The Turkey Baster Gang (gobble gobble)

[Oilyoilyoilgob]

Just starting a new thread on self insemination before our first one locks down!

39 pages of highs and lows and THE most supportive group you could wish for if you’re starting or on a self insemination journey.

💚✨ good luck ✨💚

Hey I posted a week or so ago - this is first month ttc using this method - I had positive frer & clear blue at 12 & 14 DPO but unfortunately yesterday at 16 DPO had a definite BFN and feel like AF is going to begin.

Fingers crossed for everyone for the next cycle x

@MrsKin90 thank you for scoring back to me... we used to do this but I think we have been trying for nearly 18 months now we are just a bit fed up tbh. I’ll try and talk to him and see if we can bring the intimacy back 😬 also we are both really busy at work so don’t have a lot of energy atm... looking forward to some time off at Christmas! How are you getting on? Have you ovulate yet?

@sailormoo92 I’m sorry you have a BFN 😔 positive thinking for your next cycle and try to have some me time for yourself xxx

@Lori23TTC I know what you mean. Technically month 16 for us! But with inconsistent cycles and only starting syringes (rather than just using a menstrual cup) it's not been 16 cycles, but it does take it's toll! Hopefully Christmas gives us all something positive to look forward to! I'm alright I think? I'm CD14 today and no ovulation yet but lots of EWCM so fingers crossed not long to go.

@sailormoo92 I'm so sorry to hear that. I hope you're alright and looking after yourself. You said you're not always with your partner due to work didn't you? Will you have time to try again next cycle? I hope you're together right now so not dealing with things on your own.

@MrsKin90 I’m alright thanks - Luckily OH is here and we should have 2-3 cycles together to try again.

It puts the pressure on a little bit though as he’s going to be at sea Apr - Sept then I go down south Sept onwards so we’ll just see each other weekends here and there. And that’ll be til Sep 2023. Trying to think positive thoughts and hope we don’t need to put ttc on hold because of work again.

x

Hi ladies, it's Friday at last, so happy weekend! (I realise not everyone works mon-fri, so apologies to those of you who are back in work over the weekend).

@oilyoilyoilgob what's the latest with your cat?

I'm about 3 days into af (hard to pinpoint as there was spotting for a couple of days), but feeling very positive tonight. I hadn't heard back from the doctors, so phoned them this afternoon. The receptionist was lovely, and she's got me booked in for a chat with a doc a week on Mon. Ironically this will be in my fertile window! I don't think I'll be having any tests until the new year, but I just feel so happy to know I've made the 1st steps in any medical interventions we may need.

I've changed my ttc tablets from the 7 seas ones, to basic folic acid, and a vitamin d tablet. Will see if my cm comes back!

I confided in my secretary a couple of months ago, because I work really closely with her (not literally of course), she is our mental health "first aider" for our office, and also because I know she also had her own struggles ttc.

She's the second person who's said she tried for around a year, was about to get tests done, and just so happened to conceive before they did any tests. It's probably sheer coincidence, but I can't help but hope that my story will be similar.

Also booked on to have my ear piercing on Sun so this will also make me happy! Early Christmas present to myself 🙂

I hope you're all looking after and being kind to yourselves. It's absolutely normal to feel upset, angry, and excited at what you're going through. It's an absolute roller-coaster this ttc lark isn't it!? One way or another, we will all get through this! (sorry for the essay!) X

Hello everyone, phew a lot to catch up on. Sorry I just needed a break from stuff, so tired and drained. @Birchybirch and other people asking about my lovely lady, she is still with us. All of her bloods and csf fluid came back clear (bar some mild exfoliation of inflammatory cells in csf). So as the neurosurgeon said ‘it’s a mystery’ which did elicit a mumble from my husband to me after the call of the huge amount spent 🤣 but at least we’ve ruled everything out. There has been some teeny improvement on her steroids and I’m now in touch with a physio the vet recommended and we are hoping to treat her over calls with her, I’m praying I can help her recover.

I’m really tired and drained. Just stress upon stress for years and I’ve had enough of it. Sorry for sounding down, it’s more that I’d like a rest from it! With everything going on we haven’t put tree or decorations up so we’ll do it today. I just want to be on an island somewhere tbh. Getting massages and reading books 😅

I’m really sorry to read on here that people have been down, do you also think it’s the time of year? I love Christmas but I honestly did think I’d be pregnant this year. Just feel sad. I’m not on social media so will be able to avoid the pg announcements or baby’s first Christmas montages. I hate myself for sounding bitter but there you go, this is a good place for honesty!

My husband had a call with the gp yesterday and they are going to ring Monday. He was honest and said we’d been trying intensively for three months (the rest of this year I’d say trying but more haphazardly) they did say it’s normally waiting six months at our age. I’m hoping they can tell me option we can choose to do after the next three months is up if I don’t get pregnant. I don’t like going to the doctors or hospital I get huge anxiety and my heart rate and bp goes through the roof, I also really need to keep up with shedding pounds, so that’ll be fun 😅

I too am hoping 2021 will be our year. Having read all the comments about miscarriage I have had fleeting thoughts of ‘is it syringing’ but like my husband said, we got pregnant from it, it’s just nature’s way.
My cousin went through several rounds of ivf and sadly it didn’t work, she had an early mc and an ectopic. Friends have had mc trying in the conventional way. I do honestly think it’s so much more common than we realise.

Here’s to 2021 and some happiness and babies 🤞🏻🍀💚 xx

@sailormoo92 I'm glad you're not on your own and that you can at least have a couple of cycles to try again! I'll be crossing my fingers very tightly for you. I can't imagine how difficult that is!

