The Turkey Baster Gang (gobble gobble)

Thanks @AlisonT13, got my peak yesterday!

@Oilyoilyoilgob My cats have never tolerated the cone for more than 5 minutes, they go absolutely crazy! 😹
Feeling much better today, got my OPK peak and inseminated this evening. I got the soft cups figured out, managed to shove it up there with ZERO leakage, I'm so proud of myself! 🤣
DH didn't want children at all but changed his mind over the years, so now when he says he doesn't want to adopt, I'm sure he will change his mind, as always! 😬

@Lori23TTC Hospital appointments should go ahead as normal, I work for the NHS and there certainly is a focus on restarting and maintaining services throughout this lockdown, unlike March. Of course, it depends on the Trust how they manage! Staff absences might impact services.
I actually signed up for an online adoption event this month, just to get some info and make some contacts, just in case. Adoption is a wonderful thing to do, very different to experiencing pregnancy, but you are still giving a child a good chance in life and that's amazing.

@Oilyoilyoilgob Thank you 🥰 I just want AF to hurry up if she’s coming, I’m suppose to be going to the fertility hospital for more tests this week if she does show but not sure if that will go ahead now or not due to the new lockdown, I’m still heading out to the office my work have said business as usual so be annoying if I can’t go to the hospital!

@eloiseislost @MrsKin90 I’m sorry girls you are feeling low it’s so hard, I feel like I’m coming on soon and I just can’t really take this anymore I may look into adopting as my friends have recently done it and feel like it’s never going to happen, I feel hubby has given up with trying to sort out his ED and can’t see it happening.

As many of you have said before it’s so nice we have each other as I have no one I can talk to about this stuff! Xx

Hi everyone!

I managed to find the shiny new thread inspite of being incredibly bad at keeping track of the old one.

I always forget to check in for a few days, then get lost with the number of replies. I think you guys are just too nice (or I am too incompetent, but we'll stick with the first) . I also have nothing to add as we're still waiting to give s-i a first shot.

AF is currently 6 days late, but I've been feeling epically pmt-ish (particularly grumpy and longing for JUST ONE DAY ALONE!!!!!!) since yesterday so suspect it is imminent.

I'm also grumpy as I use reusable sanpro pads (and mooncup) but I bought black for practicality and then had to dig out some ancient Bodyform so I could keep an eye on spotting versus wiping versus start of period.

Happy Monday everyone! 💕
Woke up feeling better today, back to obsessing about TTC and pretending that the world around us isn't falling apart! 🤣

Question: what do we think about the Premom app and the T/C ratio for the OPKs? CD14 today and still no peak, but I usually go from faint line to dye stealer in a matter of hours so not too concerned yet. Lines seem to be getting slightly darker so hoping I'll get my peak soon! It's that weird time of the cycle where you wish to move on to the 2WW even though you know you'll hate it! 😄

@eloiseislost oh I missed your message about your family, sorry. Glad you're feeling a bit better today after speaking to them. I hope you get to speak to them a lot if nothing else! Fingers crossed you'll be able to visit before you know it .

@Oilyoilyoilgob you're adorable sleeping with your cats. I hope they're both recovering okay. Your "cozee" routine sounds lovely and not crackers at all!

Have a good Monday everyone!

@Oilyoilyoilgob Thank you! ❤️ My family are OK from the point of view of not having coronavirus but, aside from that, they have quite a few issues and lockdown has exacerbated them. 😞 But I spoke with my Mum and Dad today, they seem to be coping well so I choose to leave it at that and not let my mind spiral!
I'm feeling a bit better, did the insemination with the soft cup, still had some leakage but I'm getting the hang of it now!
Then had a nice dinner with DH and we watched Skin Wars on Netflix (guilty pleasure…!)

Thank you everyone for keeping this conversation going, I feel less alone in all this! 💓

I have 2.5ml syringes this time around. 5ml was too big. 1ml felt like too much effort. 2.5ml seems just right. Hubby never produces more than 2ml anyway. 😔which I think is probably the lower end of normal.
@Oilyoilyoilgob I hope you're feeling in a better place to start looking after yourself now. Facials and wine sound like a good start ❤️
@Lori23TTC I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you this cycle too. 🤞 I don't think you need a lid. I do tend to put one hand on the top of the pot and one on the bottom until ready to use to prevent any unnecessary drying out and to keep them warm?
My period ended yesterday, but it honestly felt like the longest four days of my life? Very strange. I was surprised when I looked at my tracker to see it had only been 4 days, CD5 today as felt like it should be CD15!
I am absolutely exhausted and not myself and would love a glass of wine! We are having cocktails and cheese on Wednesday for date day so at least I can enjoy that to the fullest now. Just before lockdown biggest sigh in the entire world.

It's lovely reading your messages, happy or otherwise, just as a reminder I'm not alone! 😊
I'm gonna give myself a bit of a bloody talking to as I need to snap out of my slump.

