My Positive Unmedicated Birth Story

Getting my thoughts down before the details slip away from having my 3rd (and most-likely my last) baby…

The Final Countdown

As June's last weekend rolled in, I had my 39-week appointment with my doc on June 26th. We chatted about my impatience, my comfort level, and the possibility of birthing a huge baby. My OB always had my back and reassured me, even though she flagged some concerns about the baby's size from past ultrasounds. But hey, ultrasounds aren't always the most reliable and that was proven to be true later!

We had a backup plan to induce the next day, but I was confident from the beginning that I wouldn’t make it to 39-weeks pregnant. When my doc asked if I wanted to keep the induction on the calendar, I was immediately like, “Absolutely, NOT”. But she warned me there were no open slots until after July 8th (my due date was July 4th). If I was jittery about the baby's size or medical interventions, I had to choose: stick with the induction or wait it out with my body. I opted for another membrane sweep, crossing my fingers for some action.

The induction decision was a hard one, but my doc gave me until the day's end to decide. After a long conversation with my doula and husband, I reluctantly decided to skip the induction.

The Waiting Game

Our weekend turned into a blur of walks, relaxation, and labor preparation. I was pulling out all the stops to coax this baby out. By Sunday, my doula mentioned castor oil, hinting at a tiny dose. After weighing the pros and cons, I downed two tablespoons with a bottle of BODYARMOR. Despite my skepticism, things DID started rolling.

That evening, contractions ramped up and became strong at 2 minutes apart. We called my mom to grab the girls and drove to the hospital (which was about 45 minutes from our house). My doula was on standby to meet us there. Everything was fast and furious, and we pulled up at the hospital around 2:45 a.m., snagging the last labor and delivery bed.

As the contractions amped up, chatting through them became a task and because the hospital was so busy, we had no word on my cervical status either.

The Turning Point

Finally, the doc arrived for a cervical check, excitedly letting me know I was at 6 cm. We were here to stay! I was floored and felt an adrenaline rush hearing that news.

The OB offered to break my water, but I was scared it would accelerate the contractions, so I passed for the time being. I kept moving as much as possible until my IV was in place. I opted for a saline lock, wanting to be as disconnected as I could be. Being GBS positive though threw a wrench in my birth plan.

I was torn about taking antibiotics during labor. Since I'm allergic to penicillin and amoxicillin, the hospital would use vancomycin, which meant a two-hour drip. It wouldn’t eliminate the GBS risk but would lower the already very low chance. Considering my progress and other personal factors, I decided to skip the antibiotics and remained unhooked from anything for the remainder of labor.

Rapid Progression

From here, it was go-time. I zoned in during contractions, but as they intensified, I started doubting my unmedicated birth plan. At one point, I begged my husband and doula for an epidural. They firmly reminded me of my goal.

My doula suggested alternative pain relief, like a TENS unit and hip squeezes, which became my lifeline.

I was set on laboring in water, but the hospital being busy meant waiting nearly 30 minutes for a nurse to plastic-wrap my IV. By the time she did, I worried I’d be stuck in the tub for pushing so I skipped getting in at all.

A even bigger issue with nitrous gas followed. I requested it after the epidural plea, hoping for relief. But it took a while to arrive, and after one breath, they told me the tank was empty and the remaining tanks were being used by other women. LOL. Can you imagine my frustration?

Final Push

Then, the doc came back for another cervical check. She announced I was at 9.5 cm! But my water hadn't broken, and she asked if I wanted her to do the job for me. She promised baby would be here quickly after doing it so I agreed.

Right after, the urge to push was undeniable. Contractions and pressure felt more manageable but my body wanted to expel the baby instantaneously.

As planned, I started pushing on all fours. After about 25 minutes, exhaustion set in. The OB suggested trying an upright on my back position to let gravity and my power lend a hand. Despite being scared of tearing, my tiredness made me willing to try anything.

After the switch, I pushed for about five minutes before our baby boy made his debut...McCoy Michael Huber was born on 6/30/2025 at 5:34am, weighing 8 lbs. 11 oz. and 19 inches long. Even though he was large, I made it through labor and delivery without a tear! Still mind blown by that considering he was my biggest baby out of the three.

Post delivery, I agreed to Pitocin through my IV to help with bleeding and was able to enjoy an uninterrupted golden hour with our new son.

The look in my husband’s eyes was priceless. He’s always been emotional during the birthing process but this time was different. I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face. In that instant, nothing else mattered but us. It felt as if the world had come to a complete standstill. Pure bliss.