Hi there everybody-- so, it's time for me to stop lurking and actually post something...
My partner and I (living in Germany) are trying to conceive, with the help of a known donor, a friend/coworker of mine. We tried for the first time this past cycle. We used instead cups with pre-seed lube, no syringes. He did his part directly into the cup, and then we did our part: my partner inserted the lube into me, then I inserted the sperm-filled cup, then I had an orgasm and remained lying for a long time afterwards. Because of the Easter holiday, he had to travel, which meant that our timing was good, if not utterly optimal-- we did it 3 times: at 4, 2, and 1 days before my O. (which we timed with the help of an Ovacue Fertility Monitor for the first time this month, too-- the ovulation pee sticks have never worked for me.) We're currently in limbo at the end of the first 2ww. (Wow, I never thought the torture of waiting would be this extreme.)
I am due for my period today or tomorrow, but I have nothing yet, not even light spotting. I've tested with the super-cheap internet HPTs, but everything is still negative... and I'm getting really down. (I would have thought at day 27, O+14, I'd have seen a positive or gotten my period by now.
My cycles are usually 27 or 27.5 days, once as short as 26, and a couple of times as long as 28, within the past year. (I've been charting since early last summer, although we just started trying.)
The negative tests have gotten me down, and I touched my cervix with a finger yesterday and swear i saw a slight spot of pink, but then NOTHING at all except some creamy mucous after that touch showed up. And nothing more today-- just a little creamy mucous. (The bit of light pink totally freaked me out-- and now i'm convinced i'm not pregnant, although perhaps I still could be.)
Question #1 is: did we even do this properly??
Nothing seemed to spill... but how on earth do we know if the sperm actually got through my cervix? Should we have used a syringe?
I did orgasm afterwards, all 3 times. We left the cup in overnight, (went to sleep for the night afterwards the first two times, the last time it was in the morning, and I lay down for a couple of hours afterwards, and wore the instead cup the rest of the day.) But should we have used a syringe first, and inserted the cup later?
Another source of confusion: I am taking progesterone cream-- i did that for the first time this cycle, small doses, starting 3 days after ovulation. And I have been totally convinced that I'm pregnant, but I don't know if my symptoms might actually all just be from the cream.
As soon as a day after our last insemination, I could swear that I felt odd things I've never felt before- middle and lower backache, sore breasts (which we both think are larger!), frequent peeing. AFter 5-6 days I also had constipation, occasional twinges in my abdomen (primarily on the left), and I have had massive indigestion (burping, huge and really frequently!), have been really gassy (sorry if TMI), and also sometimes nausea-- never throwing up, but very real and I swear it's not imaginary. I've also been really sleepy-- on a couple of days I ended up taking long naps, quite unintentionally!
So question #2 is: does anybody know about progesterone cream mimicking pregnancy symptoms, or extending your cycle? I don't know if i should stop the cream or not... if i quit, i might miscarry if i'm pregnant. if i don't quit, if i'm not pregnant, maybe i'll never get my period, or screw up my cycle? argh.
My reasoning for the progesterone cream, if you want to know: I do have a shorter cycle and I'm 35, and my periods are light, so I've been afraid that I may have low progesterone. So I wanted to do my best to make sure that if i conceive, it would stick-- I've read many places that the cream can't hurt, and using a little bit, after ovulation only, could help avert early miscarriage. That's how I've used it-- lightly, only after ovulation.
So now, with all the negative tests, I have no idea whether or not I might actually be pregnant. And since this is my first cycle-- we're going a little nuts here
Any advice? I'd love to hear from other couple using the instead cup method at home, or advice on how we should be best doing it. And if anybody has insights into the symptoms and/or the cream, and whether or not I might still be pregnant at this point, without a positive test-- i'd be most grateful!!
Thanks for the help! we are feeling a little alone on this, especially since we're not talking to our friends about the fact that we're trying...a friendly voice would be so welcome...
good luck to you 
xx
xx
My Partner and I have just completed our first at home AI. I was always the one that was supposed to carry but 2 years ago I had to have brain surgery and was dianosed with a condition that prevents me from safely having kids. Perk of being gay....it's not like it can happen on accident. 
My partner offered to carry to the shock of myself, friends and family. I can't stop reading, researching, and asking her if her boobs hurt or she has to pee. LOL!! She said if I ask one more time if she took her folic acid she was going to loose it. 
I love heraing all of your stories. AF should be here around the 16th. Meanwhile I will climb the walls. Baby dust to all!!!! 
