Self insemination - Any success stories?!

We used a cheap syringe/plunger and a takeaway tub which we washed each time. Started trying in December and caught in June. In hindsight, it only took so long because we didn't match ovulation up properly for the first 2-3 months, so it was very quick. Also used urine strips to check when I was ovulating. Good luck x

Bloody typos, sorry we are on our second month of trying the insemination route

Hi,

Came across this thread whole browsing and so relieved to see couples who have the same issues as my husband and I !!

We've been ttc no 2 since January and we're finding that delayed ejaculation was seriously hampering our efforts.
My husband has no issues performing until it gets to the 💦 and in his own words ' I get so close the. To feels like it just goes back down'
Sex can last for ages, I mean like 40 mins to an hour if we're trying to 💦

Eventually I had a conversation with him about maybe trying the self insemination thing....we're not on our 2nd month.

Our first time round we got the sample, within minutes in to a syringe and input it in, waited 30 mins and despite doing this a total of 4 times the first time round within my fertile period, nothing happened.

But more research online I saw that there was a couple of websites who advised to leave the sperm for approx 10 mins to liquify the put it in, and to make sure that you try to orgasm at the time of pushing the plunger down in order to have the cervix dip in to the sample.

I'm still in my 2 week wait just now. But just wondering if anyone has any tips for next time should we not be successful this month ?

Also is anyone else royally fucked off by the fact that hubby can't 💦 inside you despite having sex multiple times but is able to 💦 in to a cup 3 times over the space of 4 days !!! 🙄🧐

Hello ladies! It’s been a bit quiet on here, how is everyone doing?

@Lori23TTC how’s the FW and going by how your body feels working out so far? I’m on CD7 today and thinking I’ll do similar this month - starting tomorrow we just plan to ineminate every other day and not stress too much about OPKs or BBT. I’m feeling a bit less stressed out at work atm so hoping it will help...

@MrsCSmith did AF show up in the end?

@zippityzip wecome to the group - how did the chat with your hubby go?

@LuckyFlash @Lori23TTC still no sign of AF. Frustrating now as I haven’t a clue when I’m ovulating next cycle... and obviously I’m not tracking yet cause this cycle hasn’t finished 😂😩

When it came to approaching the subject with my DH we had already had conversations around him unable to finish inside me before we were trying so it was fortunately straight forward. I make him feel as comfortable as possible and try to make it something that I ‘catch’ so that he doesn’t have to think about it too much, and it’s put the pressure off. I’ve also mentioned that doing it this was is a heck of a lot cheaper than going to a Fertility clinic, and the frugal man I married liked that fact! 😂

Hey ladies.. I haven’t been on here much either (trying to not think to much about ttc)
I’m feeling in a slightly better place now I will be coming into my FW this weekend, I’m not doing any tracking this month, no bbt, no peeing on sticks, just going to go by how my body feels and try and do it around my Fw as much as possible. That way I can’t count dpo either! Not sure how it will go as I am a planner ha but trying something different.

@MrsCSmith how are you feeling? Has AF come?

@AdriannaP bless you I really feel for you, I too feel desperate now and it’s a horrible feeling to have. Fingers crossed for you and you don’t have to go down that road, you have a few more cycles to try. I also use the 1ml and sit with my legs up for 30 mins.

@zippityzip my hubby was actually fine until we started ttc... he said the pressure was to much and just couldn’t always perform, we still do sometimes have sex normally and normally starts that way but if he’s not up to it then he will just say I’m going to do it in a cup and we do it that way. I just googled things and cane across inseminating and mentioned it to him and said for him to do some research and he said yes let’s try that and that’s what we do now when we can’t. I also told him how important it is to get it up there as you have a 12-24 hour window and he said it would take the pressure off, educating my hubby on it helped us. It isn’t sexy but you can try and make it funny, he always makes me laugh when I’m sitting with my legs up and a syringe out ha I have to tell him not to or the sperm will come out if I laugh 😂

Xx

@LuckyFlash Thanks for your response. That does make me laugh, insurance wank. I'll maybe give it another cycle before bringing it up. That's a good way of looking at it, to make sex fun and romantic again.

@MrsCSmith sorry to hear that! Any sign of her today? AF can be so cruel!

