TTC 1 - 1st cycle - new to BabyandBump

[ikaria]

Hi guys! Mind if I join you? I'm not entirely new to this site, but I'm new to TTC... This will be my first cycle and I'm kind of nervous about it

Anyway, since I love questionnaires...

Current CD: CD 9
Test Date: 2nd of August probably
What are you doing to help boost your chances: I'm using FF and taking my BBT every day. I'm taking prenatals, vitamin D, omega 3, beta complex, and coenzyme Q10, daily. About nine months ago I started doing yoga regulary (4-5 times a week). Four months ago I stopped eating refined sugar. Three months ago I stopped drinking all alcohol.
What random thing are you looking forward to/want to happen with your future child: I'm really looking forward to seeing their tiny baby feet. And smelling the new baby smell
What not pregnancy related thing are you doing to keep your mind happy? Yoga!
Any other news? We're in the process of finishing our new home renovations... Need to pick a kitchen in the next few weeks! And doors!

 

[Nima]

Hi you all! Mind if I join?
I am pretty new here (2nd cycle TTC) and was so delighted to find this new thread were there are also fellow artificial inseminators !!

I am on CD 19 right now, using pretty much everything I can... I have the AVA bracelet to BBT since my sleeping cycles are frequently changing (working shifts), OPKs, CM, using 2 apps: clue and flo. I am starting to feel now a bit more confident about tracking, but timing inseminations with our donor is pretty stressful anyway.
I am trying to take this cycle easy, in order to do that I do sport, dance and swim in the river. Plus work helps to keep my mind off of it...

Hope to hear good news from you soon!

 

[AlliCat08]

Hi ladies! Welcome! I feel like dealing with this is easier when you have people to talk to who understand how you're feeling.

Ikaria, I've always wanted to try yoga but I have the balance and flexibility of a new born giraffe haha. Good for you on getting so healthy! Ive been getting better at taking my vitamins and I'm trying to cut down on caffeine.

Nima, I know what you mean about having someone to talk to about AI. Its both better and worse for me since its hubby's sperm we are using. Better because obviously he's "on tap" but worse because I feel like people are wondering why we aren't doing it the "normal way" I'm sorry its been stressful with your donor? Is someone you already knew? How do you do your insems? Rain had mentioned using the cup and I was wondering if you had more info about it.

As for me, I'll probably break and start testing soon but I have very little faith this will be our month. I haven't been symptom spotting at all but, hope springs eternal. My official testing date is Sunday the 22nd

 

[Nima]

Ikaria you really sound very healthy hope your first cycle won't be too stressful and that you won't need a second one!

Oh Alli, I haven't thought of it this way, I can really imagine it's stressful for you and hubby, feeling you have to explain why and how. It's none of other people's business but it doesn't make it easier. I hope in 4 days you get a beautiful BFP and the how will seem so unimportant.
About the cup method: I've been reading the whole internet... including sceintific articles (not very good ones, though). We are using fresh sperm that our donor donates into a cup. Then we use a round, 5ml syringe to inject it (veeery slowly) into my body. There are some good videos about this method in a website called Mosie Baby, where they also sell a special syringe for that purpose.
The chances of concieving aren't significantly lower than the natural way.

I wrote so much.. sorry. As for you questions: our donor is a friend of a friend, it's only stressful because he lives 2 hours away and we both work shifts so it's hard to organise. Other than that he is pretty perfect...

Fingers crossed for you!

 

[AlliCat08]

Most month's I get obsessed with POAS and start trying around 7 DPO but I haven't tested a all this month. Tomorrow I'll take my first test with FMU so we'll see!

I do get a little irritated at hubs sometimes because he wants a baby but isn't super interested in helping me make one? I'll be like "ok, we agreed today was an insem day. Please go love a cup " and he'll go "but I'm sleepy...." Like, ok. But we had agreed it was an insem day earlier? I just get cranky sometimes because I do all the tracking and pick the dates for insem and he is just meh about ya know, actually insemming.

I've heard of the Mosie! I wanted to buy one but its like $80 for a needless syringe. I think we got ours from Walgreens for $5. We let it rest for 15 before and after pressing the plunger and try to do it right before we go to sleep so no umm... spillage lol.

I'm glad you found such a perfect donor! Do you OPK it so you know when to meet up? I feel like I haven't gotten OPKs to work for me but it may be because my work schedule is all over the place, I never take them at the same time. Is donor going to be an "uncle" to the LO or step back completely? Sorry for so many questions. Hubby and I have agreed that if it doesn't work using his baby juice we might look into a donor...

In other news, I just saw a Pampers commercial with super cute babies and a Walmart commercial about sweet dads back to back and now I might cry... lol.

 

[Nima]

How are you all? Ikaria? Rainbobby?

Alli did you test? How are you?
Hope you got beautiful 2 lines and are celebrating right now...
You made me LOL with your description, although I really imagine it can be so annoying to do all the charting and planning and then he's feeing tired... I am sorry it is like this for you right now.

Our donor wants to know where we are and to see us once in a while, and is totally willing to be contacted if/when our child wants that, but he doesn't want to be a father and not even an active uncle. I am not sure he'll feel the same once the LO is really here. But the good thing is we are really ready for both options with no clear preference. I would love him to be involved, and it also great if he won't be. We don't need him to be part of our family, but he is invited.

