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

[happyh29]

i just used a syringe. haaaated soft cups

 

[jury3]

We started out using syringe only. Then I got tired of worrying about losing it, so we started using soft cups. We suck it up with a syringe and put it in the soft cup. We might just have him put it in the soft cup this month though. We've changed it up a little each month! lol

 

[Juniperjules]

Hi girls, have been reading off & on but haven't posted for a little while.

We've been using syringes, & I also leave the syringe in for about 5-10mins to act as a plug! I've just ordered instead cups last nite & might give them a shot too.. Just haven't decided whether to put OH's 'goods' directly into the cup & insert, or insert using syringe & then put softcup in to keep everything in place??? I have this picture in my mind though that the latter option could result in the softcup covering my cervix & stopping the sperm from entering if it gets trapped OUTSIDE the softcup... Does that make any sense???

I had my first FS appt a few weeks ago & spoke with the Doc about using the syringe method (bcos OH has issues finishing), & the FS said its totally fine to do this, that as far as he's concerned it's no less efficient than normal sex.. Which I guess logically I already knew, but to hear him say it makes me feel much better about it. He also actually suggested the cup method as another useful option, he said that that exact method is used in some assisted reproduction, ie the doctor fits a cup filled with sperm over the cervix. I felt very positive after I left the appt that day!

 

[JasmineAnne]

Hi everyone!

I've read quite a few pages of this thread over the past couple months and have finally built up the courage to make an account and introduce myself.

I'm Jasmine, a 22 year old lesbian from Newcastle in the UK.

I've always loved kids and have wanted them since I was little, my sister has 5 kids and I love them to bits, I see them all the time, they're very precious to me.

I was in a relationship with a woman for 4 years but it ended when I asked her about kids, she was dead certain she didn't want them, I was devastated, I tried to talk her round to the idea for a few weeks but she wouldn't change her mind so I had to end it. I couldn't stay in a relationship with someone that didn't want kids.

But the past 8 months since we split has got me thinking. What would happen if I got into a relationship with someone and loved them so much that if they didn't want kids, I would give up the idea of having kids just to be with them? And it scared me, so this is why I'm planning to use a sperm donor to hopefully concieve a baby through AI.

I mean I have a good job, have my own house, I don't drink or smoke, I live a very healthy lifestyle, I'm good with kids and have done my fair share of babysitting my sisters kids so I know exactly what to expect so why not?

For the past 2 months I've been looking on different websites for a sperm donor, I found a great one called PrideAngel. I'm meeting up with 2 donors from there in a couple weeks and was wondering what kind of things I should ask them? I have a basic list of things but is there anything specific you wanted to know about your donor?

I'm very new to this and would appreciate any help/info/tips I can get from you lovely people.

Thanks x

 

[ChaiLatte]

We are trying at-home method as DH is suffering from performance anxiety. Thanks for all the great info in this thread! I'm happy to hear most people think the conception odds are the same as regular intercourse. I wish I had known about this option previously as we had 3 wasted cycles, oh well.

Anyway we tried it for the first time in May but got BFN. A few questions:

1) how far do you push the syringe in? We only pushed it halfway since it was our first time trying it, and wondering if that's not far enough in.

2) We are using new syringes each time. But what about the collection cup? Do you sterilize and re-use, or just buy new ones for each attempt?

Thanks!

 

[amym]

Hi all - hoping for some opinions please! I am a single mum to a 2 year old boy, having split from my husband when my son was 10 weeks old. A friend has offered me donor sperm and is happy to be known as biological dad to child but not to act as dad in any other way... I am worried about how that child might feel seeing its older brother with his dad every weekend and not having any contact with its own dad... thoughts? I am so confused!

Must work out how to change signature - not posted since my son was tiny and it is rather outdated!

 

[c.30]

Hi all you new ladies, welcome

JasmineAnne, the donor I was successful with in the end was from Pride Angel, I think it's one of the better sites an important thing for me was knowing I could text the donor on the morning of a positive OPK to let him know I needed a donation that evening and he'd be ok with this....having said that, lol, with my donor, he was very busy and wasn't sure if this was possible, he'd always say 'I'm sure we'll work something out' which is why I'd hesitated having him as a donor (I'd spoken to him many times over a 12 month period, tried other donors but always came back to him, obviously meant to be ) in the end, because I knew my cycles real well by doing everything I could to track them for God knows how many months, I knew it was likely I'd ovulate on a Saturday and thankfully he could donate that day sorry I've rambled there
https://babyandbump.momtastic.com/a...-artificial-insemination-success-stories.html maybe have a read of this thread, there are suggestions from a lot of women who have been successful with this method

ChaiLatte, I used to insert the syringe fully I used fresh syringes and soft cups each time, I'm not sure if I've come across anyone who's washed or sterilised them but someone may correct me..

