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

[mwaah]

Well done Ticking, she is beautiful!!

Noah is looks so cute, I love the piccie. I love the name too.

Have a scan next week, so nervous there will be nothing there as still not a single symptom xx

 

[HP123]

Frozen is worst. Fresh shipped is much better than frozen, but fresh local is even better.

Fresh shipped with a donor with a history of success with shipping is better than fresh shipped with donor with history of failed shipping or no history. Not all sperm is equally hardy, able to survive less than ideal conditions.

Here's a rough estimate of probability success:

Frozen at home ici: 3-6% success rate
Frozen Iui: 6-15%
Fresh shipped with good timing: 8-20% (higher with some donors than others)
Fresh ai/sex: 20% (give or take based on age)
Fresh Iui: 15% (give or take)

I'm not a doctor, but this is based on my research and what I've seen being around this community a while.

This is exactly what I needed!!! Thanks Nim. Last time I had fresh semen and good timing and was pregnant on the first try. I hope just to have a little bit of that luck this time.

 

[Mummylou23]

well its a defo negative at 11pm so looks like either missed it or was cd 17 like thought will have to see what temps say tomorrow feel abit annoyed because done well upto cd 17 and then the two days we decide not to do it I didn't get confirmed ov

 

[jury3]

ticking.clock- She beautiful! Congrats!

LunaBean- He's a cutie!

Mummylou23- My internet opk looked kind of like your's on the day I got a smiley from my Clearblue Digital. That evening I tested again out of curiosity and the internet was even lighter, but the Clearblue was still a smiley. I'm pretty sure I actually ovulated the day after that. You could still try another one today, it couldn't hurt anything. Keep in mind though, that sperm can live in your body as many as 5 days. So, just because you didn't insem on the day you O'd, doesn't mean there aren't swimmers up there!

Well, I checked my cervix yesterday and it was very open, a perfect circle. Today it is medium. So, I'm pretty sure I O'd in the last 24 hours (CD 15 probably). My temps are a little weird for the last 3 days and FertilityFriend is trying to tell me I O'd on CD13, but I don't think that's right at all because none of my other signs were really there yet. That means we timed our insem perfectly and I am very relieved as that was my biggest concern. I guess we'll find out for sure in about 11 or 12 days! Thanks for all the well wishes ladies! right back at you

 

[BrandiCanucks]

Love the pic, Luna! So adorable!

 

[BrandiCanucks]

Okay, if you spent $300 on seasons passes for yourself and your kids for the summer to a theme park, would you wait until you've gotten to use them before you start to try?

My surgery is in March, and I have to wait a few weeks before starting to try anyway. I wanted to start in May, but if I got pregnant right away like I did last time, then $300 goes to waste.

 

[Mummylou23]

hi girls well ive got cross hairs thi morning saying ov was weds i had a very high temp on cd 14 but it wasnt taken at right time as far as i remember it was late mornin so i took it out as with it it wasnt showing ov or anything. anyway i did a opk yesterday afternoon and test line was light with only a tiny bit of dark to side but control was was super strong ive never had any luck with them tests and plus they say temps are best way to know. this morning i got some pinky stuffi n my creamy cm is that normal at 4dpo??

 

[mizcee18]

good morning ladies! i have a couple questions for ya.....

when does your temp go up if you are preg? this temp charting is very confusing to me, not confusing, but im just questioning everytime i do it, wether i did it right? is it the right temp if ive woken up and been up for a lil bit, but havnt stood up? i read it was invalid if i got up within 3 hours to pee. so of couse thats happened almost every day just to screw me up. lol

also what is the earliest dpo you can test? i guess it depends on the test, but ugh this waiting is killing me, and also im trying to hold off n extra couple days to test just because, this being my first month using opks, charting n all that, i dont feel like i really know my body and im not exactly sure when i o'd being i got a couple faint lines every other day. we insem'd for 9 days straight so im hoping we got it within one of those days.

 

[jury3]

good morning ladies! i have a couple questions for ya.....

when does your temp go up if you are preg? this temp charting is very confusing to me, not confusing, but im just questioning everytime i do it, wether i did it right? is it the right temp if ive woken up and been up for a lil bit, but havnt stood up? i read it was invalid if i got up within 3 hours to pee. so of couse thats happened almost every day just to screw me up. lol

also what is the earliest dpo you can test? i guess it depends on the test, but ugh this waiting is killing me, and also im trying to hold off n extra couple days to test just because, this being my first month using opks, charting n all that, i dont feel like i really know my body and im not exactly sure when i o'd being i got a couple faint lines every other day. we insem'd for 9 days straight so im hoping we got it within one of those days.

I don't think your temp actually goes up if you're pregnant, it just stays up. Basically, when you temp for the entire cycle, temps will be lower before you O. Mine are usually below 97.5/97.6. Then, the day after you O, your temp usually starts going up or jumps up and stays that way until AF. Mine drops the day before AF. If you are preggo, your temp doesn't drop (with the exception of a dip on the day of implantation for some women).
It's best to take your temp around the same time each morning and to have had at least 4 hours of sleep. I can tell that my temps aren't as sporadic if I keep a steady bedtime and temp time. I think it's easier to tell what's going on with your cycle when you've done it for a few months. Are you using any kind of program or just doing it on your own? I started using an app (FertillityFriend) because it was just easier for me to track that way.

