Self insemination - Any success stories?!

[TurkeyBasterHopeItWorks]

Hi everyone,

I have NC'd for this to save our blushes!
DH and I have just had our first round of IVF which was sadly unsuccessful after an early miscarriage.
We have 2 frozen embryos but we would like to TTC naturally for the next 6 month's first in the hope the IVF hormones might help boost our chances.
DH has always struggled to ejaculate inside me when DTD. Therefore we have decided to try self insemination in the hope it will take away some of the stress.

I would love to hear any success stories.

Also which insemination kit did you buy?

Has anyone tried a soft cup / Ferti Lily conception cup after inserting the syringe to help things along?

Thanks everyone!

[H8624]

Of course we can be buddies :).

I did first insem last night and going to try tonight tomorrow and Monday depending when I get peak on cb! Try to aim for 4-5 as I can't manage any more than that!

[AdriannaP]

Yeah. Fingers crossed for us. I wonder if it really works. Let’s see...

[kikibo]

It really does work. 3rd product of our self-insem sessions is 2 months old. We also only inseminated 3 times a cycle around ovulation.

1st time needed 7 attempts, second 2 and 3rd 2 as well.

It's pretty much the same as DTD, only by proxy I used to say 😃.

Fingers crossed for you all. Keep it up (no pun intended), at some point it'll have worked.💪👍

[Solomon1212]

Dont know if this helps but i used to do AI in dogs lol (i know not quite the same). After insemination wed always lift the tail end up so very little came back out, so may be worth while putting your bum upwards. Fingers and tail crossed for you 😁

[AdriannaP]

@kikibo that’s encouraging to read! 2 attempts so far, think AF arrived today 😢
Fingers crossed for next month!

[H8624]

How's everyone getting on?

I've been spotting the last 4 days so I'm out and expecting AF in full force tomorrow :(. I always spot before, but seems my cycle this month will have been 23 days rather than 26.

This was the 4th month trying so starting to lose hope! However onto the 5th and will keep everything crossed!

[bitheby]

Feels like AF is coming. Due Sat. Not out yet but not getting my hopes up.

[TurkeyBasterHopeItWorks]

Hi Everyone,

How are things going in these crazy times? I hope you are all safe and well.

@kikibo - This is really encouraging to hear. Congratulations on your new baby.
Do you have any tips? Type of syringe used, did you use pre-seed, etc.

This is probably controversial to some but DH and I are continuing with self inseminating even in these times of CV. Due to my age there is no time to lose.

I did a pregnancy test yesterday which was sadly negative. I was hopeful because my last 2 cycles had been 24 and 25 days and AF still hasn't arrived and It's day 29. Maybe I'm just going back to my irregular cycle lengths.
We intend to try again and 🤞 for 4th time lucky.

I wish you all well.x

[H8624]

@turkeybasterhopeitworks any sign of AF? If not you may still be in with a shot :).

I'm currently 5th cycle trying and 5dpo so waiting it out!

[TurkeyBasterHopeItWorks]

@H8624 - Still no sign of AF yet, I too wondered if there is a remote chance but I daren't hope!
Best of luck with your 5th cycle, I hope it's lucky number 5! 🤞

[H8624]

@turkeybasterhopeitworks that's a good sign if AF hasn't appeared yet!

How many DPO are you? Perhaps it's time for a test?!

[TurkeyBasterHopeItWorks]

@H8624 - I keep thinking there is a glimmer of hope but I’m also wondering if it’s just my irregular cycles coming back again after 2 regular months. Plus I tested 4 days after AF was due based on a 24/25 day cycle and it was negative with no hint of a line 🙁.
I didn’t use an ovulation kit this cycle because on the previous two it didn’t show I was peak fertility / ovulating either time. So I can’t be sure if/when I ovulated! I’m an awkward one sadly!

How long do you have to wait now? Fingers crossed for you x

[H8624]

@turkeybasterhopeitworks well I'll keep my fingers crossed it is your month! If not hopefully Af will arrive soon so you can at least move on to the next cycle!

My cycles are usually 24-26 days which would be next Monday-Wednesday but I will try not to test u til the Thursday if AF doesn't turn up. Last month I had spotting 5 days either side tho (normally spot 3 days before only) so who knows what will happen this month!

[H8624]

@turkeybasterhopeitworks I must be out again this month - just started spotting like usual.

Bit worried as my cycles seem to be getting shorter and shorter! It's only CD20 so far! Same happened last month.

Starting to feel like this is never going to happen now - 5 cycles trying and nothing at all :(

[kikibo]

@Turkey
Tips? I used a syringe with a central spout or whatever you call it. Didn't use pre-seed.
DH used to go upstairs, leave his business in a pot in the bathroom and I'd go up, get the stuff in the syringe, get myself comfortable with hips propped up, then did the business (making sure I had an orgasm, sorry if TMI) and then I'd surf the net.
We usually did this before bed as that was the easiest to organise.

[TurkeyBasterHopeItWorks]

@kikibo - Thanks so much for the advice. Don’t worry it’s not TMI! I am concerned maybe I’m not doing the right things so it’s so useful to know what has worked for other people.

