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Conception

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Self insemination - Any success stories?!

968 replies

TurkeyBasterHopeItWorks · 15/01/2020 18:47

Hi everyone,

I have NC'd for this to save our blushes!
DH and I have just had our first round of IVF which was sadly unsuccessful after an early miscarriage.
We have 2 frozen embryos but we would like to TTC naturally for the next 6 month's first in the hope the IVF hormones might help boost our chances.
DH has always struggled to ejaculate inside me when DTD. Therefore we have decided to try self insemination in the hope it will take away some of the stress.

I would love to hear any success stories.

Also which insemination kit did you buy?

Has anyone tried a soft cup / Ferti Lily conception cup after inserting the syringe to help things along?

Thanks everyone!

OP posts:
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primrosechill · 22/09/2020 07:36

Anyone else feel like surely statistically we should have some good news on here soon?! So tired of all of us reporting BFNs all the time... Come on ovaries, you can do this!

primrosechill · 22/09/2020 07:05

@LAG1986 sorry about your news - take care of yourself!

I’m either 10 or 11 DPO today and just got my BFN. Was really hopeful this cycle, it sucks. Onto the next one... at least I get to have a few cocktails on my holiday in the next two weeks hey. Roll on saturday so I can put my out of office on - really exhausted by this year...

Carol1980 · 22/09/2020 00:53

@LAG1986 I'm so sorry to hear about your Geandmother x it's going to be hard but eventually you start to feel a bit more normal x sending lots of love x

@Busybee93 embolisms are only if you inject air in to your veins.....think of fanny farts ( sorry tmi) but air gets up the whoha all the time x don't worry about air bubbles in SI xx

LAG1986 · 21/09/2020 23:39

Hi ladies. Sadly I lost my grandmother last week. So although it was my peak week to try, for obvious reasons this wasnt possible. We managed one of the days. Fingers crossed grandma may send us our baby.

Hope you're all doing well. Any ideas on when your cervix changes and how for af arriving? X

Busybee93 · 21/09/2020 23:02

Good luck to everyone Inseminating this week and/or are in their TWW!
I started my insemming today and am petrified that I allowed air bubbles to stay in the syringe. .. has this happened to anyone and how did you get them out? Google has surfaced all sorts of scary stories around embolisms...

primrosechill · 21/09/2020 11:11

Hi @eloiseislost and welcome to the group! I'm either 9 or 10 DPO today, so only a couple of days ahead of you. Definitely symptom spotting though I have to say that the closer I get to forecasted AF date, the more sceptical I get - I feel like I got my hopes up this cycles, thinking my body was behaving slightly differently than usual (weird sex drive, zero breakouts even though I normally get spots a few days before my period etc.), and now i'm going to be pretty damn disappointed if all of this was in my head - which it most likely is!

@MrsKin90 did you have a nice weekend relaxing?

@bigsweetpotato sorry about the AF - she is a real witch!

@Carol1980 I'm in my hometown atm and met up with an old friend who obviously started by updating me on the fact that THREE of our mutual friends are pregnant atm. They even agreed to get pregnant at the same time so they can be mums together. Bloody hell, imagine it being that easy - just choosing a date and some girlfriends and 100% delivering on your goal... I was so jealous deep down but of course on the surface I was all smiles and congratulations. Gah.

Hope everyone else is doing well! Have a fab week x

eloiseislost · 20/09/2020 17:35

Hi everyone,

I'm new here, I decided to join because it's our 1st TTC cycle and I'm in the 2WW -it's driving me crazy! I find great comfort in reading your experiences, whether positive or negative, they make me feel less alone. Smile

My DH has DE (delayed ejaculation) so we are trying home insemination. I'm 7DPO today, no symptoms at all and no cervical mucus that I can see, so I'm not hugely optimistic. I only started taking my BBT one day before my positive OPK so not enough data to interpret yet, but I am a bit worried my temp fluctuates so much. we kind of followed SMEP and inseminated from CD8, CD10, CD12, CD13 (ovulation) and CD14 -fingers crossed it worked!

Best of luck everyone, we got this! Star

Oilyoilyoilgob · 20/09/2020 15:52

Hi @bigblueboots @bigsweetpotato @Carol1980 @LAG1986 good to hear from you all.

