Self insemination - Any success stories?!

I'm just slightly suspicious that within a couple of days we have two 'different' people claiming to have gotten pregnant using the SI method who both have a similar format to their user name....and it's the only posts that they have made using these user names ?......I'm a totally cynical and naturally suspicious person anyway but it just doesn't feel right....

@Carol1980 oh no 😱 I see the word troll all the time on Mumsnet and I can never tell!

Is it just me or is there a possible troll in our midsts ?

Hi everyone!
I'm currently 6 weeks pregnant using self insemination. It worked on our first try which we were amazed about but obviously it's still very early days.
I also suffer with vaginismus and SI has been a life saver in making my dreams come true. I'm terrified of having to explain to midwives about vaginismus and terrified of any internal exams I have to have!
Just wanted to share a little about me :)

Good luck to you all xx

@LAG1986 Everytime I wonder if I'm getting the right angle, speed, whatever - I remember how many people have conceived accidentally with terrible drunk sex, and I have a bit more hope again!

@bigblueboots dont panic. You did the best you could with your timetables etc. Keep your testing strips with date on to try work out approx ovulation time. X

Well that 30 mins seemed like 3hrs. Haha. First time trying with syringe. Fingers crossed I did it right, and fingers crossed they're swimming for glory!!! X

Hi everyone, I'm feeling a bit pessimistic this month. I've been using opks on DW's (who is going to be carrying) FMU for this whole cycle to try to spot a peak - never been able to before, and she's really irregular. But is def ovulating according to blood tests. Anyway, the apps say she's due to ovulate in 5 days but that's just an average so doesn't mean too much. LH went up on Sunday and Monday just gone, not enough to count as a surge for most people but maybe it was her peak? Its come right down again since.

We tried last night and will do again in Sunday, it's the best we could manage with donors timetable and ours. So if it was weirdly early ov, we might have caught it with last night's, otherwise just hoping for an obvious surge at the weekend or later. Even with all the tracking there's so much guessing and timings and variables that need to work together, plus then the pure luck it takes to actually conceive even if everything is right, it's hard to believe we will ever get that lucky.

Sorry to offload, any positivity welcome!

@MrsKin90 ah your so sweet 🥰 I’m glad I’ve found you all too!

I’ve beeb trying to find my cervix all week ha I keep thinking yes that’s it but I’m not sure, in past smear tests ect I’ve been told I’m quite small/tight down there so maybe I just can’t get my finger in enough I’m not sure!! Or maybe it’s just high as I’m due to ovulate around the weekend?! I can’t find a syringe without the top bit so I’ve been using my normal 1ml, any ideas where I can get one from?? Xx

@Cardigan2020 thanks so much for your tips and advise. Trying tomorrow!!! Lost the flamin' syringe so will be going to find it or buy a box of nurofen for kids hahaha. According to flo I ovulate in 3 days. So going for it in morning and the next 3-4 days. Fingers crossed xx

Aww you guys are so lush. I'm so glad I found you all!! 🥰

@primrosechill I'm so sorry you've had that news. I can't imagine how your OH feels. Big hugs to you both! I hope you don't need IUI but at least it is a valid option for you, and it's a good opportunity to have a really deep nap if they have to put you to sleep?? 😊 You need to do something lovely for yourselves. I hope your randy feelings are a symptom!

I hope everyone is okay!! I can't seem to retain the posts people have made as it has all made me a bit emotional!

I've got lots of back pain and tummy cramps and loads of heartburn today as well as being an emotional loon. I've been monitoring my RHR on Fitbit which has come allllll the way down as it does for AF so I've not bothered testing again. Defo will test if no AF by Thursday but I'd be shocked if it didn't come in time for my holiday.

TTC is so weird and crazy sometimes 😂 is my cervix weird or is my nose?! Mine definitely doesn't feel like my nose but I'm not sure which one of them is in the wrong!!

@primrosechill I've heard Vitamin D and C can help with morphology? Not sure how true that is but it can't hurt right?!

I'm about a week away from my fertile week! This will be my second month TTC this way. I had to have a break a few months ago because of health / and also found out my MMR vaccinations had worn off so had them redone which means you can't try and conceive for the 28 days between both doses which was a pain! Trying to remain calm though and not spend hours on end in forums or researching stuff online. Developing serious health anxiety with dr google!

@Cardigan2020 thanks for the tips re the cervix! I had a feel last night, kinda weird but it did feel like a nose!! I'm going to try and keep a record of where it is!

P.s. The 2 week wait is awful isn't it?! I'm on 8 days dpo. I did a test 2 days ago for curiosity which wasn't positive but was probably too early in any case. Debating whether to carry on testing or just to wait to see. Feel like I'm starting to get pmt symptoms though :(

@Busybee93 Thanks for your lovely words. How are YOU doing, whereabouts in your cycle are you?

Yes, his results came back at 2.5% - so not dramatic, but significantly below the threshold (personally I find it crazy to think that as low as 4% is a norm!). Like you said, it might mean it takes us longer or that we explore other options - but at least we know it now, so we can plan accordingly :) Also, the good news is that he has a lot of volume, so I keep telling myself that 2.5% of A LOT of sperm is still more good sperm than 4% of VERY LITTLE sperm haha (oh the TTC math equations!), which hopefully means that something like IUI could potentially have a high chance of success for us, if it comes down to that... For now I'm staying positive and hoping that if it happened for us once, it will happen again.

@MrsKin90 keep us in the loop if you decide to test again! & @Cardigan2020 thanks for all the tips! I haven't really familiarise myself with my cervix, so if this cycle is not our cycle, I will do that during my next period :)

@primrosechill sorry you didn't have the results you wanted from your SA. However, I have read a great deal about how various elements of the SA are relevant rather than viewing morphology or mortility in isolation. Was the morphology below the 4% threshold? It does maybe mean it could take longer but doesn't mean it won't happen!