@eloiseislost sorry to hear you’re feeling low but it’s so so understandable given everything that’s been going on in the world this year. It’s been such an emotionally draining time - the world is in a standstill and so are our efforts to get pregnant, so it seems. I think we could all do with some positive news for a change! I think you should take a page out of @Oilyoilyoilgob’s book, pour yourself a bath or a glass of wine and just be kind to yourself 😘

@Oilyoilyoilgob Sounds like you had a good few days and I'm glad you are taking care of yourself! 😘
I've had a pretty bad day today, emotionally and mentally. CD13 and no positive OPK which is unusual for me, also I'm thinking of my family back in Greece and how I can't see them and who knows when I'll be able to travel again. 😞
DH wants to inseminate so I said OK, but I'm feeling really low and almost can't be bothered with TTC. 😢

Ooo @eloiseislost @Lori23TTC thanks for mentioning the vaginal applicators, I havent seen those before but I do hate the pointy end on syringes so if this cycle is not our cycle I might give them a go!
I totally know what you mean about just needing one sperm to get in but my partner has a slightly lower than average count of sperm with normal morphology so I feel like I stress about wanting to make sure that we don’t do any more damage to the swimmers that are shaped well haha. Honestly I’m so glad to have this thread!

@primrosechill I use 5ml syringes or vaginal applicators (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07FT92XLQ/ref=cmswwrcppapiiiXZNNFbN9PF9NA?encoding=UTF8&psc=1). I find the width of both of them OK, but the vaginal applicators are much more comfortable because of the rounded end. I can easily push them far in and tilt the end up to reach as close to the cervix as possible. The syringe doesn't go as far in and the tip really hurts because it's so thin and pointy.
Also, I find that with the syringes it's much harder to push the plunger once they are in. They always feel "stuck" and I have to put too much pressure to get the plunger to move and then semen feels like it's squirted out -which I've read is not good.
The downside of vaginal applicators is they don't suck as much semen as the syringe, in my experience.
To be honest, I feel like there is no perfect way to go about this and it's best to use the tools that feel more comfortable. It's a marathon not a sprint and it only takes 1 sperm after all! 😉

Hey girls! I also replied on the old thread ha I use the 1ml syringes only because I don’t get many air bubbles but it means I do have to do 3 different goes and I’m also thinking this is probably damaging more sperm than good, Someone mentioned a vaginal applicator but not tried them, I tried to insert a moon cup after and omg the pain it just felt like it wasn’t going in and once I got it in I was terrified I couldn’t get it out again! I had to get it out in the shower in the end and my lady parts hurt so much after so not going that again! I also just use a glass cup with no lid to collect the sperm, do I need to use a lid?? I also brought a mini vibrator to help with the climax, game changer as I don’t loose any sperm and it’s quicker for hubby to do! X

Morning all! How is everyone doing? I have a feeling that between lockdown and autumn, we might see a rise in messages here - the conditions are certainly ripe for sitting at home and contemplating all this 😂 let’s try not to go crazy!!

@Oilyoilyoilgob thanks for the well wishes - my boobs are sore as hell but I also know this is a fairly usual thing in first days after ovulation due to the rising progesterone levels. It’s crazy that I never noticed the dependency until starting ttc - you really do learn a lot about your body through all of this!

@MrsKin90 sorry to hear about your on and off bleeding - have you spoken to your doctor about this? It might be a hormonal imbalance that they might be able to address with a simple pill, who knows.

One queston I had for those of you who use syringes: what size do you go for? I normally do the 1ml ones just because they are so easy to insert (and my vaginismus makes any insertion hellish) but this cycle I ran out of them and could only get my hands on a mix of 2.5 and 5ml ones - so much thicker! It was a bit tougher to “operate” but it did mean we could get all the sperm in one or max two goes - and it made me wonder if it’s a better way to do it because maybe you run into less risk of mechanical damage? Thoughts?

Hi everyone! Thanks for starting the new thread!
Ooh I didn't know about softcups, I have a Fertilily which is like a shallower mooncup. I've tried it a few times but never sure if I've put it in properly. Also there's been times when I thought it was stuck!!!which I found really stressful taking it out Cos of the suction... this time round I didn't use it and just kept hips propped up for about half hour.
Have a good Sunday everyone x

@Oilyoilyoilgob The DH deposits directly in the soft disc, then, as @bitheby said, you can either syringe some of it and then insert the disc or just insert the disc straight away. I'm a experimenting as I haven't gotten my peak OPK yet but I think I'm close!

@AdriannaP It's very nice to hear from you, take care of yourself as much as possible. ❤️

@MrsKin90 I'm sorry AF got you. New cycle, new opportunity, try to focus on that! 🙂

I have my donor deposit in to the SoftCup. The first couple of cycles I just inserted it in and then had an orgasm to encourage the cervix to dip down into it.

Now, I put 80% in the syringe and put that in while I'm lying down with my hips up and then insert the SoftCup which keeps everything nice and close to the cervix.

Place marking for now. Not sure how/if my journey will continue...
baby dust to you all