@Tigerlily85 we approach it fairly clinically - DH does his business into a sample pot. I get myself comfy and usually try to get myself ‘in the mood’. When he’s done I put the pot under the covers to keep warm, lay on my back and prop my legs up. I have tried with and without 1ml of preseed depending on how I’m feeling (I don’t have much Cm which is why I think it will help but the jury is out as to whether it acts the same). Then I use a 10ml syringe - very slowly suck it up into the syringe and try to tap any bubbles out but I never seem to be able to get them all out. Pop a bit of preseed on the outside of the syringe and put it in as far as it will go and then slowly plunge. Then I have an orgasm and leave the syringe in with my legs propped up for about 20 mins. I think I might have a retroverted cervix so this month I have tried also lying on my front for a bit too to cover all bases lol. To be honest people get pregnant from a quickie so I don’t think the positions are doing much but psychologically it helps. I try and do it all within about 5 mins to avoid the sperm dying. I’m not sure how long they live - any other ladies know?

@zippityzip my DH wasn’t keen on this method when we first started ttc - he was determined to conceive the ‘normal’ way. But after a couple of frustrating months I asked again and I think he was just delighted to take the pressure off. Now he actively gets excited about it lol. To be honest we are completely unsexy about it and it’s a means to an end. It works for us because it means sex can just go back to being a fun romantic thing that we do when we want it. It was a little awkward for the first one but now we’ve done it a few times he’s very happy to shout ‘shall I have an insurance wank tonight?’ at me whilst making dinner 🙈😂

Can I ask how you ladies approached TTC with self insemination with your DH's?

I'm heading into cycle 4 (period due Sunday, definitely expecting it this cycle) and I think we are missing my fertile window because DH is often tired because of work.

I really didn't want to pressure him and shout about ovulation and fertile windows and make it feel mechanical, but I would just like the option of being able to "get him off" and then self inseminating if he's tired and I'm ovulating.

How did you bring this up without making it really unsexy 🤦🏼‍♀️

I really need to rant... AF is late by almost 3 days... but every test is negative. Just. Ugh.

hi all,
sorry I have been off this board for a while. Trying to stay motivated and not despair that TTC is taking so long...
Just ovulated this month and only managed two tries - so now the TWW begins.
I also saw a fertility consultant and on a waiting list for IUI. He said my chances are only 15% and I should consider IVF which woudl give me a chance of 40%. I can't really consider IVF now, the cost and the huge burden mentally and physically. The waiting list is around two months anyway so we have some time to still try.
He also recommended a Fallopian Tube Dye Test in case one or both of my tubes are blocked. if they are IUI wouldn't make any sense.
I am also now doing acupuncture and have started TCM - just trying everything now, I am so desperate!!

Also I have bought 1ml syringes, they seem to work better for me. I get less air bubbles and they are a bit longer than the 5ml ones. I do lie with my legs up afterwards for about 20-30mins.
@Tigerlily85 how are the Mira tests? i have been thinking of trying those as I don't always trust Clearblue fully...

Oops typo and not sure how to edit the post.. meant it’s a relief to discover we’re not the only ones, phone autocorrected to ‘described’ 🙈

Thanks for the welcome guys! @Lori23TTC I just ovulated on Friday, we didn’t try this month as I’m taking a month just to sort out my diet (quitting caffeine and alcohol etc) and get my trackers used to my cycle (I’m using Ava bracelet and Mira ovulation tests). So going to be starting next month, probably around the 5th. Got syringes and pre-seed, so think everything’s in place 🙏 🤞

@MrsKin90 it’s such a relief to described we’re not the only ones who have this! I think OH takes it personally so I’m just trying to reassure him that it doesn’t matter, and syringes are just as good as doing it the ‘natural’ way. He is reluctant to try IUI so hoping we have luck with it!

If anyone has any tips about the actual Insemination process I’d love to benefit from your experience.. do you guys lie with your legs up afterwards for instance? Do you have sex first or just do the bits separately?

Sorry I haven't commented back for a few days! Work is really messing up my schedule and some stuff going on in personal life that has had me a little busy, oop!

@Lori23TTC stopped tracking after CD20... my cycles are around 25/26 days so..... hope you've been chilling too!
@LuckyFlash its definitely a little stressful changing shift pattern. How is everything going for you?