[kikibo]

OK, so one more TMI detail then 🤣:

I took to inseminating when I climaxed, because I figured that the inward contractions would help the swimmers a bit. (There was also something I read about that, though it wasn't evidence as such) And also because the first time I inseminated , and then tried to climax, there was a bit of an issue as the thing was 'done ' and there was no reason iyswim. 😂

I do so much hope it works for you.

[primrosechill]

Hi everyone - new to this thread, lovely to hear your home insemination stories. I suffer from vaginismus so dtd is pretty much impossible or at least incredibly painful - that's why we turned to cups and syringes.

Last month after three cycles of trying, my partner and I managed to get pregnant using this method. Unfortunately, at the 6 week mark I miscarried. I feel quite crushed as I'm
still going through the motions, but I'm trying to remind myself that miscarriages are common and that there's nothing I could have done to stop it - and at least I now know that we CAN get pregnant and relatively pain-free which is a big fat PLUS given the nightmare of vaginismus.

It will be at least 5-6 more weeks until we can try again, but I wanted to wish you all good luck using this method and will be sharing my updates when the time comes!

[TurkeyBasterHopeItWorks]

Hi @primrosechill
Thank you for joining the thread. I am so sorry to hear about your miscarriage. I know that crushing feeling, it's so tough.
I'm glad you are able to see the positive side in that you did get pregnant with your condition.
I too wish you luck and please do keep us all posted xx

[TurkeyBasterHopeItWorks]

Update on our progress which has been very slow sadly!
My last cycle was 42 days after 2 regular cycles of 24 and 25 days this was a disappointment. I had hoped maybe my cycles had returned to being regular but no such luck. Due to my cycle length being so long I took 2 pregnancy tests but both were negative.
We will start on the treadmill of inseminating again tomorrow and fingers crossed it might be 4th time lucky!

Wishing everyone the best of luck x

[MrsKin90]

Hi there! I'm brand new to Mumsnet. I wondered if I could join you all?
We've been TTC #1 via at home self insemination since September/October. My hubby has ED issues so thought this way was just easier.
As well as ED, my hubby takes medication which has been known to impact sperm quality/quantity although we haven't had him tested as it's still early days. I also have PCOS so my cycles are wonky 😊 what a barrel of laughs TTC is with the right mixture of issues!!
Luckily my cycles have been okay-ish since coming off BC in July 2019. They range from 33-35 days and I can ovulate between CD16-CD25! I take my BBT to keep track of when we can stop for the cycle and we just do it every 3 days up until bbt confirms O! I'm pretty sure I'm 3dpo now and having a magical cycle where I ovulated on CD17 😱 well done ovaries 🥳🌟🥚🥚we used conceive plus lube for the first time this cycle so fingers crossed?
It's lovely to know it's worked for other people and it's not such a lonely place to be. Nobody knows we are trying, and if they did I definitely wouldn't be able to talk to them about doing it this way!

[TurkeyBasterHopeItWorks]

Hi @MrsKin90 - Welcome to the thread! Best of luck with this cycle.
It is great to know we’re not alone and as you say we’re the same we can’t talk about this with anyone in real life.
🤞

[primrosechill]

Hello ladies, great to hear your updates. @TurkeyBasterHopeItWorks sorry to hear that your cycles have been a bit all over the place and that it was a BFN for you this month - don't lose hope, maybe summer months will be our months!

I had my hospital follow-up appointment on Wednesday to check that the MC has progressed as expected - they confirmed complete MC so at least I'm glad that I don't have to have a d&c or any other medical intervention. That said, I'm still bleeding slightly - 2.5 weeks of blood!! Sorry if this is TMI but I am so frustrated that my body keeps reminding me of what happened and I just want to move on - can't wait to start inseminating again so I can at least feel like I'm doing something about it. I'm also curious to see how this will affect my cycles... in the past they were like a Swiss watch, every 25 days - which I was quite grateful for because it meant we could try relatively often...

@MrsKin90 good luck with your home insemination efforts! I know how bizarre this process might seem at first but try to have fun with it - I know that my husband and I had a lot of fun and giggles when doing this - and it did work for us on the third attempt, so I'm certainly a believer!!

[TurkeyBasterHopeItWorks]

Hi @primrosechill - Thank you for your message. I’m so sorry for your loss. I’m glad you don’t have to go through any procedures. I hope the bleeding stops soon. It’s not TMI at all, one thing we should do on this thread is talk honestly and be a support to each other.

As an aside, I’ve just been on a new thread with someone asking about Cassava root to boost ovulation, I’ve never heard of this, has anyone else by any chance? I’m willing to try virtually anything now!
Plus does anyone know of the fertility vitamin supplement that has been raved about? I remember reading articles about it a while back but stupidly can’t find them now or remember what it was called. I’ve been taking the standard pregnacare conception ones. But would happily switch if something else is giving people a boost.

[TurkeyBasterHopeItWorks]

Sorry for all the questions!
I’m feeling very hopeless at the moment, just don’t know what to think or what to try.
I’m on the verge of saying sod it let’s go back to IVF as soon as possible.