Amym, that may be a tough one, I think for a situation like that you do have to think long and hard about how you'd deal with it just like I had to think about how I'd deal with the no daddy issue. I think if you're prepared, if you're honest with any child and if you're there for them emotionally it can be fine. Hope that helps.

Good luck to you all.

 

[c.30]

insert using syringe & then put softcup in to keep everything in place??? I have this picture in my mind though that the latter option could result in the softcup covering my cervix & stopping the sperm from entering if it gets trapped OUTSIDE the softcup... Does that make any sense???

I did this Juniper, I'd insert the syringe, insert the goods, lol, and then leave the syringe in place for 1 hour to act as a plug. I lay on my back with my hips elevated for this hour. I had the soft cup beside me and when the hour was up I'd have the soft cup waiting so that as soon I removed the syringe I inserted the soft cup while still lying down. I very rarely had any spillage, although even if there is spillage, believe me there's enough sperm going to where they need to go (although I know, I have been there and worried about this ) and when I did have spillage it was teeny! I then washed my hands and had an orgasm.

I'm glad the FS appt went well and he backed up a lot of what's been said in this thread, that may help some people reading this

 

[JasmineAnne]

@c.30

I've just been checking that thread you recommended out now, there's some great stuff on there so thanks for that

I've written down about that availability thing, that's obviously important so I'll definitely have to bring that up when I meet with them.

I know what you mean about PrideAngel, I've been on a couple other sites and it seems like not many of the "donors" on there are genuine, I had quite a lot of them emailing me about NI when I specifically said I would only do AI.

It seemed like they were just interested in sleeping with women and not actually helping them conceive a child. PrideAngel has been great though, I have a really good gut feeling about one of the donors from there so hopefully everything works out fine.


Thanks again x

 

[JasmineAnne]

Also I see you've recently became a mum c.30. She's gorgeous! And Deanna May is such a lovely name x

 

[ticking.clock]

I think all the donors in the Newcastle area are NI

 

[JasmineAnne]

@ticking.clock

After quite a bit of searching that's what I thought too. There were some that had genuine reasons for wanting to do NI only but I could never consider that.

There's some lovely donors on PrideAngel that do AI only though. I'm meeting 2 from there in a couple weeks x

 

[ticking.clock]

I did NI, it's what I looked for and now have my stunning girl

 

[JasmineAnne]

@ticking.clock

Yeah I can see, she's beautiful! x

 

[amym]

Well, I've decided to go for it...like you say, as long as it is explained carefully an with love it will be fine, I think. Meeting my donor friend in London in a fortnight for first attempt - he is in Dundee and I am down south so I have to grab him when I can, which will be in London... We have agreed though that we will give it 6 months and if no joy then it's not meant to be. I don't want to get obsessed (so easy done - I remember TTC my son!) and end up not being there for my son...a baby would be an amazing addition to our little family but if it's just him and me then so be it... Thanks for the reply - and good luck / congratulations to everyone!

 

[c.30]

I think all the donors in the Newcastle area are NI

This made me laugh a bit for some reason glad you've found 2 AI potentials JasmineAnne

Good luck amym

 

[JasmineAnne]

Thanks c.30. One of them is really standing out for me at the minute and only lives 10 minutes away too so it would be perfect. I'm just hoping everything goes well when I meet him x

 

[ticking.clock]

Thanks c.30. One of them is really standing out for me at the minute and only lives 10 minutes away too so it would be perfect. I'm just hoping everything goes well when I meet him x

Just be careful if he lives so close as it makes it too easy for them to interfere

 

[JasmineAnne]

@ticking.clock

Yeah I realise that, that's why I haven't given him my address or told him where abouts I live and I won't be going to. I've made that totally clear to him and he seems okay with that x

 

[amym]

I feel really agitated.... I don't want to tell everyone what I'm doing (mostly in case it doesn't work) but am all excited... have told my mum and sister who are supportive but can't go on at them all the time!!

Argh!