Considering at-home insemination with donor sperm...?

[Trippymama]

So, I'm just wondering if any of you know how to help make more cervical fluid. I'm in the middle of inseminating right now.. think I'll ovulate tomorrow or the next day, but I have very little cervical fluid. Any thoughts? I'm worried that my body isn't producing enough to help the little swimmers find the lady egg.

 

[jodie4805]

So, I'm just wondering if any of you know how to help make more cervical fluid. I'm in the middle of inseminating right now.. think I'll ovulate tomorrow or the next day, but I have very little cervical fluid. Any thoughts? I'm worried that my body isn't producing enough to help the little swimmers find the lady egg.

You could try preseed which is a sperm friendly lubricant, or take evening primrose tablets (might be a bit late for this month).

 

[Nimyra]

Trippy,

If you had a bit more notice, I'd suggest drinking tons of grapefruit juice. Since this is more of a last minute thing your options are:

preseed (sperm friendly lube)
Conceive Plus (sperm friendly lube)
Egg whites (can be bought pasturized in little cartons if you are worried about salmonella)

I don't know how many drug stores here carry preseed and conceive plus. I've heard that some in England carry it - but you'd have to call around. For next cycle you can order online.

I tried egg whites two of my 3 attempts the cycle I conceived - don't know if it helped or not.

 

[LunaBean]

I used eggwhites both times I concieved!!! I have the donor coming up tomro, friday and saturday too, good luck!!

 

[Nimyra]

I'll keep both of you in my thoughts this week! good luck Lizzie and Trippy!!!

 

[Trippymama]

Okay, so I've been drinking tons of water, and I took a few doses of Robitussin, which a OBGYN nurse friend suggested. Miraculously my fluid seems to have reappeared. I'm thrilled. Last month I inseminated every other day, and it didn't work. So, this month I'm inseminating daily for five days. I'm on number 4. Yesterday my ovulation monitor gave me the EGG... you would think I found out I was preggo, because I was so excited all day long. It measures the LH surge and the estrogen, supposedly giving a more accurate picture. So, I just have my fingers crossed that this isn't going to be such a long journey for us. I absolutely LOVE my friend, who is donating for us. I know he'll be a wonderful part of our lives and the child's life. These next two weeks are going to be tough just waiting.

One question, if I use egg whites, do you just suck them up in the syringe and put them up in there before the semen or what? That seems so different... but heh, I could always use more fluid.

Trippy

 

[Nimyra]

yes, that's def. one way to do it.

I mixed the two in an instead cup and inserted it (careful about spilling).

You don't need much - and you want them to be broken up (not egg white solids but blended a bit)

 

[LunaBean]

I'm 'post insemination' right now lol. Donor left about an hour ago, so the deed is done!!! I just suck up about 1ml into the syinge and put it in first, whisk it up abit first tho, so it's kinda bubbly. I'm so chilled out about this month for some reason! Also, got some grapefruit juice, it's not nice at all! It's so bitter! Drank it anyway tho, Ive a carton for today and one for tomro, will get OH to get me more for Saturday! The race is on Trippy! lol

 

[Trippymama]

Lizzie-

I can't believe we are in this together at the same time. Yes, the race is definitely on. You have me with the age and weight, but I have red hair so we'll see! That should give me a few points. Haha. Actually, I finally checked my other email and got your pics. I love the one in front of the tower. So cute. Anyway, I have two more nights of inseminating. I'm just covering all the bases with five days this time. If it doesn't take, it's not because I didn't do things right this time. However, my friend, who just had a baby with her partner doing the exact same thing said that I may not be depositing the goods onto my cervix correctly. Sometimes I have to go do the deed by myself because my partner takes my three kiddos to the library or somewhere fun. So, I have to do it alone. I just lay back, push it as far in as I can and slowly push. But, I can't really tell for sure if it's hitting the spot. Also, I've heard so many different things about how important having an orgasm is during the process. I try to have one anyway just in case the little swimmers need to be sucked up. Okay, so that's it here..... Baby Dust!

