AI at home - anyone else?

[KPeakey]

Two wives over here getting ready to try at home insemination with donor sperm. Just wanting folks to chat with who know what we're going through!

We are using at home insemination due to obviously lacking some necessary equipment as far as we are aware there are no issues with wife's fertility (she'll be carrying) and we genuinely couldn't afford to go down the clinic route. So we're giving it a go ourselves first.

It's a minefield. Hence the desire to chat with like-minded people!

 

[Aleriya]

I wish you guys the best of luck! We tried that at home, but ultimately didn't work for us. However, we were using frozen sperm that we ordered in. Our Dr said it was basically less than a chance at a one night stand. However, there are a lot of women that it worked for especially if using fresh sperm. Our first cycle resulted in an early MC, after that no luck. Again, though, we weren't using as much sperm as we thought we were. I would just make sure you guys are getting an ample supply of sperm. If you are ordering sperm via a sperm bank to be delivered, check and re-check your orders. We thought we were order 30 million when in fact it was much less. The wording for the straws were a tad bit confusing. A lot of women have success at home, so I'm rooting for you guys! I just wanted to give you a bit of a heads up, in case you're going the frozen route. We were also very lucky with the sperm bank we ordered from, because one cycle my partners surge came early and they processed an over night shipment.

The UK has changed some laws, and lesbian couples are now given a free fertility cycle. If things don't work out at home, that is something you could look into. I think it's any age for lesbian couples, and 42+ for single or hetero women? I wouldn't quote me on the age thing though.

Good Luck!

 

[KPeakey]

Thanks for the comment!

We're using fresh sperm from a known donor with minimal medical input for now. Both young and (as far as we know) healthy. We'd like to give it a go as naturally as possible first before seeking any fertility assistance. But only time will tell!

Keep it all crossed for us. Where are you based? Are you now opting for fertility clinic support?

 

[Aleriya]

Fresh sperm I would assume would be much higher success rate than what we tried. I wanted to try k own do or with fresh sperm but my partner was 1000% against it.

I wish you guys the best of luck!

 

[HopefulPony]

Yes! We are doing it, we have two boys conceived by AI at home with fresh sperm, and are currently trying for our third! Ask me anything haha

 

[HopefulPony]

Fresh sperm is indeed a much higher success rate, sperm live up to 5 days in the body when fresh but only 12-24 hours when defrosted. If you can get fresh sperm it's much better.

We decided to go non-clinic and see what happened, and we got pregnant with our first on the first cycle we tried!

 

[KPeakey]

Fresh sperm is indeed a much higher success rate, sperm live up to 5 days in the body when fresh but only 12-24 hours when defrosted. If you can get fresh sperm it's much better.

We decided to go non-clinic and see what happened, and we got pregnant with our first on the first cycle we tried!

This makes me so happy. I know it goes without saying but we are trying to not get our hopes up that it will happen straight away. It feels impossible not to though.

We're travelling to Edinburgh at the end of August for our first insemination. Fingers crossed all is looking good to ovulate perfectly for while we are there so we can inseminate just before and after.

I'm mostly worried about getting the syringe in to be honest. I don't want to hurt my wife! Oh and dealing with sperm...not my forte! Lol.

Do you guys know when you will start trying again? How old are your little ones?

 

[HopefulPony]

It is absolutely impossible not to get your hopes up! It's so hard. Are you tracking your ovulation? If you're planning ahead you don't want to accidentally do it at the wrong time.

We are trying at the moment, our boys are 4 and 2 I'm currently 6dpo and will probably do a test on Saturday!

 

[KPeakey]

It is absolutely impossible not to get your hopes up! It's so hard. Are you tracking your ovulation? If you're planning ahead you don't want to accidentally do it at the wrong time.

We are trying at the moment, our boys are 4 and 2 I'm currently 6dpo and will probably do a test on Saturday!

How exciting. Any joy with the testing? Do you have a Journal on here I can follow along with.

My wife will be carrying and she's temping and using OPKS and a app to track and taking vitamins.

I'm constantly virtually shopping and every conversation we have starts with 'if it works...'

Good luck with yours!

 

[HopefulPony]

Ahh sounds like you're doing everything right!!! Good luck

 

[twomomstobe]

SO happy to see other moms doing this at home. We just did 2 x AI at home, Friday and Saturday - our donor let us down for Sunday (after offering us Natural insemination um ewwww). So the waiting game begins. I'm feeling all sorts of things, but unlikely to be anything this early. Baby fairy dust to all of you!

 

[KPeakey]

Only just got back on here as been on holiday! Back to reality now!
Twomomstobe, fingers crossed for you. We do our first insemination the last weekend in August! (We think).
It's a crazy journey but it'll be worth it.

 

[sfmom]

Hi Everyone!

My wife and I are recently married and knew we wanted to start trying soon after our wedding. My best friend since high school is a gay man who lives nearby and agreed to be our donor. I will be the one getting pregnant. Last Sunday (the 8th) and last Wednesday (the 11th) I had my first two inseminations at home. I tracked my ovulation using the My Cycles iPhone app. Started on my first fertile day, then midway through. Now I'm on pins and needles waiting to take the pregnancy test (which I plan on doing in a little over a week)!!

 

[Nima]

This thread seems to be asleep but I thought it fits my situation so I hope someone's still here. I'm also really new here so if I'm doing smth wrong feel free to let me know.

Me and my wife are also TTC for the 1st time- sooo excited!
I am using 2 apps (Flo and Clue), the Ava armband (like a fertility Fitbit) and OPKs (2 different kinds that give different results, arrg).
We have a lovely known donor who lives 2 hours away from us, so inseminations are limited. We did inseminations on cd 14 and 16, I usually ovulate on day 17, which would be today but I guess with all the stress I really can't know for sure.
I am afraid my O will be delayed and the sperm won't survive long enough. This is all so exciting and I obsess about every little detail. Maybe I just don't want to admit now I just have to sit and wait...

Feeling hopefull and hope to hear from others who are also in this journey...