It’s actually fascinating about ovulation and I wish this got taught at school, along with male reproductive parts-would stop so much googling later on!
Like carol, I ovulation tested early, as soon as my period finished. I enjoy using the premom app and there’s some good info there about different types of ovulation.

Carol, really pleased that you’re feeling a bit better 😊

Big, sorry your period arrived and best of luck for this coming month 🤞🏻 Its a good idea to mute if it helps you feel happy, friends send me the odd pic of their babies on personal messenger when I’m asking how they are and that’s nice, as I feel up for seeing them and I can enjoy sharing in their excitement. It’s when you have a stream of them it’s a bit crap isn’t it?

I haven’t been on fb for around 18 months but accidentally clicked a link and the first post on my page? A friend due in Feb. I’m delighted for them both and they’ll be awesome parents, that little pang of ‘why not us’ crept in but hey ho, we’ll just keep on with our syringes and tubs.

Our bathroom cupboard looks like a science experiment as I bought 200 syringes from amazon 😂🤭

I still haven’t started yet, I’m cd35 but I’m still going to wait, I’m a very patient person! Can’t be doing with just knowing it’ll be like feb and I’ll start the day after after getting hopes up. Plus I’ve been absolutely ravenous which is a sure period sign for me 🐷

Hope everyone is having an awesome Sunday and enjoying the sunshine xx

bigsweetpotato · 20/09/2020 15:31

AF arrived today bang on time :( I really felt we had a good chance too. Onto next month...

@Oilyoilyoilgob sorry to hear your story. My bf told me she was pregnant a few months ago and I did a cry too. She didn't know then that we were having issues trying (she knows now) so it was really hard to share in her excitement. Not to mention that most of my friends show on my fb and instagram with their newborns. I've had to mute a lot of them...
I go through ups and downs of being upset about how hard this journey is as well. Today is not a good day! But trying hard to stay positive and that SI will help us get there 🤞🏼

LAG1986 · 19/09/2020 21:43

Wishing you all so much luck. X

Carol1980 · 19/09/2020 16:35

Hi ladies, thankfully feeling more myself again, still little pangs if jealousy when I see the pics of my friends newborn, but hopefully it will be me soon.

Regarding the LH surge, yes you get two, one about 1 week following your period and then it's dips and rises again prior to ovulation.
That's way the clear blue advise you to check the table on the info slip which tells you which date to start testing on.
I used to be a 25 day cycle and due to this I had to test on CD6.
If you have irregular periods they suggest to start testing on CD5.

I can take a pic of it if anyone would like a guide for testing ?

bigblueboots · 19/09/2020 16:16

@Oilyoilyoilgob Thanks, I've just gone and looked this up - useful to know that if it is a two peak thing, its the second one that's that actual ovulation one. I never realised before trying that you need a PhD in biology just to work out how to get pregnant! Gin

Oilyoilyoilgob · 19/09/2020 16:05

Hello 👋🏻 @bigblueboots oh no bless them, they have no idea. When they’d asked us over the years we were honest and said not sure if we wanted kids, as at the time we didn’t (we were having a blast!) so making babies has never been really talked about. Her bf always hinted he’d be happy but she was adamant over 10+ years. That’s why the announcement was such a shock! To be fair it was for them too 😄

So we were ready to go out and they announced it with a scan picture before dinner. Their baby is here now and is absolutely gorgeous, I’m so happy for them and they’re delighted. Just in February I honestly felt so shocked and then jealous. There’s been other pregnancy announcements since then and I feel a pang but then give myself a shake and tell myself we’re properly trying now and hopefully we’ll get a positive too.

Same as everyone on here, that’s why when I log on I’m praying that my insemination friends have good news 🤞🏻

Good luck to you and your wife! I’m a month down with the strips and as predicted on my trackers, the 5/9 was as dark as the control line but only gave a reading of 0.6 so classed it as low. I could definitely see a slow build up of darkening lines so it’ll be interesting to see what happens next time (on the assumption my period arrives)

On the premom app it does show a pic of different graphs and there’s a double peak and multiple peak so it could be right for your wife’s ovulation?

Keeping my fingers crossed and sending happy positivity to you all 💚

bigblueboots · 19/09/2020 15:41

Hello @Oilyoilyoilgob, so sorry you have that experience in Feb, that must have been so gut-wrenching and especially coming completely out of the blue. Did your friends come to be more understanding in the end or is it still strained?

