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

[firechild30]

This is my very first post to the forum, though I have been lurking for a while. I have found so much information! Next cycle will hopefully be our first attempt. I Am excited and nervous. I have been tempting and using opks (though I find them quite difficult to read). This forum has given me a lot of hope that this can really work for us!

 

[LesbianMystiq]

This is my very first post to the forum, though I have been lurking for a while. I have found so much information! Next cycle will hopefully be our first attempt. I Am excited and nervous. I have been tempting and using opks (though I find them quite difficult to read). This forum has given me a lot of hope that this can really work for us!

Welcome Firechild30!

This month was my first time ever trying. It sounds like you're going down the right path. Have you considered using clear blue's opks, it shows a smiley face a the beginning of your LH surge. It takes the guessing right out the game.

GL to you next cycle....*sprinkles baby dust*

 

[faithbabies]

hey ladies i've been outof state so wasnt able to update but not much to report...af should arrive sometime this week and she's already showing signs of coming along sucks! otherwise not much going on.

congrats to the bfp's and babydust to the rest of us still trying

ALSO...WELCOME NEWBIES!!!!

 

[firechild30]

what methods have been successful for the bfps? I got confirmation today that I emulated by 3 days of raised ttemps . However, my first day of raised temp was only .21 higher. Anyone else experience this? Could this mean we may have trouble conceiving? Also, does anyone know any good sites for step by step best methods to inseminate? DH will be the one inseminating and he wants to get read up on the best methods. Congrats to all the bfps , it is inspiring! This journey can be so trying. There is a wonderful community of education and support here. I appreciate everyone who shares their experiences .may it all pay off

 

[c.30]

Firechild, welcome this thread may help you

https://babyandbump.momtastic.com/a...-artificial-insemination-success-stories.html

All the ladies who have got their BFP's have posted how they did it

Faith, if AF does show, lots and lots of to us both for August

to all the other ladies

AFM, I'm in "limbo", waiting for AF to arrive so I can try again in August. I'm not sure when I OV'ed but going from my "stats", lol, AF should be here by Wednesday 1st August at the latest (friday 27th July at the earliest).

 

[Ttcrainbow]

Firechild, welcome this thread may help you

https://babyandbump.momtastic.com/a...-artificial-insemination-success-stories.html

All the ladies who have got their BFP's have posted how they did it

Faith, if AF does show, lots and lots of to us both for August

to all the other ladies

AFM, I'm in "limbo", waiting for AF to arrive so I can try again in August. I'm not sure when I OV'ed but going from my "stats", lol, AF should be here by Wednesday 1st August at the latest (friday 27th July at the earliest).

Hi Cheryl did you not try this month? I have my fingers crossed for you for your next cycle. X

 

[c.30]

Hi Cheryl did you not try this month? I have my fingers crossed for you for your next cycle. X

Thanks and no I didn't try in July. After my chemical PG I needed some time out for my body and my head. I am kind of chomping at the bit to get started again but at the same time, after getting my first BFP, having to travel, do the insem and the 2ww is something, for a while there, that I didn't think I'd have to do again so it will be frustrating/hard etc. Just hope I get my forever baby sooner rather than later.

 

[firechild30]

Someone just told me that using an oral dosage syringe is ok? anyone else ever hear this?

 

[ebelle]

I used the 5 ml ones and it worked fine.

 

[LeahMSta]

Hi everyone!
We are onto our 2nd insem for SMEP today. The first one wasn't quite as bizarre as I was afraid it would be. Now that we have become more comfortable with the process, it was easy to make it a bit sexual and see that she had the bigO. I was quite worried but it was nowhere near the giggling mess of our first insem months ago. Not to mention if it works this month I can say that the missing ingredient in all of this was our love. That makes me smile. I'm a bit concerned about tonight's insem because my dearest friend is coming to town. She is totally on board with the baby making. I just don't know how to exscuse myself to go "make a baby" LOL!
I am sending buckets of baby dust to all. It is lovely to have you back Cheryl! Tcrainbow, whats the latest with you? Its been awfully quiet on here.....

 

[Ttcrainbow]

Hi everyone!
We are onto our 2nd insem for SMEP today. The first one wasn't quite as bizarre as I was afraid it would be. Now that we have become more comfortable with the process, it was easy to make it a bit sexual and see that she had the bigO. I was quite worried but it was nowhere near the giggling mess of our first insem months ago. Not to mention if it works this month I can say that the missing ingredient in all of this was our love. That makes me smile. I'm a bit concerned about tonight's insem because my dearest friend is coming to town. She is totally on board with the baby making. I just don't know how to exscuse myself to go "make a baby" LOL!
I am sending buckets of baby dust to all. It is lovely to have you back Cheryl! Tcrainbow, whats the latest with you? Its been awfully quiet on here.....

Hi Leah. Good to know you are still staying positive. It is uncomfortable the first time but gets better. You gotta do what needs to be done eh. And with regards to your friend...we are having building work done at our house and so had to do the insem and mother in laws. We just asked her to leave room for mo, insemmed then out trousers in (while legs still in air -DH helped lol) and then we all just watched telly. I found that the soda was easier to keep legs up than the bed with pillows cos the arm of a sofa is easier to lean a cushion on and tilt hips!

I'm good thank you. Still getting af like pains but am being told its normal. And terrible gas but will all be worth it. Am hoping to get an early scan in a fortnight and it might actually feel real.

