Can labour start even if baby's head isn't engaged?

Isolt · 06-09-2014 08:33PM #1

I am not in labour nor am I looking for medical advice at all, just curious to hear from people who have actually experienced giving birth! I'm getting very mixed answers on this one! The midwife said you can definitely go into labour prior to engagement as the early contractions often push the baby into position.
However, the doctor passed a comment about how the baby is 'still very high up', I think implying that labour was a good bit away. My baby is head down but not engaged and I am 37 weeks.

January · 06-09-2014 09:29PM

Yes, you can go into labour if the head isn't engaged.

Betsie_xr3i · 06-09-2014 10:07PM

Yeah you can I did on my 1st

nikpmup · 06-09-2014 10:23PM

So did I

implausible · 06-09-2014 10:23PM

Yep, happened to me on my first, the work the contractions were doing was moving baby into position. When I was admitted, the midwives couldn't even find my cervix! (baby was still so high up)

Suucee · 07-09-2014 11:44AM

Same as the others. Head wasnt engaged at all with the first. My waters went but i had no contractions and even after my waters were gone her head still wasnt engaged.

pwurple · 07-09-2014 09:35PM

Yup, went into labour without head being engaged both times. (Second was induced at 39 wks though).

Rose35 · 08-09-2014 09:53AM

Yeah same here, had a lot of work to do to get head engaged, a lot of bouncing on ball and walking corriders!!!

Can labour start even if baby's head isn't engaged?

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