I think some people test as early as 7 or 8 DPO, but they say it's better to wait until you expect AF. I think it's more common to get a BFP around 11 or 12 DPO. I expect AF on 13 or 14 DPO, so I will try to wait to test at least until 11 or 12. Do you know when you AF can be expected?

 

[BrandiCanucks]

I never got a BFP before 11dpo.

 

[mizcee18]

I don't think your temp actually goes up if you're pregnant, it just stays up. Basically, when you temp for the entire cycle, temps will be lower before you O. Mine are usually below 97.5/97.6. Then, the day after you O, your temp usually starts going up or jumps up and stays that way until AF. Mine drops the day before AF. If you are preggo, your temp doesn't drop (with the exception of a dip on the day of implantation for some women).
It's best to take your temp around the same time each morning and to have had at least 4 hours of sleep. I can tell that my temps aren't as sporadic if I keep a steady bedtime and temp time. I think it's easier to tell what's going on with your cycle when you've done it for a few months. Are you using any kind of program or just doing it on your own? I started using an app (FertillityFriend) because it was just easier for me to track that way.

I think some people test as early as 7 or 8 DPO, but they say it's better to wait until you expect AF. I think it's more common to get a BFP around 11 or 12 DPO. I expect AF on 13 or 14 DPO, so I will try to wait to test at least until 11 or 12. Do you know when you AF can be expected?

im using the FF app too, my af is due arnd the 26th-28th. thanks for all the info! im looking forward to being able to understand my cycle more.

 

[jury3]

mizcee18 - It definitely helps! At first I would get really overwhelmed and confused, but now I can see patterns that happen each cycle. I don't trust FF 100%, I don't think it's an exact science. I have learned to trust my body and the signals it's giving me. It might seem obsessive, but I track temps, mucus, OPK, and I use a speculum to look at my cervix (I can't reach it with my fingers, I have short fingers!). Personally it makes me feel better to have more info.
Based on past cycles, if I'm not preggo, then I should have spotting starting on the 30th or 31st and get AF 31st or 1st. I will probably start testing the 29th or 30th. So I will be right behind you!

For those of you who have been doing this for a while, is it normal to have light cramping around insems and after? I was pretty crampy the day I got my smiley and then it's been light crampiness since then. I'm not 2DPO. Just curious if anyone else has experienced this.

 

[c.30]

good morning ladies! i have a couple questions for ya.....

when does your temp go up if you are preg? this temp charting is very confusing to me, not confusing, but im just questioning everytime i do it, wether i did it right? is it the right temp if ive woken up and been up for a lil bit, but havnt stood up? i read it was invalid if i got up within 3 hours to pee. so of couse thats happened almost every day just to screw me up. lol

also what is the earliest dpo you can test? i guess it depends on the test, but ugh this waiting is killing me, and also im trying to hold off n extra couple days to test just because, this being my first month using opks, charting n all that, i dont feel like i really know my body and im not exactly sure when i o'd being i got a couple faint lines every other day. we insem'd for 9 days straight so im hoping we got it within one of those days.

Try to take your temp on waking, as in the first thing you do. And that 'going for a pee disrupting your sleep' can be annoying, but as jury sas, it's about trying to see a pattern emerging month after month of using FF. My temps weren't the most reliable but most months they did show a pattern of a dip before ov and then the rise for testing, in the end, after 11 months (15 since I started) I used to wait for AF to show. Seeing that single line every month can be HARD!

GL and to you all

 

[c.30]

Jury, I often experienced AF like pain around insem/ov time, I also, most months felt ov pain from left or right ovary. I remember one month experiencing cramping from ovulation right up until AF arrived and while she was here, that was annoying!

 

[LunaBean]

I found charting soo helpful too! My charts would have been helpful to look at, but I didnt sign in since I got pregnant, and it wiped my chart history Had some lovely crosshairs etc!!

I always test around 8dpo cus Im impatient..earliest I for a bfp was veryyyy faint at 7dpo..with Noah it was clear at 9dpo!

I'm still up at 4.30am for noahs night feed..so Ive been taking it then, cus he's up again at 7am, and I dont sleep enough inbetween to take it at 7!

 

[wantnum2]

WANTNUM2 CONGRATS!!! Wishing you a H&H 9 mos Hun!


CRISTYNSHELL GL FXD! Welcome! for your journey!


BRANDI YAY for booking and planning insems!!!


NIM YAY! as though lines continue to get darker! Excited and will be thinking of you on Friday for that early scan Hun! I know the anxiety you are feeling....


TICKING the suspense.... updates???


