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

[EpdTTC]

Sandy-
I did a couple of rounds of Clomid. The first round was 50 mg. I had 4-5 dominant follicles on that dose and got pregnant (with trigger shot, and IUI with fresh known donor sperm) that cycle (ended in mc). Because I responded so well (almost too well), the next time my Dr only prescribed 25 mg. I got pregnant (again, with IUI with fresh donor sperm and trigger shot) that cycle as well (also ended in mc). Both times I used Clomid, I think that my cycles after wards were actually shorter. I used to ovulate on CD 18, with Clomid it was usually on CD 14. On the cycles following the Clomid, I usually ovulated on CD 15 or 16. My cycles used to be about 32 days (with a couple of days of spotting before AF's big arrival). After Clomid or with Clomid, I think they were more like 29 or 30 days.

In June, My OH and I did at-home inseminations with fresh known donor sperm, no IUI and no Clomid. I got a BFP. I think I got a +OPK on cycle day 16 and ovulated on CD 17. I'm hoping this one is mine to keep (this is the furthest I have ever gotten and things look good so far). Sometimes, I can't help but wonder if the Clomid contributed to my miscarriages. I don't think I really needed it and I wonder if it thinned out the lining of my uterus. With Clomid, I had bright red implantation bleeding and miscarried very quickly (usually started seeing a drop in Hcg or progesterone within a week after BFP). I certainly don't mean to scare you-I know Clomid has been very successful for many women, I just don't think it was for me.

I think Clomid made my cycles shorter, not longer but I have heard other women say just the opposite. I think the important part is that it can change the length of your cycle. Also, don't assume that you would get a positive HPT at 15 dpo. With my second pregnancy, my hcg was only 20 at 14 dpo and was not showing up on an HPT yet.

Good Luck to you!
Erin

 

[Nimyra]

Baby on the way!

 

[doglover888]

I don't think the clomid is for me either. I wish I hadn't even taken this cycle. I am not taking anymore of it. I wonder how long it takes my lining to get back to normal. I wonder if I can try next month. But I don't want to do it too soon and my lining still be too thin. Does anyone know???

BTW Erin, congrats on your pregnancy! I hope this one sticks! How far along are you?

 

[EpdTTC]

Sandy
I think Dr's would argue that Clomid contributes to miscarriage but I think they do tell you that it can thin the lining of the uterus. Can being the operative word. I would guess that the lining of your uterus would be back to its normal with the next cycle without Clomid but that is just my guess. How many cycles did you ttc before starting the Clomid? In retrospect, I just think I was quick to want to try anything that would improve my chances but turns out, I didn't really need the clomid.

I am 7 weeks and 3 days today. With my previous miscarriages, I got bad news almost immediately via blood work, within a week of getting BFP, that indicated the pregnancy was not going to make it. I never got far enough to even see anything on an ultrasound. So I am hoping that this time things are different entirely since bloods have looked great and I have seen the heart beat three times now. I have another scan on Friday. I had a little bit of a scare this past weekend as I had some bleeding but it turns out I have a polyp on my cervix! I guess it is fairly common in pregnancy and is caused from the increase in estrogen. I hate seeing the blood as it freaks me out but at least I know the cause and that there is no blood in the uterus or anything and baby is ok.

I think the thing that is most exciting about this pregnancy, well at least one thing anyway, is that my OH and I did it ourselves! No IUI, just two people in love making a baby.

Big big hugs to Emily and congrats on the birth of baby Maya!

Erin

 

[LunaBean]

Sometimes, I can't help but wonder if the Clomid contributed to my miscarriages. I don't think I really needed it and I wonder if it thinned out the lining of my uterus.

Although I was using soy isoflovines rather than clomid, the effect is still the same..and I do wonder if thats what's causing my miscarriages too...or at least contributing..because every loss Ive had, apart from the last..my lining has been extremly thin when I was scanned while miscarrying..last time is was almost 2cm tho..and I hadn't been taking my soy cus I dont know the donor would be free that month..and even tho I still miscarried..this one held on longest and I got positives on Clearblue Digis for the first time ever...so maybe the soy is making my lining too thin to sustain the pregnancy? This is my last cycle using it..so we'll see!!

 

[topazicatzbet]

congrats emily.

 

[EpdTTC]

Here is another website that has sperm donors: https://www.gayfamilyoptions.com/list/19

I actually talked to a couple of guys from this site about a year ago before I found my donor. They were in CA though and I am in OH so that would have been tough. For some reason, I think these guys seem less sketchy, maybe because they are mostly gay men wanting to help lesbians-they know it will be AI and since they are gay, they aren't creepy and trying for NI.

 

[doglover888]

Yeah, I saw one ad that said 35 yo married man with 3 kids would donate AI but prefer NI. Yeah, I bet he would. Sounds like he's just looking for some extra marital sex to me. Well, the nurse called me today with my blood test results. Surprise, i'm Not pregnant. I told her that. I really think the clomid hurt my chances thinning things out. I am also afraid that next month it will still be too thin, so I'm scared I'd be wasting my money to try. I have to wait til my next period and they r going to check my ovarian reserve.

