The Turkey Baster Gang (gobble gobble)

Hi all- I've been lurking on here for about a month and have just been a bit nervous to say hi.
I've name changed because I'm relatively active in chat section and have probably posted some potentially outing things under my usual username, so just to ensure total privacy I've name changed.

DH and I are trying self insemination for first time today and we are both really flustered about it all. I ordered some flat head 5ml syringes based on a recommendation on this thread so we have those- but we just have a lot of questions and I'm hoping someone could help answer them- they're probably stupid ones.

• What kind of container for the sperm is optimal? Do you use disposable ones or do people use same one and just wash in boiling hot water or do you use soapy hot water?
• Is it better to try and orgasm whilst inseminating?
• How long do you lie with legs up for after it's done?
• How many times during fertile week should we be aiming to inseminate?

TIA for any pointers for 2 very flustered people totally new to all this!

@ComebackQueen I forgot to add: My husband had poor morphology (2.5) and motility when we did SA this summer. Since then, he started running three times a week, cut out booze and started taking supplements. We’ve done two SAs since and each one was better than the previous one - I’m not saying this to give you false hope but rather to say that in our experience it is not a myth that a healthier lifestyle can improve sperm quality. In our case, his volume is super high so my thinking is always: lower morphology in a bigger sample still equals MORE healthy sperm than average 🤔 Good luck with your doctors!!

@ComebackQueen as a fellow vaginismus sufferer I really feel for you - it’s tough as it is and adds so much more pressure/complexity once you are ttc-ing! While in the IUI clinic, a doctor gave me two pointers: one to explore a possibility of botox to relax the muscles and the second to sign up for a full-on week “vaginismus camp” where your whole days are dedicated to working through this with your doctor. I feel like I’ve made a lot of progress in the last couple of years thanks to dilators, physio and therapy, but I’m just frustrated at how slow it is so I might look into both options in the new year, if I’m not pregnant this cycle. Is there anything that works for you?

@eloiseislost @Oilyoilyoilgob @MrsKin90 @Lori23TTC thank you for lovely words. Starting my daily dose of progesterone today, too and so the tww is officially on. Is anyone’s AF due this week? Would love to hear some positive early Christmas news on here 🥰

@eloiseislost yay to your peak I also got my peak this morning! We have been using the soft disc this time... using no syringes and feels like a positive change for us. We have been doing it every night since Monday so day 6 tonight and last one will be tomorrow so hopefully that should be enough! Praying for a Christmas miracle 🤞

@primrosechill I hope the IUI works for you lovely I think that’s our next step, I have a follow up with my fertility doctor in the new year as I’ve had all my tests done now so will see what they say.

Xx

@ComebackQueen That's good, at least it's sorted now! You could give them a call after new year, to make sure it all went through OK, just for peace of mind. But at least now you can relax and enjoy Christmas! 🎄

I got my peak on the OPK this morning, though it had started getting very dark last night so we did one SI yesterday and we will do one today and tomorrow. 🤞🏼 My hormones are probably still out of whack from the pregnancy, but my motto is "waste no egg"! 🐣

How is everyone doing today?

@eloiseislost thank you so very kind of you.

I’m so glad @MrsKin90 mentioned following up, my surgery called and confirmed no referral was made as they couldn’t find my emailed version of hubby’s sperm analysis.

I had to re send and once scanned, the referral will be made, so looking like after Christmas the receptionist said.

@ComebackQueen You are not being pushy at all, you just want to make sure that you are referred to the appropriate service. It is your right and don't let anyone make you think otherwise! Unfortunately, these are very difficult times for the NHS, I am part of it, so I know that every aspect of the services is disrupted to a degree. I sincerely hope the referral goes through quickly and the waiting time is as short as possible! 🤞🏼
I sense that you are overwhelmed and I understand exactly where you are coming from. You've done everything in your power at the moment, you asked for medical help, you had tests done and you will be referred to specialist services. I know NHS waiting times can be long, but if it is all you can afford at the moment, then that is good enough. You have very, very good chances of holding your dream baby in your arms! There are a million factors that play against all of us women: age, hormones, environment, nutrition, medication, partner's sperm, timing, pure luck… But babies are born every minute, against all those terrifying odds. So, as hard as this is, try to take care of yourself. It's all you can do right now.
You and everyone else on this thread are in my prayers every night, wishing for a happier 2021 and lots and lots of babies! 🧚🏼‍♀️

@MrsKin90

Thank you, I called the NHS e booking line and used my NHS number and they confirmed they have no referrals relating to this. I’ve made an online request with my surgery to ask for when and where the referral was sent so I know who to follow up with in 2021. I hope I’m not coming across as pushy to them but it’s been a long an agonising wait to get here.

