# At home insemination - tips or advice?



## mommies1and2

I am brand new to the boards and was wondering if anyone has experience with at home insemination using frozen donor sperm they could share? My partner and I are planning our first attempts in September and would appreciate any suggestions. It's expensive (of course) to buy those little swimmers...and we are planning to do two inseminations each cycle.


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## rosie5637

there is a thread in the LTTTC section - considering at home insemination with donor sperm?
it's a bit of a mammouth read but there are lots of women on there who are going through this and they're a lovely bunch. i'm sure they'd answer any questions you have.

i'm hoping to ttc next summer with a known donor and found this thread to be a good read. 

good luck!:flower:


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## mommies1and2

Thanks for the info Rosie, I will definitely check it out. Good luck with your plans!:dust:


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## lulu35

hi , thats how i got pregnant with this little one, using known donor....took me three cycles to get my bfp...i used digital opks and an online ovulation calculator, i inseminated the day before ov and on the day of ov and the day after on my first 2 cycles.....cycle 3 i invested in pre-seed, 2 days before ov i inseminated using pre-seed inside me (sorry if tmi) the same the day after except i mixed a tube of the pre-seed in with the sample and inside me aswell, didnt manage to inseminate on the day of ov but i knew i had ovulated....after the insemination i lay with my hips raised for about half an hour, i got my bfp that cycle 9 dpo!!!!

if you want to ask me anymore questions please feel free and i will answer as best as i can. x


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## mommies1and2

Congratulations Lulu, you must be so excited! 

We were planning on using a known donor but our "would be donor" is over 40 and there are too many serious genetic issues that could develop - so frozen it will be. 

I've read about the Pre-seed but I'm not sure if I need it...I think that my CF is sufficient but what do I know...I'm willing to try almost anything that could increase our chances of a BFP so it's good to hear your experience. 

I'm a little nervous about the insemination mechanics...any tips? I keep imagining that we'll put it in and it will squirt right back out...:dohh:


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## lulu35

mommies1and2 said:


> Congratulations Lulu, you must be so excited!
> 
> We were planning on using a known donor but our "would be donor" is over 40 and there are too many serious genetic issues that could develop - so frozen it will be.
> 
> I've read about the Pre-seed but I'm not sure if I need it...I think that my CF is sufficient but what do I know...I'm willing to try almost anything that could increase our chances of a BFP so it's good to hear your experience.
> 
> I'm a little nervous about the insemination mechanics...any tips? I keep imagining that we'll put it in and it will squirt right back out...:dohh:

my CM was fine i used the pre-seed to help those "little guys" get up there as obviously i wasnt using the "force" of ejaculation and the pre-seed helps with mobility and keeps them fresher for longer...i used a 20ml syringe and a clean sterlised plastic container, got the sample mixed in a tube of pre-seed and drew up into the syringe, put a pillow under my hips inserted another tube of pre-seed, some did leak out, inserted the syringe in as far as it would go and pressed down really slow on the plunger, once finished i raised my legs in the air and crossed them at the ankles (very elegant!!!) after 10 mins (yes some did come out but it would doing it the natural way as well) just got up and went about my day....sounds gross but didnt have a shower til late each night after doing it, did my inseminations early afternoon....hope this helps x


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## amy_2

mommies1and2 said:


> I am brand new to the boards and was wondering if anyone has experience with at home insemination using frozen donor sperm they could share?

I have often wondered about using donor sperm, do you get to pick the donor? what information do you get? I think it would be so scary using an anon donor.

I sometimes think that if I experienced relationship breakdown and didn't meet the right man, then I would go down the sperm donor route..... but my nightmare is that I'd end up with the child of someone completely undesirable.


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## lulu35

i knew my donor and have done for a few years, we had all the health checks done and came to an agreement regarding the child after birth, so for me it worked perfectly, never gave thought to using an anon donor so cant really comment in that respect x


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## Mushe

lulu35 said:


> i knew my donor and have done for a few years, we had all the health checks done and came to an agreement regarding the child after birth, so for me it worked perfectly, never gave thought to using an anon donor so cant really comment in that respect x

Hi lulu, 

You have no idea how happy you've just made me! :happydance:

I'm 34, almost 35 and a dear friend and I are seriously thinking of having a baby together, we wouldn't be "together" in the normal sense but he would have normal access and be a big part of the baby's life...

I've been worrying that what we are thinking of doing is insane etc but having just read this tread, I'm feeling a bit happier in myself about it :D

Any advice at all, would be hugely appreciated! :D 

Also, I am learning all the time, I had no idea about pre-seed or what it was :lol: 

To the OP, I'm not sure if I'd use frozen sperm, I'd be too scared but I hope all goes well for you x


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## lulu35

hi mushe,

i to am 35 and to be honest i went into it with little or no research done, just got the basic stuff together (syring, cup, digi opk's etc etc) and took it from there, didnt relise til after 1 cycle that im actually on a 30 day cycle and not a 28 day normal cycle so the online ovulation calculator really helped me pin point OV....the reason i used pre-seed was because i wasnt trying to get pregnant the "normal" way i knew it would be better to use that and give the wee guys a hand to get right up there and on the first cycle that i used it i got pregnant....would be more than happy to give anyone of you wanting any help or advice on the way i did it x


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## mommies1and2

Mushe: I will be 35 in November so I understand the age concerns...I say go for it! If you and your friend can co-parent together I think that's an awesome idea. 

Amy: Different banks give you different options, some offer anonymous donors while others are "willing to be known" once the child reaches age 18. The bank I think we will use allows you to see 4 generations of the donor family's medical history, shows baby pictures, provides a video of the donor as an adult and other data about him like his education, likes/dislikes etc. My partner and I are currently "stud shopping."

Lulu: Thanks for the input about the pre-seed, I'll definitely have to order some and give it a try. Also considering using an Instead cup to see if that works in preventing some of the "leakage". I read somewhere that you can practice insemination using room temperature organic egg whites. Supposedly they are the same PH as sperm and are completely safe to use. The fact that I'm considering this makes me wonder if I've lost my mind!


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