When Does Baby Head Engage? 8 Ways To Ensure It Does

One of the most exciting times for us as women was when we were engaged to our husbands.  Do you remember that feeling of elation?  “I’m engaged!”

You would spread the word and everyone had high hopes and joy for you.  It’s that word ‘engaged’ that just does the trick.  ‘Getting married’ just isn’t the same thing emotionally.

‘Engaged’ is another word for something else you should be equally elated about.  But most women don’t know what it means.

When Does Baby Head Engage

Toward the end of your pregnancy when your baby is head down and moving further south, they become engaged into position.  As your practitioner feels your baby’s position they may comment whether or not your baby is engaged.

It’s one of those things where we just nod along and smile when they comment that our baby is engaged or not.  But we’re really thinking, “What does that mean?”  We play off the reaction of our doctor and concede that nothing is amiss unless they tell us so.

But knowing what this means has major advantages.  When your baby is engaged, it means that

• their head is low enough into your pelvis to be set behind your pubic bone, and
• the larger part of their head is lower than your pubic bone.

Your baby can still be head down without being engaged.  

Your baby can still be head down without being engaged.  But once they are, it means that labor is so much closer.

When your baby’s head is that low, the pressure they exert onto your cervix adds to the mixture for your body to start your labor and delivery.  So it’s a good thing!   But there are problems that can occur if your baby’s head isn’t engaged properly.

Relate:  Late Pregnancy Signs Before Going Into Labor

Issues When Baby Isn’t Engaged

Your body can try to start labor even when your baby isn’t engaged, and this is problematic for a number of reasons.

• early labor can last days
• your due date can come and go and your baby is born later than expected
• your dilation isn’t an accurate assessment of when your baby will emerge
• your doctor may opt for a c-section if no progress is made

And, of course, you don’t want a c-section when there are things you can do to help keep baby engaged.

How To Help Your Baby Engage

Sometimes is often just doing the right movements and carrying yourself properly to ensure that your baby’s head is positioned the right way.

1. Sitting on a birthing ball and doing quick circular or figure eight rotations
2. Do the side lying release taught by Spinning Babies helps to lengthen the ligaments allowing for the room needed for baby’s head
3. Doing gentle side lunges and hip dips
4. Walking on a daily basis or exercising often
5. Visiting the chiropractor weekly in your last few months
6. Stretching safely at least once a day, preferably after exercise
7. Drinking enough water every single day
8. Tilting your belly forward while sitting tailor-style as often as possible

If you find that your baby isn’t engaged in the few weeks prior to your due date, your doctor or midwife can suggest a few manual manipulations that can be done right in their office.  But helping your baby engage into your pelvis is much simpler on your part than in comparison to other situations like turning a breech baby or posterior one.

Related:  Posterior Baby Position And What To Do About It

Many times babies will engage properly even without you trying to do much at all.  The important this is that you incorporated healthy habits and routines like sleeping well during your pregnancy to ensure this and other benefits automatically.

>> Get Your Best Night’s Sleep With Your Pregnancy Pillow <<

I’ve never had any issues with this and hopefully you won’t either.  What are the daily movements you’ve done to help your baby stay engaged?  Let me know below and then have a great weekend!

Favorites In This Post:

• GoFLX Yoga Birthing Stability Swiss Exercise Ball, because it’s more comfortable than you chair
• Spinning Baby - Easier Birth With Fetal Positioning, because your little one can be more stubborn than you