I’m contemplating selling all my items of value to go privately but I don’t have anything of real value. We are over stretched financially on our new property so I just feel like everything is piling up on me.

@primrosechill excited to hear you've tried IUI! Hopefully it feels good to have tried something new. Thank you for sharing, it's really interesting and empowering to read something so positive.

@Oilyoilyoilgob hope you're looking forward to your spa day if you haven't had it yet. I've taken my own advice and booked one as well on Tuesday! Well done getting your SI in on top of everything!

@eloiseislost I hope you're okay! I'm think we often go back to work before we really should but it's also a good push for us (when the time is right) to remember that everything moves forward. It's okay not to put your happy face on everyday, so remember to look after yourself.

@ComebackQueen I think you should chase the referral sooner rather than later for your own peace of mind and to give them chance to rectify before closing if it hasn't been made yet. I'm really sorry about those swimmers not being great! Maybe it's a push you needed to do more assisted fertility? The more anxious you get the worse it all feels so maybe having some help will be a weight lifted for you. It'll also be a positive way for you to start the new year? Lots of hugs to you as that must feel very disheartening but it's not the end of the road!

@MakeWorkYourNewFavourite thank you for sharing 😊

I tried to get pregnant for 9 years with my ex. He refused to do IVF. It split us up in the end. A year later, I found a donor. I was 38. Didn't really fancy my chances. I could only meet with him 3 days before what I thought was ovulation day. I used preseed, then the same applicator to suck up the sperm. I lay back with my legs in the air a bit. Boom. Got a three year old sleeping next to me. First time. Well , after 9 years of tears... but I still can't believe it happened. Maybe I was super relaxed because I'd sort of given up hope. I didn't think it would work... so I wasn't tense or anxious.

@eloiseislost

Thanks for letting me join this new thread.

I posted this in another thread but it’s more appropriate here although, maybe not given my husbands sperm results...!!!

Hi ladies

My husbands sperm count has come back and it’s not good news, high white cells and low morphology, so it’s looking like between my vaginismus and husbands swimmers, our yogurt pot and syringe won’t really do much. Considering the anxiety I feel when thinking about anything going upwards, maybe this isn’t a bad thing.

I’ve been doing weekly acupuncture and will get my husband on the band wagon from January when the clinic reopens. Is this too early for ivf/Icsi?

My GP was going to make the referral but needed a scanned version of my husbands sperm test as the email she was viewing it from wasn’t good enough...

so depending on how quickly the back room staff got it on their system, she thought by last week the referral would have been sent.

So it’s been about a week so maybe before the surgery closes next week I’ll send a chaser to just confirm the referral was made.
I know when I was referred over to other departments, my surgery sent a text confirming it was made so I’m super anxious.

I went from having a really positive outlook to actually being quite down.

I thought i was the issue and the referral was the last hurdle before I get my long desired moment to be called ‘Mum’.

I’m closing in on 40 and just feel demoralised.

Thank you @primrosechill, I have everything crossed for you!!! 🤞🏼 🧚🏼‍♀️ 🌈

Went back to work today, I thought I was ready given how well I've been coping, but somehow being back to work made the whole MC feel more… real? If that makes sense? Like, it happened and now life is going back to normal and it saddens me a bit. But onwards and upwards, I guess! 🙂

I've been hoping that I will ovulate this week, but my LH levels keep going down -at this rate they will hit below zero! 🤣 On the bright side, my BBT has been the least rocky it's ever been, so I have that going for me! 🤷🏻‍♀️

I hope everyone is having a lovely day! ❤️

Not nosy at all @eloiseislost! I did go private because NHS has long waiting lists and I’m very privileged in that I get medical through my company that covers some fertility treatments (to an extent!) too. I thought I ovulated around 11/12 day of the cycle but the ultrasounds confirmed it was on the 13th so the only downside of this cycle is that we’ve been abstaining from day 9 onwards anticipating the insemination - so didn’t do anything to help our chances really. On the plus side if it does work, I will be able to confirm that it’s 100% down to the IUI!

@primrosechill So happy for you, glad the IUI process went well and you feel empowered! Fingers crossed it gives you your beautiful rainbow baby! 🌈 🤞🏼
Can I ask if you went privately or through the NHS? I'm not being nosey or anything, IUI is something that has been on the back of my mind and I might explore it after I turn 35 next year.