Fingers crossed the cramps this time are pregnancy rather than period cramps. Are you going to wait it out or test do you think?

@Carol1980 Sorry its a tough time for you as well, its definitely very understandable to be grieving for the MC and struggling with other people's newborns. Hope you have whatever you need to take good care of yourself, and lots of love around you.

I am trying to work out when DW ovulated or might still ovulate - we had a higher reading on OPK back on Monday, then it dropped, and then a higher one this morning as well – but I forgot to check the stick until a while later today, so it might be that which made it darker. Neither actually hit 'peak'. We are trying again on Sunday and then the wait begins in earnest, but who knows when the official TWW began/begins..!

Sending love and positivity all your ways!

Oilyoilyoilgob · 19/09/2020 08:48

Morning everyone.

@Carol1980 I hope you’re ok? I’ve been here since the beginning and I’m so hoping you get your positive again soon 💚

@MrsKin90 @primrosechill @Lori23TTC hello! And hello to all newbies.

I really hope everyone is well and doing ok?

We inseminated for a week straight, I was due to ovulate 5/9 according to my trackers, and my ovulation strips were the darkest on this date (first month using them).

I’m due to start my period today, I think I can feel the niggles of cramps ☹️ This Tuesday I was absolutely retching in the morning, lots of poos (tmi but who cares by this point 😂) and had to make myself sick in the afternoon after my lunch as it was sat there making me feel more sick.
Feel a bit sick today so having that glimmer of ‘what if’

Haven’t tested yet. I’ve mentioned on here that in feb I tested on cd36, negative but we still thought it could be a maybe. It’s the first time we’ve ever tested and thought it could be positive. Think I’d only ever taken a couple of tests in my life before that. That night our friends announced they were pregnant, total shock as for years they were adamant they were never having kids and it happened on the pill during antibiotic use.

It sounds awful but I was excited for them but so, so gutted. We argued and I cried for weeks.

So I’m just feeling weird right now. Sorry, that’s been an essay. I’m never unwell and never sick unless drinking. We’ve been away and I ate healthily and didn’t drink. This waiting is such a bugger. Sorry I sound a bit of a misery guts. I feel quite up and down and confused this month 😕

I’m sat here reading all your posts and just wish for all of us we get some positive, happy news 🤞🏻

Hoping you all have a lovely weekend x

MrsKin90 · 18/09/2020 08:21

@primrosechill can't believe you're 6dpo already! 😊 I think anything different to the norm could be a good sign, and I completely lost my sex drive at 3dpo so maybe horniness is a good thing?! 😂 Either way a holiday to look forward to is lovely!

@Carol1980 I'm so sorry you're feeling down. Absolutely understandable under the circumstances. It's important to let yourself feel sad and mourn when you need to, things remind us of our pain at random - I'm sure that sort of pain never fully heals no matter how much time passes. How old are you lovely? I really believe you'll have another baby, there's no reason to believe it won't happen for you.
Maybe take extra care of yourself and OH for a few days and avoid baby pictures for a little while? It's absolutely fine to avoid that stuff if you need to xx

Just so you both know I'm fine with my BFN 😊 I usually get really disappointed but I genuinely felt fine. Probably helped by knowing we were going away for a few days!! 🌅 I've only been gone one day and being away from normal life has already helped my frame of mind.

Hoping this cycle is the one for you both ♥️

Carol1980 · 17/09/2020 22:37

Hey ladies x

@MrsKin90 I'm so sorry about the bfn but I hope your pending weekend fun has taken the edge off the disappointment x

I'm feeling a bit low right now.
A good friend of mines had her baby today, the baby is gorgeous and the first pics just made me yearn for that first cuddle again with my baby girl.
It's made the MC a bit more raw feeling now.

I'm currently 2dpo and I'm praying and crossing everything that we are successful again but the plan for the worst and hope for the best mentality that I have means I'm constantly thinking that I won't be as lucky.

I don't know how I feel about the potential that given my age and the MC after 9 months of trying, that it might just never happen again and my baby girl will grow up without a sibling, and that my hubby and I won't get the chance to expand our family x part of me feels devastated about something that hasn't happened yet ....