I've also been advised if I have IUI I'll have to be sedated for the transfer, but not a big deal! There are always ways around it so try not to worry

Good luck for your TWW!

I'm feeling a bit all over the place today. We saw the fertility specialist yesterday to analyse our results and we indeed have an issue with my husband's sperm morphology and motility - nothing too serious but because he has a lower percentage of healthy looking sperm, it:

1. Might have potentially been the reason for my miscarriage - though they could never know that for sure and it likewise might have nothing to do with it
2. It might mean that if we can't get pregnant in the next few months, we will explore IUI - because it involves "cleansing" the sperm and making sue only the healthy guys are allowed into my cervix haha. Of course, with my vaginismus, it could be a nightmare of a procedure - we would probably consider putting me under for it...

The doctor told my husband to eat healthily, exercise and destress so we can check in two months time if the quality of his sperm has improved - and to continue trying in the meantime. As you can probably imagine, telling someone to destress is the fastest way to make them more stressed out - I can sense he's been feeling really low since yesterday, like he's failing us or something, and it makes me feel so sad - I keep telling him we're young and have plenty of time to figure this out!

On the other hand... and sorry for TMI... I have been feeling SO horny the past couple of days hahaha. I'm 4DPO so in 2ww and obviously hoping it's a symptom... Will I ever learn not to tell myself these stories and get my hopes up?! Gahhh.

@Cardigan2020 thanks for this, it's really really helpful to hear. Will get searching...!

@Cardigan2020 thank you so much for this! After you mentioned it I’ve checked my cervix everyday, couldn’t find it for ages but I think I may have now ha still not 100% sure though. If what I think I’m feeling is it then mine seems to be more on the left so maybe I’ll aim for that this month! Mine does seem quite hight but I am coming into ovulation so that could be why, if AF comes this month I’ll do it after my period to have more of an idea! Thank you I need all the help I can get 🤣 slowly loosing the plot I hate ttc! Xx

@Lori23TTC
Thanks so much for the good wishes. To be honest I still can’t believe it actually worked.

I had no idea how to find the cervix either.
I read a couple of things online which said that the best time to find it, is at the end of your period, because it sits much lower down and is harder at that point. The phrase that kept coming up online was that it would feel “like the top of your nose” , which sounded pretty weird to me!!

I didn’t find it hard to do, once I tried at the end of my period. Just put your finger in and feel around gently.

Sure enough, it felt smooth and round, a (little) bit like the top of your nose or a small, smooth dome.

I then tracked it everyday, which made it easier to keep tabs on it as it began to move back and get softer as I moved towards ovulation.

All the info online talks about the cervix moving “higher” at ovulation so I was always inserting the syringe and aiming it upwards. But when I found my cervix, I actually had to reach sort of downwards with my finger to get to it. That’s why I think I may have been pointing the syringe the wrong way!!

When it came to inseminating on the month I got pregnant, I inserted a couple of fingers first, located the cervix, guided the syringe in alongside the fingers towards the cervix and released the semen. I didn’t touch the cervix with the syringe though, just aimed towards it. It was bloody awkward but worth it!

Hope that help, sorry for the essay length reply. If you have any other questions, just ask X

Hiya, been reading this thread over the past few weeks and seeing what a lovely bunch you are!

Hoping one day to have a home insemination success story to share... This month we will be trying tomorrow and Sunday - spaced apart because we have to plan ahead without knowing ov dates, so try to cover the date range as best we can. Feeling excited for tomorrow, I love the waiting time when it's possible...!

Good luck to everyone SI this week, and those testing soon....

@MrsKin90 Thanks for the good wishes 😀
and the best of luck to you. I am proof that insemination can work!

I'm really hoping that it is a positive outcome but that is so great hat your feeling so excited about the next cycle x
I'm the same as you though when we actually count it all up we've been trying for about 10 moths but there are at least 2/3 months of that when we've been totally off or haven't been doing the whole orgasm during SI or afterwards x

We've done 2 SI today and we'll do another tomorrow and maybe one the day after for good measure x

I've tested a couple of times but not since Thursday I think. All BFN. I'm 99% sure I'm not pregnant and I've ovulated super late.
I'm feeling positive because I've realised that we've only been properly doing the syringe method since January, which has only been seven cycles for me (depressing in itself really haha) and two of those I'm not convinced we SI'd at the right time. So even though we've been 'trying' for over a year now, it's easier to feel better about it when I think it through this way as it makes it feel like five proper attempts😂 always a way to rationalise it.
Gonna test Thursday if no sign of AF as will be enjoying cocktails and spa hot tub on Thursday and Friday so best to make 100% sure 😊
Hooray static smiley! Do you usually check your cervix? It can move around so much in a day! Sounds like you're on top of the SI though.🤞🤞

Hopefully with you feeling so positive it's a sign that something is happening x
Have you tested yet ?

It took 6 days but I'm finally on a static smiley 🥳🥳🥳

So we did a SI this afternoon, probably do one tomorrow too and the day after x

Weirdly I checked my cervix and it's still about medium height, it's usually high at this point so maybe it's just a bit slow, but I'll check it again later tonight x

@primrosechill not yet! I'm three days late in theory but I'm sure I'm about three days days out on when she's due 😊 I'm almost positive we missed the window if my O happened later than originally thought so don't have much hope! I'm already feeling really positive about the next cycle so hope she comes and goes so I can move on.

How are you doing today?

How is everyone else?