@Birchybirch it's good to hear you've got the ball rolling. You do here a lot of people say they conceive when they start the fertility-help-process so maybe something to be said for that "weight has lifted" feeling. Happy weekend to you, I hope you love your piercing!

@Oilyoilyoilgob glad your lovely cat is still with you ❤️ you really do sound like you need a break from everything and some good relaxation. Maybe book yourself a spa day as a Christmas present? A whole day! It's doctor recommended I'm sure 😊 I hope the GP has some helpful advice, and whilst I get your husband being honest they should take into account that you have probably been trying for six months+ even if not intensely. Let us know how you get on.

I'm hoping ovulation is happening today/right now! But I don't know 🙄 also very tired so fingers crossed. Did SI Wednesday, yesterday and will do tomorrow but that's all we'll manage and after that will have to space it back out a bit.

Hope everyone is having as happy a weekend as they can!

Aw good luck @MrsKin90 for ovulation and inseminating 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻 Fingers crossed for you and lots of luck!
I’ll let you know what GP says. Part of me is dreading call and tests, does anyone else think like this 😳 part of me is a bit like ‘not more shite’ and I know that sounds really bad. I just can’t be bothered right now 🙁 I think I’m stressed and a bit depressed tbh. I wasn’t able to work for six months due to Covid and I’m just a bit flat.
Then the thought of invasive tests/hormones etc I just don’t want to do it. I know this sounds proper silly but I just want to get bloody pregnant normally.
Someone said it upthread and I feel the same, the frustration is creeping in about ED and just not been able to have a normal sex sesh and get pregnant. I’m just ranting tbh but I just feel a bit pissed off with EVERYTHING. Then I’m ranting about it but it comes to sex and again it just feels another thing to add to the life list 😳 So it’s my fault too 😄 does anyone else get this feeling? Like life is one long list?

I’ve booked myself a facial and massage for Monday of Christmas week. I just need to be massaged and have my muscles touched and loosened.

Hope everyone feeling brighter than I am 😂 xx

@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

@Birchybirch that’s actually a very good way to look at it, I will keep trying to think that today while I’m chuntering to myself 🤭 husband is at work so I’m finishing the decorating for Christmas and drinking lots of decaf tea. I’m still in my pjs and dressing gown, two delivery men have caught me on separate occasions today eating at the kitchen sink looking like waynetta slob 😄

My period tracker says I’m cd13 so using the sticks now for tracking.

Good luck with the upcoming tracking and inseminating Birchy, hope it’s your cycle 💖 xx

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

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!!! 💪🏼

@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! 😁

@MrsKin90 and @Birchybirch yes thank goodness in clothes but like birchy, I was in my trusted lovely dressing gown that looks grubby even when washed-looking a STATE 😂😂 Why don’t they ever arrive when I look ok?

Mrs kin you’re so right, it’s ok to have a break but I really need to start being more bothered about me time and couples time! I’m really looking forward to having a treatment. I’m very cat like in that I love being rubbed and touched, I’d love an all day massage 😄

@eloiseislost you sound in a great frame of mind and so glad you enjoyed that lovely sounding run! I’m sending my very best that it’s not long until you have some good news ☺️

I did an opk last night, only cd13 but the test line was as dark as dark can be. That would be very early for me, I’m taking pregnacare pre conception 🤔 so at 9.30pm husband had to get the goods in an emergency! Very strange, and I had mild period type cramps and I can’t say I really notice ovulation pain or feelings. So whatever is going on down there meant a SI situation late last night. I’m going to keep tracking with sticks but I’m puzzled at the timing, my cycles are normally 34 days average.

Sending everyone good wishes for a lovely week. Beautiful and sunny here in Yorkshire, a proper winter morning and the sunlight is gorgeous xx

@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. 🤦

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 ❤️

Hi @MrsKin90 a ball gown would be wonderful 😍 sadly I’m less princess chic and more shabby chic when delivery men knock 🙄

Yes that’s strange about my ovulation-Monday opk was the darkest I’ve ever had, super dark immediate line as the wee crept up the stick. Strange but I’m not overthinking it, maybe the pregnacare? I don’t know. I didn’t hear from GP so I need to ring them but that might be next week as I’m busy with work (thank goodness some money at last).

@primrosechill hello I’ve been thinking of you, thought you might need space. It’s good to bow out for a bit to give yourself some tlc, I hope you’ve been ok. Glad you’re feeling ok about this week and whatever feelings happen take time to look after yourself and be kind to yourself 💚
That great news on the IUI, forgive my ignorance, do they cleanse the sperm and then inseminate straight into your womb?
Keeping my fingers well and truly crossed for you xx

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

@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.

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!

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! ❤️

@primrosechill I’m so happy it went well for you under the general anaesthetic-I think that is very brave and I’m not surprised you feel empowered, go you 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻 I’m hoping that this gives you your much longed for rainbow baby.
It sound like you are really positive and powerful, great to read ☺️

Hi @eloiseislost I hope you are feeling ok? Not unusual at all, I felt the same. I’m still sometime counting how many weeks I’d be now....all normal I think as our own way of coping ☺️ Look after yourself.
That’s great the bbt looks stable, the lh levels I’m sure will get there!

We did SI number three last night. My lh levels look to be coming down as the test line is lighter but bloody hell mondays was amazing-I was so proud of how dark the line was 😂 Might end up doing another tonight for luck, I’m tired though. Husband has been getting home really late due to work so we have dinner, ten mins letting our bellies rest, cat Physiotherapy and tidying up their litter/food/water and then SI 😰 then I can’t sleep because my brain is switched back on!
I hope we get some positive rest results soon on this thread, feel like we are due one soon.

@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.

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.

@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 😊