Every woman is different and so is every labor. As a result , when a baby’s head  engages ranges from women to woman. However first babies usually tend to engage around 34 to 36 weeks. Some babies  only engage when labor starts. If your baby’s  head has not engaged once labor starts, do not worry. The power of your contractions will push the baby down. You should also note that when your baby’s head engages early, it doesn’t mean you will deliver early.

Your baby moves down when the lower part of the uterus expands.  The baby’s head or bottom (breech) will settle a little lower in the pelvis. As a result you suddenly feel like you can breathe better. You also feel pressure on your bladder which makes you urinate a lot.

Factors that may influence when your baby’s head engages

These factors may affect when your baby engages.

• baby’s position : when your baby is the posterior position, it is hard for his head to engage and this makes labor difficult. If your baby is lying across the stomach ( transverse position) or at an angle ( oblique), he may not engage before labor starts
• your baby has room to move : if you’ve had a baby before or your baby has a lot of amniotic  fluid, you baby may not engage early
• big baby : if you are expecting a baby, he may not engage till contractions start.
• expecting multiples
• position of the placenta, shape of the pelvis or if you have fibroids may  affect when your baby’s head engages

If you are not sure whether your baby’s head has engaged or not, ask your health care provider during your next visit.