 

[LunaBean]

I always do it on my own because Dee's afraid she'll get pregnant! lmao. I do the same, in as far as it will go and oress the plunger slowly, and it's worked twice for me! I also try to O a few times too, it helps!! Also, think about people who' bf 'pulls out' and she still gets pregnant, even if they are on the outside, some can make their way in!! What size syringe are you using? I use a 3ml one, it's about long enough to reach the cervix, I tried a 10ml one, but it was too long and really jabbed something, so not trying that again!!!

Can't believe we'll be in the 2ww together!!!! I have 3 goes this month, today, Friday and Sat, oving on Sunday, so if it doesn't work, it can't be anything I did or didn't do!!! Good luck! When are you testing? Taking soy has really hosrtened my cycles to 2 days, so I'll be testing on 26th or 27th!!!!

 

[LunaBean]

Does anyone else get cramps after inseminating?? I usually do about 5 mins after it's in, but that was 4 hours ago, and I still have cramps!!!

 

[Trippymama]

Yes, I do... no joke. The first month I thought something was either wrong or I was pregnant. Weird. More cramps last month than this. I insem today and tomorrow and then I'm finished. Wahoo. We'll have to hang out online during the tortuous wait. The problem is that my cycles are 35 days so we won't stay on the same cycle.

Oh, and I use a 10ml syringe, but my cavity is pretty long, so I think that is perfect for me. Glad you do it the same way.

 

[LunaBean]

mines must be abnormally short lol. This could be the month we both get it tho!!! Then no more cycles!! I'm soooo chilled out this month, I've only done one OPK a day rather than my usual 3/5 lol. If it happens it happens! It's gona work whether I'm stressing about it or not!

 

[Trippymama]

Okay, so my ovulation monitor said I was going to ovulate yesterday, but all my cervical mucus has dried up, and my body temp is not elevating like it is supposed to after I ovulate. I can't seem to get this. According to the book I'm reading (Taking Charge of Your Fertility), you are supposed to have the egg white, stretchy mucus when you ovulate, and your body temp. is supposed to go up. Mine is not. Neither. So, now I'm wondering what the heck is going on and I feel depressed. We've inseminated four days in a row and tonight again for the last time... five nights I've been to bed late, driving to my friend's house to insem and so much time away from the kids and the wife and not working on lesson plans for school. And, now I worry that I am not ovulating this month or something. How do you figure all of this stuff out? Lizzie, maybe I'm just too worried about it. When you said that usually you check OPK multiple times per day... what is OPK? I still haven't learned all the abbreviations. Hope you ladies are doing better. UGH!

 

[LunaBean]

an OPK is an ovulation predictor kit! It's much the same as the strips forur monitor, it gets positive the day before you ovulate. I've had some months with no ewcm, it just depends!!! I drank a litre of grapefruit juice yesterday, and had loads of ewcm today, did you use eggwhites? Here's my opks from January...CD15 was positive, and I ovulated the next day

https://i47.tinypic.com/2pzwb3m.jpg

 

[Trippymama]

Well, my OPK gave me the positive a few days ago, but my temp went way up and has stayed up since day 18 instead of day 21 when the OPK predicted. So, I fear that I inseminated two or three days late. I dunno... this whole thing sucks because I'm not getting the same results from the different tests. Maybe the OPK was wrong this month.

 

[LunaBean]

Hmm, Id def go my ur temps rather than opks!!! I'd rather check lines than smile faces, because they gradually get darker, so I know they're going to get positive in a few days. You made not have did it too late, you never know!

 

[Trippymama]

So, how do I show you my chart? I want to see what you think. Because I inseminated days 19,20,21,22... I really think I'm too late unless I get a temp spike tomorrow morning.

Can you see it with this link?
https://www.fertilityfriend.com/ttc/calendar_module.php?cd=7

But, I did just what the Ovulation Monitor said. UGH>>> Last month I ovulated on day 21, and this month the OPK said day 21 again. Wow, how do these little teen girls I teach have an "oh it just happened once at a party" kind of pregnancies.

 

[LunaBean]

I know, its maddening!! I know alot of people with 'opps' babies, they dont know how lucky they are! That link just shows my chart, go into FF, go to the menu on the left side, then go to 'Sharing' and click on 'home page set-up'. A link to your homepage comes up there near the top!! Your temp might still go up, dont panic yet!

 

[LunaBean]

My chart is in my sig btw..if you scroll down, the ones with blue crosses instead of red are my pregnancy charts, to get an idea of wat they look like