Home insemination

@wtbpg home artificial insemination kit companies say that there's a slightly increased chance of pregnancy from using kits because it bypasses the lower vagina which can be more 'inhospitable' to sperm but I always take this with a pinch of salt because obviously they're going to say it makes a difference 😆 but I see no harm in either method. It can be good to have kits as a failsafe if you just really aren't in the mood to dtd on your most fertile days.

We were down as unexplained when trying for our first, we had him via IVF.

We got preg second time round, 4th cycle using home insem. I'm not sure what changed or what but it worked for us.
I can't see an issue with trying both.

We've got no issues with performance and tbh sperm motility / morphology also fine. We've got a healthy child who is almost 2, conceived first try. This time we've been trying for almost a year. Unexplained infertility - as unexplained as it gets.

Given that there's no performance issues do you think we have more chances trying naturally or getting a twoplus syringe to get the sperm further in? Bought the kit but just not sure what would max our chances

@wtbpg that's great! As long as your catching it that's all that matters. You most have a really good strong LH surge which is awesome 😃

Yes I do get positives!

I wouldn't say you are doing wrong. It's more common for a surge to happen later in the day but that certainly doesn't apply to anyone.

What I normally do is test once every evening. And then when I'm about a day or 2 close to ovulation (or when the test looks like it's getting towards my peak), I start testing with FMU, afternoon/evening, and just before bed.

I have had my peak reading with FMU quite a few times. so I would have easily missed my peak if I hadn't have done that as my LH seems to come back down fairly quickly.

@wtbpg ahhh, do you ever get positives? If it's not working for you definitely try another time of day. My peak was so short (like 6 hours) i had to test at around 11am and 5pm to make sure I caught it

@GreenTurtle75 @LavenderSweetPea ahh thank you so much!! Sounds like ive been doing it wrong as I've been using first morning wee all along (8mo!)

This is correct. LH typically surges in the morning but takes up to 4 hours to be detected so the advice is to test around 10am–12pm (depending on your sleep schedule) or just with your second wee.

@wtbpg I thiiiiiink it is because people tend to not produce much LH overnight so FMU is unlikely to be positive, even when you would get a positive later in the day. For people with very high LH I'm sure it wouldn't matter so much but I think most tests do advise to to not use FMU

Sorry I know this is an old comment you made... but why never first thing in the morning for ovulation tests?

@Soulsta not in the moment but crampy later and aware of it today. Crampy but not uterus cramps more like… well, sore cervix cramps lol.

It is giving me the absolute horrible feeling like nails on chalkboard 😂😅

Please all learn from my mistakes haha.

Ouch! Reading that made my stomach go all weird ....are you okay 😦

Thats a big fear of mine, When did you know you pushed it up too far up, in the moment or a little later ?

I think I’ve injured my cervix with the syringe. Just a warning to be careful! I was trying to aim it directly but think I must have prodded around too much. Ouch 😖

Omg that’s so funny 😂😂
we had some tests done recently - my partner’s came back that he has abnormal shaped sperm. Quite common apparently. Diet, stress, exercise, alcohol can have an impact so hoping he can get it back to a normal shape but at least the mobility and count is ok.

I ordered Bea AI kits - wow they’re so expensive. Second try, it malfunctioned but they sent a replacement kit so will give it another go when in ovulating again. Been nearly a year we’ve been trying with AI and still nothing 😭

I’ve done the insemination part by myself to date, but this month I’m going to get him to do it just to make sure it is as far in as it can go! Fingers crossed 🤞🏻

@CurlyWurly1991 congrats on your BFP!!

I had my second attempt of using AI today, last cycle I made a total mess of it but today it went a lot better! I’m planning on doing one day ‘traditional’ and the other AI alternating during my fertile days

hope you’re all getting on well x

@Soulsta Easier to pick up in syringe to insem.
It's pretty thick otherwise.

@CurlyWurly1991 congrats!!!

Brilliant! You must have been mortified!

Oh op I feel your pain, back when myself and Dh were younger we had been trying for 2 yrs naturally with nothing happening, our gp advised us to bring a specimen to local hospital for testing. We were told the semen had only 30 mins viability and our hospital was 1.5 hrs away. Being young and not world wise . We arrived into the carp park in the early hours our app was first thing in the morning . Proceeded to do a quick bj in the car and collected the " specimen" in a container the doctor had given us.

Proudly hand it to the nurse who looks at us oddly and our notes, to state oh sorry this specimen needs to be collected here in our private room as you've travelled a long way. We had to tell her it was only a few minutes "old" the absolute embarrassment was like nothing before. We do laugh about it now 15 yrs later .

Congratulations @CurlyWurly1991 !!! That’s so exciting.

We did our first AI test on Sunday, my DP has an injury too this month which makes sex a bit of painful for him. We’re not even in fertile window we just wanted to try it out 😂 honestly I really liked it. I feel like when TTC I spend the entire time having sex just thinking “come already!!!!” And never orgasm myself because I can’t really get out of my head at all - just doing the syringe feels a lot more aligned to where my head is at lol lol.

But I think we will try to do it naturally this week as well if he feels up to it, but at least we don’t have to do it every second day without fail, so I feel a lot more confident.

I was reading that you should locate your cervix before doing the syringe so that you’re aiming for the right spot.

Congratulations!!!!! Great to hear another positive ai story!

Congratulations @CurlyWurly1991

New here, been reading about home insemination and very interested! My DH also gets performance anxiety so might give this a go next cycle.

Can I ask, why the semen needs to be kept at room temperature for 10 to 15mins before inseminating? Just thinking if its come from his warm body, it would already be warm and liquidated no?

Also do you orgasm before insemination or after, or insert it at the same time. Sorry if TMI- genuinely curious about how it works!

Congratulations @CurlyWurly1991 !