So AF is due tomorrow, took a test this morning and it was a BFN so I would say I'm out for this month.... again sigh

@Tigerlily85 welcome! I was so ... happy (?! i hope that doesn't come across horribly, as it's not meant too) to find that I wasn't alone with this... and I think my OH is feeling a little relieved too that he isn't alone...!

@primrosechill big hugs. we will get our BFP one day. just got to keep positive :)

How is everyone getting on?

Hey @Lori23TTC sorry to hear about your week :( I hope you have something nice planned this weekend to relax and put your mind off it.

I'm CD23/10DPO and got a BFN today - I'm almost annoyed with myself for how convinced I was I would get a BFP today. I've been feeling nauseous for a few days, had weird hot flushes and woke up in the middle of last night just feeling 'off' with my body, like something was going on - I of course convinced myself these were all symptoms. I know at 10DPO I'm not out yet and period isn't due until Tuesday but I took one of those super fancy digital tests that are supposed to work a few days before AF is due, so I'm not feeling too optimistic anymore.

@Tigerlily85 welcome! It is reassuring to know we are all doing the same and can give advise to each other along the way! How far into your cycle are you?

@primrosechill how are you? My AF did turn up and work has been really stressful so I’ve had a pretty crap/emotional week but I will start inseminating in about a weeks time so hopefully will start to feel more positive then!

Hope everyone else is ok xx

Welcome @Tigerlily85! It’s such a nice feeling to know that there is more of us, isn’t it?

It’s been quite quiet on this thread this week, hope everyone is okay! @MrsKin90 how are you getting on - you must be around/after your ovulation now, aren’t you?

Hi everyone :-) I just made a profile on here just so that I could comment on this thread.. my OH can’t ‘finish’ inside me so we’re starting to inseminate from next month.. such a relief to discover I’m not the only one in this situation! Had been feeling sad that we wouldn’t be able to conceive ‘naturally’ but tbh I’m just hoping for success any way it comes, as I’m getting quite old now! (35 😬). Good luck to everyone inseminating this month xxx

Hi @Lori23TTC sorry to hear about the BFN but it ain't over until the period arrives! Let us know if it shows up. It's so disappointing when you manage to convince yourself that you're feeling symptoms and then you get the bad news again...

I have a feeling I will be in a similar boat this cycle. Last cycle, I didn't have too much hope but this cycle I just "feel" like I could be pregnant - my cheeks have been super red strangely, I have been on an emotional swing most days and feeling nauseous, too. I'm trying to remind myself that it could be a symptom of 87576698 other things: a cold, work stress, being back in polluted city etc. But I know very well I have gotten my hopes up now, so the disappointment will be real if it's not my month!!

@LuckyFlash I also turned 32 last month and feel very similar to you with feeling like time is getting away from us. Don’t feel like a fraud... ttc is a tough journey at any time!

@MrsCSmith I hope you have had your peak now??

@primrosechill My husbands sperm analysts has come back normal so that’s good, why isn’t it happening if we are both healthy . Got to keep trying...

@MrsKin90 they did blood tests to check my hormones ect and an internal ultrasound which I suppose they were just checking everything was working how it should, she told me she could see my egg for that month and it would be releasing in about a week. I’m glad me and the hubby are ok health wise just so frustrating it isn’t happening. I haven’t told the doctors yet about inseminating, feel embarrassed tbh but I will tell them if they start investigating more.

Has anyone told the doctors? If so what was the reaction?

I’ve had a very odd tww... I normally only get sore boobs and that’s it really. I’m dpo14, on dpo10 I had bright red blood when I wiped, and then major bloating for around 3 days and boobs are not as sore as normally are. Since the blood on day 10 I’ve had brown spotting or when I wipe... I normally get spotting day 14/15 then period comes on 16 so I’m expecting my period to show up in the next few day’s. the spotting has been earlier than normal this month and my body has felt different so I was hoping for the best but I got a negative on dpo11 so lost all hope now and waiting for AF.

Hope everyone is ok xx

Hi all. I’m massively under the weather today - had to take a day off and am just in bed watching shows and reading. I woke up feeling a bit nauseous and having weird hot flushes (my cheeks were all read and burning up) so OF COURSE I immediatwly started googling whether these could be early symptoms hahaha - 5/6DPO and I’m already going nuts. Most likely I’m just quite run down.

