When Does Baby Engage
QUESTION
Dear Midwife,
Hi I'm 33 weeks this Sunday and this is my first baby so exciting, but this week I have been having pain in my pelvis especially on the left hand side like hes pushing down and the occasional pain which feels like a knife stab pain which can make me stop for a little while but only lasts a few minutes then gone.
Please can you tell me what this is and if its all normal.
Thanks
ANSWER
It sounds like you have a healthy, active baby who is stretching your last ligament! Obviously, these are unpleasant feelings, but they are not dangerous to either you or your son. Hang in there, and enjoy having your little treasure all to yourself for these last few weeks--before you know it, he will need to be fed and changed!
--Cynthia, CNM. PhD.
Cynthia Flynn
Cynthia Flynn, CNM. PhD, is the General Director of the Family Health and Birth Center which provides prenatal, birth, postnatal, gynecological and primary health care to underserved women and their families in Washington, D.C. Recently Cynthia served as Associate Professor of Nursing at Seattle University. There she not only taught, but remained in full scope clinical midwifery practice at Valley Medical Center where she cared for pregnant and birthing women, and practices well-woman gynecology, family planning, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.
Cynthia founded Columbia Women's Clinic and Birth Center, where she took care of pregnant women and infants up to two weeks of age and attended both birth center and hospital births. Before Cynthia earned her CNM, she worked as a registered nurse in labor and delivery and postpartum and is a certified Doula and Doula trainer.
