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

[day_dreamer]

I'll be inseminating for the first time in about 4 or 5 days so not long till I get started at all. I'll be going to his house to pick up the donation then driving back and inseminating at home.

This would be ideal for me, why didn't I think of that? He might not want me at his house though :/ hmm

 

[JasmineAnne]

@day_dreamer

How do you collect your donations at the moment?

I'm not planning on actually going into the donors house, we agreed that I would just drive to his house, wait outside in the car until he had made the donation, I'd then collect it and drive straight home and inseminate.

He initially offered for me to inseminate in his guest bedroom to shorten the time that the sperm was in the cup but I chose just doing it at home as I feel I'd be more comfortable in my own surroundings.

I only live around 15 minutes away from him anyway so hopefully that's a short enough time for the sperm to stay alive x

 

[jury3]

How far is the drive? Our's is about 10 min. Sometimes I just put it in a softcup and put it in at their house, then drive home and do my thing (hips up, big O, rotate sides). Just make sure you keep it body temperature!

day_dreamer-You could always meet at a hotel room or I've even heard of people meeting in public restrooms.

 

[JasmineAnne]

It's around 15 minutes from the donors house back to mine, it can be a bit more or less depending on traffic.

I'm thinking about putting the cup between my boobs or my thighs to keep it at the right temperature during the car journey home... What do you think would be best? x

 

[jury3]

Sometimes I put it in the front of my pant lol I think between bbs or thighs probably does a better job though.

 

[JasmineAnne]

Yeah I had thought of that actually, I think I'll probably just put the cup between my boobs, they're quite big so if I wear a sports bra the cup should squeeze in nicely lol x

 

[day_dreamer]

At the moment he comes to my house, but it's ever so awkward as last time we had 20+ mins of small talk before hand *cringe* I have social anxiety so it's super stressful! Plus I have dogs that go crazy with visitors, and my OH doesn't want a donor in the house (complicated). It's only a 10-15 minute drive, and I wait that long anyway! I might ask him...it depends if his OH knows what he does, if his kids are home etc...he might not want me knowing his address...

A hotel room is the obvious alternative, but I'm trying to keep costs down lol. I've heard of the restroom/toilets thing, but that doesn't feel right to me...even if it would be convenient!

 

[JasmineAnne]

Ah right. I don't want the donor to come to my house, my donor respects that I don't want to tell him where I live or anything too personal. As he's an anonymous donor I prefer it that way.

I would definitely ask him about it if I were you, it can't hurt. With it only being a 10 to 15 minute drive it would work out perfect time wise.

I was considering meeting in a hotel room but as you said, it would cost a lot. One month wouldn't be too bad but I don't know how many months its going to take to get a bfp.

But yeah if you think it would help your social anxiety and everything else then I'd definitely ask him x

 

[oldnavygirl]

JasmineAnne -- sounds like things are coming together nicely for you!!

I wish I could say the same. I'm having a bit of a panic -- my donor, who has been really amazing so far seems to have fallen off the face of the earth. He was pretty good about keeping in contact, not daily, but at least once a week -- I haven't heard from him now in over a week and a half in spite of a few emails. I am unsure about what to do -- we didn't really like any of the back ups and I'm not looking forward to searching again. The fortunate part is we weren't looking to start until August, so if he stays missing, we still do have time to find someone. Has this ever happened to anyone before? Am I over reacting?

 

[day_dreamer]

Oh no oldnavygirl! Maybe he's been away or just busy I understand your concern though, I tend to panic if the usual pattern of contact is changed hope you hear from him soon!

 

[oldnavygirl]

Oh no oldnavygirl! Maybe he's been away or just busy I understand your concern though, I tend to panic if the usual pattern of contact is changed hope you hear from him soon!

Me too, it's been 11 days, which isn't how he has been -- I try to think that perhaps he's been tied up or something, but even still, I'd think he could send a quick email reply saying so. I'll give it a while longer and then I think we may need to start looking into a Plan B -- no one said this would be easy LOL

 

[JasmineAnne]

Hi oldnavygirl, yeah I've found a donor and I'm starting TTC this month, in just a few days

Sorry to hear about your donor, I don't think you should worry just yet though. Like day_dreamer said, he could just be really busy, on holiday or anything.