 

[Nimyra]

Hi girls! Thanks for the good wishes. I am still at the hospital, leaving tomorrow evening. My sister is here as of noon today helping me out and has been a godsend. I'm feeling more confident that I won't accidentally hurt my baby. Maya came early, but is very healthy and a whopping 7lbs, 1oz. She is super precious with squinty eyes, pink cubby cheeks, and a full head of brown hair. We're dealing with some feeding issues (she isn't much of a sucker), but hopefully things will work out better once my milk comes in.

Much love and baby dust to you all. Thank you for all the support - and for letting me hang around even after getting pregnant.

 

[topazicatzbet]

im sure she will get the hang of sucking soon, its prob cos she was that bit early.

she is a good weight callum was 7lb4oz at full term.

 

[RubyRainbows]

Yaayyy! Baby Maya has arrived! Congrats Emily!!!!!!! Our 1st baby on this thread, i believe -- right?? She can be our little cheerleader! Hope we have many more babies to come!

Erin -- your little one will be next, i think?? Glad you & little bean are doing wonderfully!!!!!! Such awesome news!

Lizzie -- love the pic of you & OH -- cute couple!

Welcome to all the new posters! I see there are some in the same boat as me! :wave: I am not having any luck at all with finding a known donor. Lots of creepers to weed through!!!!!!!!! So much great advice & links from the ladies on here tho -- just have to keep searching!!!!

My OH is going to see the fertility doc, we just scheduled the appn't today. I can't believe we are back to square one! She is having a consultation with the same doc i went to see -- and then will have to go for the appnt to check the uterus/fallopian tubes -- and then be considered for clomid & IUI. We decided to start this long process since the at-home insems have not been successful & we've run out of money for donor sperm (spent about $3500.00 so far!!). Right now we are saving up for more sperm & hoping an IUI will work!!!!

Will still continue to look for a known donor tho!

I haven't been on much lately -- so heartbroken over my friend's loss last week. She arrived at the hospital for a scheduled c-section & found out the baby had passed. Her doc appn't a few days earlier had shown the baby was fine -- and her pregnancy had no complications. It was completely unexpected & devastating. My heart goes out to all angel mommies out there!

 

[topazicatzbet]

omg that is so sad

good luck finding a donor

 

[LunaBean]

Aww Tammy Im sorry to hear about your friend Hope you have some luck finding a good donor!

 

[Nimyra]

Don't forget about SnagglePat and MaybeMomSarah. We have at least 3 more babies on the way.

Tammy, I'm so sorry about your friend. I cannot imagine how devastated she must feel.

 

[snagglepat]

What horrific news about your friend. They must be devastated, as must all who know her and her family. Love and thoughts to all involved from here.

Em - huge congratulations on Maya's birth. You must be absolutely over the moon - and such a good weight too. Wishing you all the best through these early days, getting settled and established. It's such an amazing time.

Tammy, don't give up on the known donor route. There are some great guys out there - we certainly found one. We did have to weed through some quite unsavoury types to find him though. It's well worth it once your good guy materialises. We've had a total of 20 cycles of inseminations with an average of two attempts per cycle so I dread to think how much we'd have spent if we'd been using any other method. Plus I do consider it an advantage to have actually met our donor. I may not know him well or have ever seen him without his shirt off (I remember having a bizarre paranoia last pregnancy that he had really ugly knees or something that we didn't know about) but I do know he's bright and articulate, he's a good conversationalist/pleasant company and he is clearly very generous of spirit. These things are important to us too - more so than physical characteristics really.

But that's just us.

We've had a significant day. This morning we went to court for the final hearing of DP's adoption of Ember. It was very short and sweet, everything in order, and then the magistrates posed for photos with us and gave us a bouquet of flowers! We are at last completely equal, permanent parents of our child - legally (because we have been in all other ways since the day she was born). It's all done! And we won't have to do it for this baby now that the law has changed, we'll just both go straight onto the birth certificate. Phew! No more unnecessary bureaucracy for our family! Yey!

Best wishes to everyone else,

Gina. x

 

[kezza78]

Hi all,

So sorry about your friend!

Gina- are you and your partner in a civil partnership?

 

[Nimyra]

Congrats Gina! What an important milestone and so happy to hear that it wont be necessary in the future. Also welcome to the 2nd trimester!

 

[LunaBean]

Aww thats amazing snagglepat!!

 

[RubyRainbows]

Gina -- such awesome news -- congrats!!!! Babies, babies everywhere! Hope there are many more BFP's to come!

Em -- gonna go look to see if you're posted any pics of baby Maya!

 

[Nimyra]

oh, gosh, I'm so bad about uploading pics. Give me a week and I'll see what I can do.

Sadly, baby Maya had to stay at the hospital last night because she has jaundice. I'm supposed to call for an update in an hour or two and see if she can come home today. All in all it is probably for the best she had to stay because I got home and felt awful for several hours (possibly the car ride upset my body). Now I've had a couple of naps (in between pumping sessions) and the house is closer to ready for her.

We are having feeding issues and I know I'm just going to have to stay flexible about the breast feeding, like I had to be flexible with my birthplan, but it is a bit stressful. Goal for now is to pump enough to get my milk to come in and then see if baby and I can't work this out. Seriously, this is all a lot more complicated than I was expecting.

I hope I'm not hijacking this thread - you all are a major source of support for me. *hugs*