Home insemination - looking for buddies!

[Whatnext11]

Hi, I wondered if anyone else is using a home insemination method.
For myself, I am using this due to vaginismus which I haven't been able to resolve.
Would love some friends! This has felt like a long lonely process, and just starting home insemination which feels messy and complicated.
Any tips would be welcome.

[Hawse]

HI @Whatnext11 - I am in the same boat as you. Terrible vaginismus and while I was making strides on helping solve some of it, my DH and I decided to not wait any longer and go ahead with insemination to try and get pregnant. Unfortunately, due to some other health issues from endometriosis, the HI method hasn't been successful for us yet (it's been about a year). Getting frustrated and now been referred for fertility help on the NHS. My two tips, in case you haven't done them - 1) lots of lube (pre-seed) and 2) I'm not sure what inseminator you are using but the NHS pipettes we were given were terrible. Ended up getting some one-use baby syringes on Amazon and much easier to insert and use. The other thing is to make sure you keep talking to your DH. I know I felt terrible and it was all my fault we had to do it this way, and that's really unhealthy for a marriage. So with some help and talking, we are much stronger and we talk about our worries a lot more, and accept that this isn't a 'wrong' way to do it, just different than other people! GOOD LUCK! I am here if you need a buddy. :)

[firsttimemumhere]

My boyfriend and I were struggling to get pregnant so we tried home insemination as well. Long story short after a year or so trying (and him giving up smoking) I am 7 and a half months pregnant with our first. We are friends with a couple who also tried it and it worked, we used home insemination kits off of Ebay and used pre seed lubricant. I can recommend Dr Fertility website as they had all sorts of useful products/advice. Good luck xxx

[Whatnext11]

@Hawse and @firsttimemumhere thank you both so much for replying. I feel out of step with a lot of people on this journey as it's already been a number of years but in other areas I'm just learning about timing of ovulation etc as we were focused on the therapy for vaginismus.
So we have tried the home insemination method twice, and this morning I felt really rubbish as I struggled with the syringe. Hawse, thank you, I have gone online and ordered 1ml syringes. It's not the size as much as the awkward shape I really struggled with.
@Hawse we are in a similar position, felt we'd tried the therapy for many years and the grief at not having children just made it harder and harder. Also conscious there could be unknown fertility issues we don't even know about yet. I'm sorry to hear that endometriosis has set you back and really hope the clinic can help you. You are so right about keeping talking, I beat myself up a lot but OH is the best and we are a good team.
@firsttimemumhere congratulations! That is amazing and so pleased things have worked out well for you.
Can I ask you both, did you come across any alternative 'pots' for sperm collection? I was thinking something 'softer' - so when we BD, as they say here, it feels really awkward to get out the pots I have, maybe something that slides on to not interrupt the fun if you see what I mean?!!
Thank you both so much for helping me feel not so alone.

[firsttimemumhere]

The pots we got off ebay were squidgy it was quite odd. We tried to make it fun and part of our night time activities, I used a free app called glow which you could track your temp etc and work out when you were ovulating but there are loads out there. DP and I have been together 9 years and trying for about 8 naturally so it was quite a long process for us in total. Also and this sounds so rubbish to say but we did stop trying. It was just something we did rather than trying to get pregnant towards the end. You could have knocked me down with a feather when I found out I was. Took about 5 tests just to make sure. Its such a cliche but when you want something so much your body can almost decide it won't do maybe try to relax about it as well. Easier said than done I know. Xx

[Whatnext11]

@firsttimemumhere it really is lovely to hear your story, so glad that it all worked for you. Must have felt mad when you stopped trying that that was when it happened!
The squidgy pots sound like what I'm after - though struggling to search for the right thing online (all sorts of odd things came up on my search!!) - any chance you have a link? The pots I have currently are the ones in this pack, which are just big plastic pots.
A further question of you don't mind, don't seem to be getting much sperm in the pot at all, less than 1ml, should I worry?

www.amazon.co.uk/Super-Deluxe-Fertility-Kit/dp/B00DECVL68/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?s=gateway&keywords=home%20insemination%20kit&sprefix=hime%20inse&qid=1567401903&sr=8-1&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[firsttimemumhere]

Hi, I'm looking but they don't seem to have them anymore (v annoying) though those pots in the link are what we were using in the end, you may also find it easier to use a cathether (floppy one) attached to your syringe to insert the sperm. Get it right up there near the cervix. As you get used to it it does become easier, we were between 1ml and 2ml most times, then i would cuddle the pot (sounds mad) to make it more liquidy (about 5 mins usually does it) then using the syringe would get it out the pot. Sometimes DP would add a little of the pre seed lubricant to get it going once up there. Just make sure there is no air in your syringe/catheter. Xx

[Whatnext11]

#firsttimemumhere thank you for taking the time to look for those pots, not to worry, we will stick with these unless I see something better and hopefully we will get the hang of it all! Thanks for your advice, it just looked like such a small amount, I added some pre-seed to make it up to enough to syringe up. I'm reassured, so thank you x

[firsttimemumhere]

You are welcome, good luck and sending loads of baby dust xx

[tigerlily]

Hi ladies, I'm using home imsemation but were using a donor as my hubby is infertile due to cancer and kidney disease.

Were using softcup as our method. I find it much easier then a syringe. The cup holds everything where it needs to be. Donor goes into the cup then I put the cup where it needs to go. Job done.

I've been referred to hospital as I keep miscarring. Recent one last cycle. Chemical pregnancy.

Baby dust to you all x

[Hawse]

Hi ladies - husband and I decided to try and speed things up and I've made an appointment to see ABC clinic tomorrow. X fingers that the initial consult goes ok!

[Whatnext11]

@Hawse hope the clinic are helpful to you.

Feeling much better about this process now I've got the hang of it a bit more now thanks to all the tips above, though now fel like I'm going a bit crazy as for the first time there is actually a chance of getting pregnant, so feeling obsessed in just cycle 1. In 2ww now so need to try and switch off!

[missoa]

We're trying too! Id love to have someone to talk to about it. It's the fourth month of trying, it's so disheartening when I realise the last round didn't work. I'm getting weird new pains and so every month I think it's early signs of pregnancy. I've bought kits from pride angel. I'm about to go into the fertile period, the last two months I didn't get a peak reading with my clear blue test kits which spooked me, and I think I might have a short luteal phase. I'm planning to test twice a day this month as read on here you can get LH spikes in the afternoon with you'd miss if you only wee on the stick in the mornings! I'd love to know more about the syringes and whether I should use the little extender tips to get the semen closer to the cervix? I'm too scared to use them in case I injure myself! What kits do you use?

[eyesbiggerthanstomach]

@Whatnext11 I know this isn't what you are asking about but have you tried having sex using lidocaine to numb the area? I suffer from it too and it's the only thing that has worked. Luckily getting pregnant happened very quickly but I couldn't have had the sex without the lidocaine.

[Whatnext11]

@missoa, sorry been missing from this thread for a little bit. I took all your advice, the 1ml syringes were so much easier. And I got my BFP! Still in shock really, I was never convinced it would work. So be encouraged. So, we just used a pot, a 1ml syringe and some pre seed, not heard of an extender too but I think I'd check with a DR first.
@eyesbiggerthanstomach thank you, in my case that wouldn't do the trick, but glad it worked for you.
@Hawse hope the clinic were able to help
@firsttimemumhere thanks for your advice
@tigerlily hope the hospital were helpful about your MC

[firsttimemumhere]

@whatnext11 thats amazing news!! Congratulations xx