Sending baby dust to everyone and praying you get a sticky bean x

 

[faithbabies]

so AF arrived last night i'm so frustrated and bummed. But talked to my donor this am and he wants to keep trying...the numbers in my siggy are wrong, we've done an extra insem, must have done two tries in one month..have been trying with this donor since last dec. i know a couple of months were just out due to timing because he couldnt make many donations or whatever but i seriously thought we'd have done this thing by now lol i do feel everything happens at the right time so i'm trying to stay positive and have faith it will happen when it's the right time....also my donor hasnt done SA so i asked him if he might do the over the counter sperm count check test. We're adopting our first son, third foster baby next month (aug) so maybe it will happen when that's all said and done.

baby dust to everyone!

 

[Ttcrainbow]

so AF arrived last night i'm so frustrated and bummed. But talked to my donor this am and he wants to keep trying...the numbers in my siggy are wrong, we've done an extra insem, must have done two tries in one month..have been trying with this donor since last dec. i know a couple of months were just out due to timing because he couldnt make many donations or whatever but i seriously thought we'd have done this thing by now lol i do feel everything happens at the right time so i'm trying to stay positive and have faith it will happen when it's the right time....also my donor hasnt done SA so i asked him if he might do the over the counter sperm count check test. We're adopting our first son, third foster baby next month (aug) so maybe it will happen when that's all said and done.

baby dust to everyone!

Faith babies how do you track your cycle? Do you temp or use sticks? I would really advise the Clearblue fertility monitor. It gives you an extra few days prior to ovulation so you can prob get 4 or 5 extra insem'd up to the day before ov. It's not cheap but is so so worth it! In the uk it's about 70 quid and you pee on it every day from day 6 to the day after ov. I didn't realise that my ov changed a lot.

 

[firechild30]

Leah-good luck! We are going to try our first insemination next month.
Faith-sorry to hear. Certainly hope you get the bfp soon.

 

[LeahMSta]

Thanks Firechild and Ttcrainbow. We are 2 inseminations into this SMEP business. We didn't end up having the scheduling issue I had anticipated. Instead our donor had picked up some hours at a bar that he works as a bouncer for from time to time. So due to scheduling conflicts it was mid afternoon between DPs split shifts at work and while I had to be working from my home office. She got the 30 min with her bum in the air and wore the softcup through the evening but no time to make it romantic. Such is life I suppose.
Faithbabies keep your head up love. I know this is emotionally greuling to have all of this hope every month and then to have that hope taken by something out of your control. It sounds like you and your donor are doing all that you can and maybe once your adoption procedings are over just that little reduction of stress will help. I'm still here cheering you on and I believe we will both get our perfect little ones exactly when the time is right. Chin up.

 

[c.30]

so AF arrived last night i'm so frustrated and bummed. But talked to my donor this am and he wants to keep trying...the numbers in my siggy are wrong, we've done an extra insem, must have done two tries in one month..have been trying with this donor since last dec. i know a couple of months were just out due to timing because he couldnt make many donations or whatever but i seriously thought we'd have done this thing by now lol i do feel everything happens at the right time so i'm trying to stay positive and have faith it will happen when it's the right time....also my donor hasnt done SA so i asked him if he might do the over the counter sperm count check test. We're adopting our first son, third foster baby next month (aug) so maybe it will happen when that's all said and done.

baby dust to everyone!

SO sorry AF got you Faith, this is a HARD slog month after month I'm glad your donor is happy to keep trying and great if he'll do the SA having faith and thinking it'll happen when it's meant to is all we can do. I started trying June 2010 and August will be my 11th try so I know how frustrating it is. Wow, august sounds like it's going to be a lovely month for you, really, really hope you get your BFP too!!

Hello to everyone else GL, FX and

 

[ebelle]

Hey faith, I know its hard, but do try to keep your spirits up. Other than asking donor to get SA, I think you should consider getting yourself checked via ultrasound around ovulation time. That's how I found out my uterine lining was too thin and thus the egg couldn't implant.

Took us 14 cycles over 16 months including some very expensive overseas iuis and donor sperm to get our first bfp ever. Its a tough journey, but I am sure its worth it.

If you would like, I can send you some opks from my we store www.quickpregnancytests.com. just pm me and I'll send some samples to you so you can track ovulation.

Big hugs!

 

[LesbianMystiq]

Faith - Sorry AFM got you, keep the faith as you said--it'll happen when the time is right

Cheryl - it's good to see you back, you were missed!

Leah - it sounds like you have the process down. I'm keeping my FX for you!

ASM, although AF hasn't gotten here yet, I'm counting myself out. I'm having too many PMS symptoms plus I found out that I have an umbilical hernia that needs surgery . So now I'm redirecting my energy to that.

 

[c.30]

Thanks LesbianMystiq, that's really nice of you. Sorry to read about the hernia, big

It's CD1 for me today so I'm back on the EPO and 2L of water a day to help my EWCM. I've e-mailed my donor; I'll text him on the morning of the smiley OPK and travel up for 1 donation that evening. From past cycles that'll be somewhere between Thursday 9th and Tuesday 14th August which is CD11-16 for me.

 

[faithbabies]

thanks everyone for the sweet words!!

ttcrainbow~ thx! i track using the smiley digital opk's and we always start donations at least by 7-8days past the end of my aunt flo because i usually get smiley between days 10-13 so i feel like timing isnt really the issue but i may get the monitor anyway...thanks!

ebelle~ thank you! well we used to go to my RE and had two donor IUI's..never had a problem with lining or anything, got prego on second iui but lost baby at ten weeks due to Turner's syndrome....we just dont have the money or means to go back to the RE right now and get checked out so will have to wait and see..and keep trying


i'll update more later but thanks once again for all your kind words and encouragement....i wish nothing but blessings for you all and your bfp sooner than later!!