Thank you for being so lovely, @Oilyoilyoilgob! With IUI sperm gets “cleansed” like you said and only healthy, motile sperm are then introduced directly to your uterus - so basically a bit closer than you can get with “normal” intercourse. Chances of getting pregnant are technically as high/low as with normal sex but I just wanted to try something new to feel like we’re exhausting all options! Normally it’s a very fast and straightforward procedure but with me they had to put me under general anesthesia because of my vaginismus. They were lovely though and I somehow feel very empowered and hopeful today that despite my vaginismus and my miscarriage, there are still plenty of avenues to explore 💪🏼

How have you been feeling? xxx

Hi all - sorry for the radiosilence. After my rant last week, I think I just needed some time off from any pregnancy chat and forums. I’m glad to hear that this has sparked a bit of an honest outbreak here and that we all got to complain and be here for one another. 🥰

My initial due date would have been this week but I’m feeling okay - think I spent so much time WORRYING about how I would feel that I don’t have much energy left to actually feel that low now.

Also, just had my IUI earlier today! I’m CD13. Had two large follicles and my hubby’s sperm was supposedly very good looking for the procedure so keeping positive, even if I have already learnt never to get my hopes too up about these things!

Big love to you all and counting days till the festive break ❤️

@Oilyoilyoilgob you should walk around in ball gowns for the next few weeks if you're expecting more parcels to balance it out!! I'd feel just as word in that though 😂

Interesting about your OPK being positive so early! Hopefully that's a good sign and the emergency swimmers were put to good use!! Do you think you have ovulated early? Are you going to continue SI until your usual ovulation time just in case??

2dpo today, absolutely positive (like 90% sure😂)I ovulated based on BBT and RHR rising. We SI'd yesterday just in case though as I am having (TMI) the MOST ewcm I have ever had, ever. I had a bit before ovulation but this is crazy. I'm not sure why it's late? Did it get delayed?! Makes me think my hormones are one step behind the rest of my body. 🤦

@Oilyoilyoilgob you're having a very tough year. Life gets on top of us all at some point. Definitely time to start looking after yourself and putting yourself first. It's okay to need a break from everything, sex and TTC included. I look forward to hearing about your lovely relaxing massage! Delivery men have 100% seen worse 😂 at least you had some clothes on! Goodluck to you for SI this cycle. And you @Birchybirch! 🤞🤞

@eloiseislost could you let me know what store you get your outlook on life from??? 😂 I hope you're okay and I hope you conceive straight away ❤️

I definitely ovulated yesterday on CD16. So a bit later than last cycle but still earlier than I have been. Sadly think I'm already out, as hubby couldn't ... Supply 😆 so we haven't si'd since Friday and I just don't think that's good enough. So I'm sort of giving up on this cycle. I know it only takes one time but we've been the day before O before (AND two days before before) and neither of those have worked so. 🤷 I think I'll just look forward to Christmas instead. Sort of. The way the Grinch looks forward to it! 😁

Hello everyone! The mood might not be at an all time high in the thread at the moment, but I'm glad to see we still have our sense of humour!
With the MC and the time off work I discovered my love for running, I ran for half an hour today in the pissing rain and cold and it felt soooo good!
I finally got a negative pregnancy test (never thought I'd say this…!) and I started using OPKs. I decided I don't want to waste any eggs, so I'll be starting again. I may not do my usual 5-6 inseminations this month, but I'll do a couple around ovulation.
I hope everyone is having a good weekend, stay strong, WE GOT THIS!!! 💪🏼

Haha, @oilyoilyoilgob I'm sure you don't look like Waynetta Slob, but that really made me chuckle. My kitchen is at the front of the house, and I own a dressing gown that looks really grubby no matter how often I wash it, so I can picture myself in that situation really vividly!

Ah thank you very much! Wishing you, and everyone on this thread, the very best of luck, whether you all decide to continue si-ing, or take some time off to rest and mentally regroup! X

@MrsKin90 will keep everything crossed for you!

@oilyoilyoilgob I agree with mrskin90 about treating yourself to a nice relaxing day/Spa session! A facial and massage sound lovely!

I'm coming to the end of af, so soon will be back to si-ing again. I definitely understand the idea of wanting to conceive "normally", but then I guess in my case anyway, even if he's not in the mood, he can still produce a sample, whereas if we were doing it normally, that wouldn't be the case, so I guess there are pros and cons. I'll mention so to the doc when I go, and see what their view of it is.

Fingers crossed to everyone si-ing or in their tww! X