I use OPKs but I also feel it's hard with work times and with not drinking water 4 hours before. I commute so I found the best methos for me is to stop drinking water like 1-2 hours before I leave work and then pee only when I come home, which is 3-4 hours later. It works for me but it is stressful somehow.
If our donor were around I would have just do insems every other day in the fertile week and not stress so much about when ovulation happened, but 2x2 hours by train is long, especially if it's on a work-day...
Oh and about the Mosie: we bought one and we re-use it (after washing with soap) although they are supposed to be one-time use. I figure the real thing is also not medically sterilized... I work in a hospital and I kind of wanted to have a separate kind of syringe for making my child, not the kind I use with patients, a bit weird but it feels different to me.

Fingers crossed for you!

 

[AlliCat08]

Blaaaaah. No double lines here.... the witch came to visit me yesterday in the middle of a double shift... when I had no gear on me. Of course.

Hubs and I are probably going to try to insem every other day this cycle. Starting the day after period until the end of our FW. I also picked up a basal thermometer at Target. That will be my new commitment this month. We'll see.

That's nice that your donor is open to this experience and figuring it out together. Who are you going to co-parent with? I love that if he decides he wants to be involved, your family will expand by 2, not just 1!

When do you test? You're CD 25ish now right? How long is your average cycle? I hope you get your double lines! We have to promise that whoever gets their positive first has to come back and rub the others with baby dust

Quick Update:
Current CD: CD 2
Test Date: 8.15
What are you doing to help boost your chances?
taking prenatals and vit D everyday, inseming as much as possible, starting bbt tracking
What random thing are you looking forward to/want to happen with your future child?
Getting to read to them and share my love of reading!
What not pregnancy related thing are you doing to keep your mind happy?
Reading and shopping for cool subscription boxes
Any other news?
I engraved a jewelry box for a customer the other day that said "Newest Ohio State Fan" and I thought of my mom and that that would be a sweet way to announce a pregnancy "Newest Carolina Panther Fan Expected XYZ" (Carolina Panthers=Football and my mom is a HUGE fan)

 

[Nima]

Uff Alli so sorry AF arrived, and in such an unfriendly timing! That's just mean.
But at least you have a few days to let go of symptom-spotting an/or ovulation-hunting, so I hope you enjoy it, maybe with a glass of wine?
My co-parent is my lovely partner, she will adopt the child as soon as she can (it takes a while around here). Our donor just sent us a text today asking how it's going and I realised I really managed not to think about testing until now. Feeling proud.

I love your idea of the updates! and it's definately a baby-dust deal with the firs BFP. Would be so cool to get it on the same month!

Sooo to the quick Update:
Current CD: CD 28 (my cycles are 30-31 on average)
Test Date: tomorrow I'll go to the gynecologist for another reason and hopefully she'll deaw some blood.
What are you doing to help boost your chances?
Planning things around ovulation like a crazy olimpic trainer... and stopped drinking coffee, almost no alcohol. I don't really know about supplements, what do you take? how did you choose?
What random thing are you looking forward to/want to happen with your future child?
Sing my favorite songs with them when they fall asleep in my arms
What not pregnancy related thing are you doing to keep your mind happy?
Hearing Audiobooks on the train to work, swimming in the cool, beautifeul river
Any other news?
My parents are coming to visit me (I am from Israel but live in Switzerland) and it would be so amazing to celebrate with them in case....

I loved your idea about telling your mom, it is sweet and bonding! I'll come and report when I have news, so great to have you here, Alli.

 

[Nima]

Cd 1...

 

[AlliCat08]

Aww I'm so sorry the red bitch showed up Nima And sorry I've been MIA. My manager went on vacation for 2 weeks and she just came back today. So today was my first day off for a while.

At least you have your partner to help support you, because trust me, I know the disappointment sucks.

Did you tell gyno that you were trying? What did she say?

I take a prenatal and like a "cycle regulator" thing. There are so many options on Amazon I just picked the one that had the most "this worked for me!" reviews I'll get the name for you in a bit.

I don't have the attention span for audiobooks but I have been reading like crazy. I'm averaging like a book a day right now cause I'm crazy hahaha

How did the visit with your family go? Do they know you're trying? My mom is so ready for a grandchild, every time we talk on the phone she opens with "Baby?" and I have to be like no, no baby. Which is nice she's excited but also hurts every time I have to tell her "no baby yet."

 

[Nima]

Hi Alli! Now it's my turn to apologize for being so slow in replying.. I've had a pretty crazy week at work and then also not at work.. Turns out aour donor has an STD... nothing serious but he had to take antibiotics and I had to go and get tested (no results yet), which also means we had to skip this month and not try, which is the worst part for me.
But now I kind of managed to be in peace with it and just enjoy my life as it is for two more months (next month I'm visiting home so won't be able to try either).
I really know what you mean with your mom, it's such a difficult situation with them being so excited. My mom always asks and then she tries not sounding dissappointed..
The gynecologist said practically nothing about me trying, but she was nice and professional.
Where are you in your cycle now? I lost track a bit. My fingers are crossed for you and hope you are well.

 

[AlliCat08]

I'm on CD 5 now I think. I don't even know. I'm just tired and bleh on life, the universe, and everything haha. We'll still work on insemming this month but I'm about out of hope and motivation. I'll be better soon though.


I'm so sorry to hear about your donor had an STD! Thankfully its something antibiotics can fix but I hope you didn't get it! Are you excited about headed home? When was the last time you visited?

 

[Nima]

Dear Alli, how are you now? It has been a while, sounds like we both had quite a challenging time, on different ends of the globe... I hope you are doing better.
I am taking antibiotics now, turns out I did catch smth from our beloved donor... Well I guess it's a risk that comes with having a known donor instead of using a sperm bank. I am really looking forward to trying again, it somehow seems so far away right now, like it will never happen for me.
I send you a hug and hope it is your lucky month