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

[RosiePo]

My wife and I have recently started TTC. We have a known donor. a signed contract and have taken all precautions as far as health is concerned He has gotta all of the relative blood work and exams done...all is clear are well!

We did our first round of insemination last month and unfortunately it didnt take. I am positive its because it was a bit of a stressful process with it being the first time. (Now we feel like pros!)-Its really hard to be relaxed and stress free and I know that EVERYONE says over and over again...stress free mind will welcome a stress free successful pregnancy...easier said than done.

We inseminated everyday for 6 days. We started 2 days before expected ovulation and continued on until 2 days after ovulation.-all of my ovulation tests came back negative but I paid close attention to my CM and I am pretty regular so also calculated that way. (14 days after period)

We used 'instead soft cups' and pre seed....I would insert the pre seed into my vagina 10-15 mins before the sample-almost like a primer. We would drive to the donors home he would grab the cup from us and literally bring it back to the car...I would then just slide the cup right up there against my cervix and drive home. I would try to achieve an orgasm after getting home so that my cervix would contract and leave the cup in overnight (remove in morning).

I was late for my period this month so i thought for sure it worked...I was having all signs and symptoms of pregnancy but all negative tests. I AM NEVER EVER late for my period, im extremely regular. I finally went to the doctor and after a million tests...am definitely not prego. My period did start but only lasted 1 day and was really strange. -very light-blood looked really really dark brown and spotty.

I talked to another friend that had done 'artificial insemination' at a doctors office (and was successful after a year and a hell of a alot of money) and she said that her body went all wonky after the process as well....HAS this happened to anyone else????

Anyways. Now Im just waiting to ovulate again so that we can go for try #2. I am confused now because of all the complications with my period and i now dont know when ill ovulate. Im trying to pay close attention to my body.

I need so much support right now, it is hard to stay calm and focused. So ready for baby.....

 

[Carrie&Char]

RosiePo keep chin up hun!!! xxx

 

[ticking.clock]

I talked to another friend that had done 'artificial insemination' at a doctors office (and was successful after a year and a hell of a alot of money) and she said that her body went all wonky after the process as well....HAS this happened to anyone else????

yes hun it is common, so many people (even those who dont use a donor) say once they make the decision to TTC their cycle goes all over the place

 

[RosiePo]

I guess im just not used to my body being this way.....thankyou for your love and support

I talked to another friend that had done 'artificial insemination' at a doctors office (and was successful after a year and a hell of a alot of money) and she said that her body went all wonky after the process as well....HAS this happened to anyone else????

yes hun it is common, so many people (even those who dont use a donor) say once they make the decision to TTC their cycle goes all over the place

 

[faithbabies]

welcome Rosiepo!! yes maam seems like since starting TTC my cycles sometimes go all over the place! keep staying positive, eating right, say some prayers and i hope your lil blessing happens sooner than later!

afm~~ spotting today and AF set to arrive tomorrow, my birthday of course. but i figured with our one donation this time wasnt going to work. i'm feeling bummed between that and turning 35 tomorrow think i'm going to open my new bottle of Moscato and drown my tears in it! Just wondering if i'm going to have to eventually do go back to my RE and get this done...i sure hope not! gonna give it a few more tries...this was only my 3rd shot with this donor anyway.

to all you lovely ladies.

 

[RosiePo]

Thank you thank you. Yes...trying to stay hopeful! I just worry that where my period was all wonky this month that ill miss my ovulation. paying close attention this month!

 

[chearty]

Like you RosiePo, we also have a known donor and contracts, etc...

I was completed prepared with my ovulation pee sticks and charting my cm, all of it... Then suddenly the month before we were set to inseminate, everything went crazy....
So as a last minute decision, we bought the fertility monitor and decided to use it just as a back up in case things went wonky during the month- and I'm glad we did.
According to my charting and pee sticks, we wouldn't have started TTC until a full week later than we did. Thankfully, the monitor had us start on the 30 of jan, the 2 and 4th of feb. On february 18th, we got a positive on our HPT.