Does he know that you weren't planning to start until August?

I hope he gets in touch soon anyway x

 

[oldnavygirl]

Hi oldnavygirl, yeah I've found a donor and I'm starting TTC this month, in just a few days

Sorry to hear about your donor, I don't think you should worry just yet though. Like day_dreamer said, he could just be really busy, on holiday or anything.

Does he know that you weren't planning to start until August?

I hope he gets in touch soon anyway x

Yeah, we agreed that weeks ago -- I will give it some time and see how it pans out, it just seems odd that he seems to have disappeared when he was keeping in touch regularly. I am probably overreacting!

 

[JasmineAnne]

If he doesn't get back in touch in the next couple of weeks I would probably start looking for another donor. It's probably all fine but just in case.

I've been talking to another donor and he's happy to step in just in case it doesn't work out with my donor x

 

[oldnavygirl]

If he doesn't get back in touch in the next couple of weeks I would probably start looking for another donor. It's probably all fine but just in case.

I've been talking to another donor and he's happy to step in just in case it doesn't work out with my donor x

OK I was panicking for no reason -- phew! He was away for a few days

What was worrying me so much was that he is a great guy and I knew looking again would not be easy because I'd be comparing!

Back on track! I'm approaching CD 1 which is good so I can get a better handle on my CBFM -- although my chart thus far is pretty decent I think!

 

[JasmineAnne]

Ah so happy to hear that oldnavygirl!

I was going to get the CBFM but changed my mind at the last minute and just decided to get the ClearBlue Ovulation Tests instead. I use them morning and night starting from a few days before O.

I'm due to ovulate in 6/7 days time so me and my donor have arranged that starting from Tuesday, I'll be collecting donations once a day until ovulation. So exited!

 

[oldnavygirl]

Ah so happy to hear that oldnavygirl!

I was going to get the CBFM but changed my mind at the last minute and just decided to get the ClearBlue Ovulation Tests instead. I use them morning and night starting from a few days before O.

I'm due to ovulate in 6/7 days time so me and my donor have arranged that starting from Tuesday, I'll be collecting donations once a day until ovulation. So exited!

2 reasons why we went with the CBFM, it had good reviews, and it was free We use a few reward sites where you can get gift cards, so none of our AI stuff has cost us a much at all -- mainly shipping I've been happy with it, I have regular cycles so it's been pretty easy for me to use -- just hope it helps get a fast BFP!!

 

[JasmineAnne]

Yeah I've heard a load of good reviews about it too, that's why I was going to get it but I just felt the ClearBlue ovulation tests would be simpler to use and they really have been. My cycles are pretty regular too so I didn't want to spend too much on something that'll tell me when I'm ovulating when I pretty much already know anyway as I temp and check my cm.

Lucky you though for getting a free one! It'll definitely give you a bigger chance of getting pregnant sooner. FX for you!

I got pretty much all my AI stuff from a friend of my sisters, she got months and months worth of OPKs, sterile cups, disposable speculums, syringes etc. But she ended up getting pregnant the first cycle so she decided to give me everything she hadn't used. All I have to buy is the ClearBlue Ovulation Tests x

 

[oldnavygirl]

Hi ladies -- I am hoping someone can help me with this. I am 'practising' using my soft cups now that AF is here -- so I can get the hang of them before we start our insems in August. I didn't have a problem getting it in, although there was slight leakage so I don't think I've got the positioning down just yet.

My question is, I can do this just fine on the toilet -- but for those of you who use a syringe, then put a soft cup in afterward -- how do you do it? Do you get up? Do you do it laying down? Sorry if that seems really dumb but I have no idea if you could easily insert one if you're not sitting down.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Nimyra]

I'm curious to hear the answers as well, OldNavyGirl. I just put it in with the stuff in. A little leakage is normal and not a cause for concern.

I have no idea how to get it in after inserting the goods though... The one time I tried, I made a mess and never tried again.