@LuckyFlash I’m 29. For a while I really wanted to be a mum while still in my 20s - I was almost on track because with the last pregnancy my due date was supposed to be in December - a month before I turn 30. But then I miscarried and everything seems so silly and insignificant now - I don’t care about how old I am, I just want a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby soon pretty please. But I can relate to you in that before the miscarriage I felt like I had all the time in the world - now I feel a bit more aware of my own body and the dreaded clock...

@MrsCSmith the shift changes sound stressful - I imagine that kind of thing can change your ovulation pattern, but at least you have managed a couple of insems. It only takes 1!

@primrosechill I am 32 and DH is 39. I was feeling quite chill at 31 but turned 32 last month and immediately started to panic that time was getting away from us. I seem to be doing a better job of being a sane person this week lol. Feeling quite positive to be in a new cycle. How old are you?

Heya everyone!

Sorry I've been a bit MIA, but my shifts have changed at work and I'm starting at 4am now, so my whole sleeping pattern is a bit off... and I am assuming that its not doing any good for my cycle either!

I'm on CD 18 and I haven't had a Peak result on CB yet, its just been high since CD 9.... so no idea if I have Ovulated or not this month.Last month I Ovulated around CD 17 however being able to DTD has been slim pickings. CD 11 and CD 14 we inseminated so... theres always a chance but I'm not hopeful this cycle :(

How is everyone feeling?
@LuckyFlash - as the ladies previously said, don't feel like a fraud for the fact you have only been trying for a little while. It's still your journey, and you have every right to feel it. Damn I felt it the 1st month after I had my IUD out and it didn't happen. All those years of worrying that if I didn't use any BC I'll fall pregnant... if only I knew that it doesn't happen that way always! haha

Hi all, happy Friday!

@Lori23TTC - so glad to hear that the doctors were able to confirm that there's nothing more serious going on, though I know that in some ways that can be even more frustrating sometimes. You end up thinking "well if nothing is wrong then why the bloody hell isn't this happening for me?!" Let us know when your husband's tests come back, too. Keeping everything crossed.

@LuckyFlash don't feel like a fraud - just because others have been trying for longer doesn't make your disappointment any less real! By that same token, some lucky beasts literally get pregnant the first time round so if we were to compare ourselves to them, surely we would be allowed to moan for days on end hahah. So sorry that AF got you. I can imagine that being on furlough and having all that extra time to think about it isn't necessarily helpful. I have been on the exact opposite of the spectrum - work has been non stop and super stressful. I keep thinking that this increased level of stress can't be good for TTC, meh.

@MrsKin90 how have you been? Are you done with AF? Exciting part of the month starting for you soon and sounds like you're in high spirits this cycle. I'm only on day 2 of TWW and already can't stand the wait haha.

Do you mind if I ask everyone how old you are? I can see some numbers in your nicknames and assume some might stand for YOB or current age but don't want to presume.

@primrosechill happy tww to you! 😊 You've done such a good job inseminating so much and doing a variety of methods🤞🤞 crossing everything for you.
@Lori23TTC I hope your husband's SA comes back clear. Were your tests just to show if you ovulated? Hopefully they can be a bit more helpful if nothing wrong with your hubby's swimmers! There are lots of other things they can do can't they? (She asks, hopefully with not much idea). Out of interest does your doctor know that you're using home insem. as a method? £17 a month 😱😱 I don't think I could do it to myself lol. I'd expect a baby pronto at that price! Some people I talk to seem to take absolutely everything going, it sounds exhausting. I'm sorry you're feeling down still. I think life right now is a bit like that for everyone and TTC on top of it is even harder. Can you do something nice as a pick me up? Not long until AF for you!! 🤞
@LuckyFlash I'm so sorry AF got you 😟 you're absolutely allowed to feel sad regardless of how long you've been trying and you're not even slightly fraud-like for it. Everyone's journey is different and we all feel it each month when it doesn't happen. I am a terrible one for googling or reading success stories or just reading about pregnancy and it is obsessive. I've been trying to read books with the least likely chance of having pregnancy in them - horror or crime books! 😊