Sorry to be such a killjoy, I think just seeing a new born has made me mourn a little more today than I have been for the Mc

Proposal2020 · 17/09/2020 13:32

@primrosechill yep, it was just as much a shock to us! I'm part of a Facebook group about home insemination and a few people do get pregnant on first try (just like people who are conceiving naturally), so we knew it wasn't impossible but still surprised, lucky and very grateful for it to work first go. I think my body has been yearning for a baby since I started my periods when I was 10 and then vaginismus hit! It's totally awful and for years and years I ignored it just hoping it would go away. I'm now 32 and during lockdown took an opportunity to do a course to help me. It got me to actually insert dilators but unfortunately I wasn't about to transition to sex successfully. I lost all my sex drive - still have - and finding out about SI really has been a game changer. Definitely realised I'm not alone which is great but it doesn't always help when people successfully overcome it and I can't seem to!

I really hope you're successful soon x

primrosechill · 17/09/2020 12:27

@MrsKin90 sorry about the BFN... just goes to show that you really know your body well - you knew all along. Sorry if somewhere deeper down you still had a glimpse of hope though - hope you get to enjoy a lovely weekend to take your mind off it. Have all the wine you can find lol

@Proposal2020 wowza FIRST try? Your ovaries were roaring to go weren't they? Hahaha. Sorry vaginismus has been a struggle for you, too - it's awful isn't it? I feel so betrayed my own body by it, but the more stories you hear, the more assured you are that you're not alone in this.

Hope everyone else is doing well. I'm 6DPO today and still feeling unusually horny for myself, but also feeling a bit under the weather - the latter is unlikely to be a symptom of anything other than just being ran down ha - I'm off on holiday from the 26th, hope I'm not going to get ill beforehand!!

MrsKin90 · 17/09/2020 11:05

Just a quick one from me to say BFN today as expected. Absolutely no idea if or when I ovulated now 😂 will be having a lovely weekend and worrying about it next week instead. Hope everyone is ok today!

Proposal2020 · 17/09/2020 07:17

I'm so sorry that my username has caused you to think I'm a troll. I can assure you I am not. I have been reading through this thread for a while but I am not really the type of person to get involved - I sit back and watch.

Vaginismus is something I have struggled with for over 15 years and is something I take seriously and after seeing a few others pop up with the condition, it made me want to share some of my story and give you some hope.

I did get inspiration from the other username, I must admit. I'm useless at coming up with names and thought hers was pretty simple! So I looked to the right of me, saw a teddy bear we named Proposal after my boyfriend proposed using it and just chucked the year on after.

I have absolutely no reason to troll; it's definitely not in my nature. I fully support the SI method and I can assure you I am pregnant and am in no way linked to Cardigan2020.

I am being 100% honest - I know I can't make you believe me, but all I can do is tell the truth.

LAG1986 · 17/09/2020 00:44

I'm so confused about the troll thing haha 😂 Maybe I'm just too trusting. And hope that their honest. Xx

MrsKin90 · 16/09/2020 21:57

@Carol1980 Ahh 1dpo! 😊 Glad you got your static smiley. I'm sure you did all you could and now I hope your tww doesn't go too slowly!
FF thinks I'm 20dpo but who knows? Maybe I didn't ovulate at all 😬
I will test in the morning but I begrudge wasting the test lol please don't be too excited. The only time I've ever been more sure I was not pregnant is when I didn't have sex at all 😂
If I get a BFN tomorrow I'm just gonna have to sit and wait for AF as zero chance based on when we last dtd which will be frustrating! It happens though 😊

Carol1980 · 16/09/2020 21:36

@MrsKin90 me neither !!

I'm so behind most of the time with updating my Ovia app !!

So how many days late are you now ?
What DPO ?

Test test test test !!!!

I'm 1DPO today I think x me wventually got the static smiley which is great, hopefully we put enough swimmers in !!

I'm proper excited for you though x

MrsKin90 · 16/09/2020 20:45

Oh I see what you mean!! But why would someone do that? 🤨
I've never understood people who troll. It's properly bizarre.

Maybe I'm too pure 😂 or just too lazy. I'm almost too lazy to give my own updates let alone making some up for shits and giggles!!

On that note.. Still no AF for me so going to have to test tomorrow as we are going for a spa and cocktails and a few days away. 😒 if it's a BFN as I'm expecting I've no idea when AF thinks she's arriving!