big baby = hard labour?

Are babies always born head, then one shoulder, then the rest follows? My daughters' head circ was 34 I think, and she came out in one big gush as soon as her head came out! She was just over 9lb.
??

Baby Socks

Wow when I birthed my 3rd he may have pushed himself out, but it def. was not in a big gush and he was not in any hurry to get his head out (not in my head at the time anyway - but reflecting back it was quicker and easier than my first). I am freakin out now I am due to have another biggie Friday next week.

I know once my son's head was out the rest came out pretty quickly, but I don't know how I wasnt watching, I was just relieved the head part was over:)

Yes and no. With my first baby (9lb 3.5), once his head was out the rest of him was out on the next push, with #3 (9lb 8.5) had to have her shoulders manouvered out a little bit, but that was due to her being posterior more than her size and again she was easy to push out once her shoulders were out. She does have rather broad shoulders for a girl though. With #4 (10lb 1) I had shoulder dystocia with him (shoulders were sideways) and it took a fair bit to get his shoulders out, but even once they were out I had to push and the midwife pulled him the whole way - he certainly just didnt slide out, he has a really large frame. I think it all depends on the width of their shoulders if they come out in one big push as opposed to one shoulder at a time - you could possibly have a heavy baby with a small frame that would 'pop out' easier than a smaller baby with really wide shoulders.

I am not sure If it had to do with his size (9lb 3) but I wouldnt progress past 6cm. I had an emergency c/s after a VERY long labour and no progression. He had quite a bit of swelling around his head as he got stuck...poor darling.