LESBIANMYSTIQ and HP123 I hope that my processes can be of some help. And yes, we are all different, I have used more than one method. We have used IUI and we have used frozen shipped sperm. I go into much greater detail in my journal, feel free to read in there and take whatever information and links that you want. Although the journey has been rather long, the journal doesn't reflect that length at all. I will ask LESBIANM this, I understand that you are using OPKs, but how do you know for certain you are OVg? OPKs only indicate the OV surge, which is indication that you MAY OV within the following 12-36 hours. Are you also using temping, an U/S by doc? OV pains, CM and CP are not enough to know alone. I used the CBFM, which was used with inserting sticks into the monitor (they are pricey but I purchased mine on eBay for much less) this monitor was recommended by the FS that we use. We also used OPKs and internet cheapies at the same time and let me tell you, they often did not agree. The temps however 9 out of 10 times matched the monitor results and for a period of time I was also receiving monitoring and U/S by our doc that also matched the monitor 9/10 times. I am something of a statistics person so I believe in doing all the things and letting the majority rule That being said, the doc informed us that during an IUI we insem the morning after a + on the OPKs, and the following day. However, when insem naturally or using at home method, he said that the best was to do 2-OV, 1-OV, OV and OV-1.... Those are the best days because of the travel the sperm have to do. You only need one. Also to note is that your vaginal fluid could be rather hostile which would make it a little more difficult for the swimmers.

I would be elevated pretty high in the docs office for 15 mins after IUI (they get placed further up) but at home I would elevate for 30 minutes. This is AFTER I inserted the softcup immediately after removing the syringe. I have also gotten a BFP by transferring the swimmers directly to the softcup and inserting. I have gotten an Org right after and at times, not done that. I have gotten preg 4 times, we have a beautiful DD, 2 MCs (various stages/reasons, none related to the method of insem) and now this preg. Because I have never just insem'd one time, I cannot pinpoint actual fertilization, I can say that 2 of times, I only had 2 donations, one time, this time, on the actual day of OV! Again, I have written in depth, TMI, pics, links, etc on my journal and I think you can get more info as well as the daily tracking, vits, items, etc that I used. I don't mind stalkers at all so stop by.... I hope I helped some, and I am positive that with the experience of the other ladies here, you can get some great info that will work for you. NIM and LUNA were some people that I followed when I joined the site and DW and I had already been trying by then for about a year so, take in anything, try everything, and you will see a BFP no doubt!GL FXD!

Many thanks!!!

 

[LesbianMystiq]

I'm so excited, I'm officially beginning my 3rd ttc cycle...CD1!!!

 

[dodgegirl]

I'm so excited, I'm officially beginning my 3rd ttc cycle...CD1!!!

Never heard someone be so excited about CD1 !! haha ! I'm happy for you

What way are you going to do at home insem?

 

[LesbianMystiq]

I'm so excited, I'm officially beginning my 3rd ttc cycle...CD1!!!

Never heard someone be so excited about CD1 !! haha ! I'm happy for you

What way are you going to do at home insem?

Haha! I know my excitement is strange but I'm happy to start trying again.

Considering I'm using frozen sperm from a cryobank, I plan on doing 3 inseminations: O-2, O-1, and O. For each insemination I will definitely use preseed (just to ensure there isn't a hostile environment) and instead cups.

• 
  On O-2, I'll do sperm into syringe, Big O, lay on my back for 30 minutes, then instead cup.

• 
  On O-1, I'll do sperm directly into instead cup, Big O, then lay on my stomach for 30 minutes.

• 
  On O, I'll do sperm directly into instead cup, Big O, then lay on my back for 30 minutes.

I'm choosing to lay on my stomach one of those days because I have a tilted uterus and have read that laying on your stomach may help the navigate into/up your cervix better.

How are things with you?

 

[jury3]

I'm so excited, I'm officially beginning my 3rd ttc cycle...CD1!!!

Never heard someone be so excited about CD1 !! haha ! I'm happy for you

What way are you going to do at home insem?

Haha! I know my excitement is strange but I'm happy to start trying again.

Considering I'm using frozen sperm from a cryobank, I plan on doing 3 inseminations: O-2, O-1, and O. For each insemination I will definitely use preseed (just to ensure there isn't a hostile environment) and instead cups.

• 
  On O-2, I'll do sperm into syringe, Big O, lay on my back for 30 minutes, then instead cup.

• 
  On O-1, I'll do sperm directly into instead cup, Big O, then lay on my stomach for 30 minutes.

• 
  On O, I'll do sperm directly into instead cup, Big O, then lay on my back for 30 minutes.

I'm choosing to lay on my stomach one of those days because I have a tilted uterus and have read that laying on your stomach may help the navigate into/up your cervix better.

How are things with you?

Haha, I don't blame you for being excited! I'm 4DPO today and just waiting to at least be able to test. If I don't get BFP this cycle, then I'll just be excited to start the next cycle so we can try again!
The book that I have, "The New Essential Guide to Lesbian Conception" (good read for anyone TTC, especially if it's not the "normal" way) suggests laying on your back for 20-30 minutes, then rotating to right for 20-30, left for 20-30 and stomach for 20-30. So, that's what I've been doing. I've been told I have a titled uterus also, so I figure it can't hurt to get it nice and coated! GL!