We used Concieve plus (just like preseed) and zestica (another fertility friendly lubricant). We had the donor ejaculate into the instead softcup, then we got me all primed up with the zestica while we waited for the sperm to liquefy. Then we used a oral syringe to suck up as much of the sperm as we could, inseminated, then lubed up the instead cup and placed it inside to keep it all in place. I slept with it in and removed in the morning...

I know the monitor can be a bit pricey, but I feel like it made the biggest difference for us. had we relied on pee sticks and my super regular periods we wouldn't have started TTC until the 12 of feb- which would have been a whole week late.... just saying it might be worth trying- especially if you still have a few days before AF starts...

 

[RosiePo]

Wow~ thats so interesting. and did you not notice a change in your cervical mucus either???? ill have to look into getting one. I just stopped spotting yesterday. although my period because of the first insemination was late...so im really confused this time as to when id ovulate. I have been really'dry' as far as cm...

 

[faithbabies]

Soooo Happy Birthday to me! AF arrived bright and early onto round 11..fingers crossed!

 

[RosiePo]

BUT to try to put a positive spin on things......at least every time this doesn't work, we will all be that much more knowledgeable of the process...inseminators. lord.

Our time will come....

 

[chearty]

I definitely had a change in my cm. For 7 months prior it was always right on track with ovulation and verified by the pee sticks.. Then the month before we tried our first insem I was trying to rely just on cm, since I didn't want to buy more ovulation pee sticks. As O day came around (day 14 for me) I still hadn't had any cm- which was abnormal for me. Then on day 19 I had cm but didn't get to the ewcm stage... it was weird... then i did all this research that said some women have cm AFTER their O, or before and after.... so i think that I had it after O day... Could have been anything that changed it though- not enough vitamins, water, having the sniffles, etc. That's why I figured I needed to just get the fertility monitor because I didn't want to chance missing my O day.

I've got my fingers crossed for you and your next attempt!! To be honest, i never expected it to work the first time, Most of my friends got lucky on the second attempt. I was looking at the first attempt as a sort of practice run, thinking I'd reach EXPERT home inseminator status on round two- I'm sure that's what's happening for you!

 

[c.30]

welcome Rosiepo!! yes maam seems like since starting TTC my cycles sometimes go all over the place! keep staying positive, eating right, say some prayers and i hope your lil blessing happens sooner than later!

afm~~ spotting today and AF set to arrive tomorrow, my birthday of course. but i figured with our one donation this time wasnt going to work. i'm feeling bummed between that and turning 35 tomorrow think i'm going to open my new bottle of Moscato and drown my tears in it! Just wondering if i'm going to have to eventually do go back to my RE and get this done...i sure hope not! gonna give it a few more tries...this was only my 3rd shot with this donor anyway.

to all you lovely ladies.

Belated Happy Birthday Faith sorry AF got you in the end but I hope you still had a good birthday anyway and enjoyed that Moscato fingers tightly crossed that this is your month

 

[letithappen12]

WEll today I have started with the clearblue fertility monitor hopefully this might help me sort my cycle out properly. Dont know if my luteal phase is too short or not thou 11/12 days?

 

[laurac1988]

Mine is 10/11 days so we're in the same boat.

Day 15 and clearblue still says "high"

 

[ticking.clock]

well im waiting for af to start, hopefully within the next week, as im sure i ovulated last friday after my MMC, if i'm right AF should start by next weekend.

 

[topazicatzbet]

hope sh is kind to you hun, how are you doing

 

[ticking.clock]

I'm ok Hun, now fully recovered from the op, still get upset at stupid things but I know it will get easier xx

 

[faithbabies]

ticking~ hugs...it does get easier but always hurts...i hope your sticky bean is just around the corner

afm~ been using clear blue digital and regular clear blue opk's this month...been negative on both until about an hour ago i got smiley face on digital and neg on the regular...anyone want to explain that? lol I started donations this am...i would usually get surge tom. or the next day so i may be early but since we are doing donations tom morning and wed morning i think we're covered for the month. Have always wanted a dec baby.

fingers crossed and baby dust for all!!

 

[JLondon]

Ticking.. Glad to see you're close to trying again. Little angel bean won't be forgotten and I'm sure a little part of that bean will live on in your next one

 

[ticking.clock]

OMG did i miss your BFP post???

congratulations xxx