When she wriggles it feels like she is trying to get out, haha. And I can breathe a little easier now too. My bump isn't huge so can't really tell if its dropped or not.

Does this sound like her head has engaged?

Midwife appointment on Friday, so no doubt they'll check then! It was starting to go in last week but not quite. 😊

Lotty. X

[SilkeP]

This could well be the case, as more pressure and easier breathing are indications for this. Both my first and second were always very low, so I've always had a lot of pressure. I was so keen with my first one that he 'dropped' once I'd reached due date. I kept checking with my hand whether there was more space under my chest etc and people kept saying "it'll still be a while, he hasn't even dropped yet". Exactly 24 hours before I held my boy in my arms I had a midwife appointment where she told me the head wasn't even engaged... So it can go really quickly from not being engaged to giving birth, and I understand the head can also be engaged but birth is still weeks away. And, at previous check ups mine was engaged 1/3 or 2/3 etc and then apparently not anymore.

So personally, although it's interesting, I wouldn't put too much emphasis on this. Sorry toddler trying to take phone off me, I hope it all makes sense

[LottyB in reply to SilkeP]

Thank you. It just feels different so thought I would ask. 😊 x

[SilkeP in reply to LottyB]

It's definitely interesting and good to find out more about, I just wouldn't use it as an indication as to whether your baby is about to come or not

[NCTcharity]

Hi Lotty! You might be interested in our article on

being 37 weeks pregnant which contains information on how it feels when your baby's head has engaged: nct.org.uk/pregnancy/37weeks

[kaz123_3]

I went in to labour 1 day after my due date with my second son and I was told by the midwife I wasn't cause baby's head wasn't there to push on the cervix and dialate it. But as it turned out he arrived the next morning after my cervix was fully dilated and my waters were broke as it turned out my waters were stopping him from dropping. I'm now 38 weeks with my 3rd and they haven't decided if he's engaged or not yet but I've been getting a lot of pressure below too but I doublethink it means much as I still have the sore rib

[LottyB]

Just to update you, her head is 4/5 engaged, which for some reason is measured backwards, meaning that the first 5th of her little head has gone in. 😊 not a full on indication, but moving in the right direction. And I had one hell of a Braxton hicks while the midwife was feeling my tummy, it actually made me wince. All good stuff. 😍 x