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 ✨💚

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! 😄

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.

@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

@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.

Hi ladies! I hope everyone is feeling ok?

Good to read your updates and just to say a big THANK YOU. I feel so much less lonely on this journey. I hope you are all looking after yourselves and hopefully fitting in some pampering tlc?!

Lady 1 had her check, her external dissolvable stitches are nearly good and cone was allowed off but when home she licked too much so I’ve had to put the cone on. Lady 2 still in isolation with her nerve/disc damage. But I’m ok today, still heavy period but a certain relief that I don’t feel disappointed in it this month, it wasn’t the right time.
Just realised how much it takes out of you, when this month the weight lifted off my shoulders. I’m going to start trying to be a bit kinder to myself about SI from this next round of syringing.

I’d absolutely love to adopt. My husband isn’t as keen but it’s something I’d very much like to do.

Look after yourselves xx

@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! 😬

@eloiseislost

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! 😄

Your LH level seem low and you might get the peak in the following days. Please keep testing to locate it.

Thanks @AlisonT13, got my peak yesterday!

@eloiseislost yay for getting your peak!! 😊
@Oilyoilyoilgob I'm glad to hear things with your cats seem to be going okay! Sometimes life takes over doesn't it and AF can be a bit of a relief because at least you can let go of TTC obsession for a few days. I'm all for being kinder to yourself!

I don't know if I could adopt... Probably as a last resort but not sure I'm strong enough for that! I'd definitely be up for sperm donation or egg donation of needed though 😊 hubby would be okay with this too.
@DinkBoo I get lost with the replies sometimes too so just chip in at random! Have you tested?!
@Lori23TTC I hope your appointments go ahead - any news on that front?

I'm CD7 today! I'm looking forward to trying again this cycle. I hope I ovulate around the same time as last cycle! Fingers crossed for a more normal one again! 😊

@eloiseislost yay for getting your peak!! 😊
@Oilyoilyoilgob I'm glad to hear things with your cats seem to be going okay! Sometimes life takes over doesn't it and AF can be a bit of a relief because at least you can let go of TTC obsession for a few days. I'm all for being kinder to yourself!

I don't know if I could adopt... Probably as a last resort but not sure I'm strong enough for that! I'd definitely be up for sperm donation or egg donation of needed though 😊 hubby would be okay with this too.
@DinkBoo I get lost with the replies sometimes too so just chip in at random! Have you tested?!
@Lori23TTC I hope your appointments go ahead - any news on that front?

I'm CD7 today! I'm looking forward to trying again this cycle. I hope I ovulate around the same time as last cycle! Fingers crossed for a more normal one again! 😊

Fingers crossed for you @MrsKin90 🙃
And good luck with the 2.5ml syringes! Don't worry about the quantity of semen, anything from 1.5-6ml is normal. It also depends on how often you inseminate, if you do it every day, the volume will be less -at least that's what I've noticed in my experience.

I am potentially 1DPO today, temp has gone up this morning, so need another 2 to confirm. It's my birthday next Friday and I keep thinking how nice it would be if my gift was a BFP...! 😃
But I think the best gift I can give to myself is not POAS obsessively this month and just relax wait for AF to be late. Or maybe some new makeup! 💄🤣

My dh always went straight to adoption as an option, even before trying for our own. I think it's his natural squeamishness

Well done @eloiseislost ! Excellent skiils

So... I just tested this morning with a cheapie, and it's positive (not as dark as it could be, but not remotely requiring line eyes). I'm still shaking as I've never got close to a bfp so it feels very unreal even to be at this point.

I think today is 7 days late for me, so I'm not going to get my hopes up too much, and will just be keeping everything crossed.

Although it's not the result of s-i, it is the first month we used a fertility lube I had bought for s-i purposes, so I can still blame you guys

I hope everyone and all the cats are doing well, and November is a lucky month

(my ability to keep track this month was not aided by Clue's habit of moving your fertile week if you are late, which I didn't realise it does, so now I have to count, which I am surprisingly bad at )

@DinkBoo that's huge news! And with 7 days late it definitely sounds very positive. I don't want to jinx it, but I feel like congratulations are in order :) how many cycles did that take for you?

I'm 6DPO today and the TWW couldn't be going slower lol... Still have achy boobs but I keep telling myself this early after ovulation it can't really be a symptom at all - gah! It's rainy where I am, the US news are gloomy, lockdown is kicking off - I could really do with some good news!

@DinkBoo Congratulations! 🥳❤️
It's good to be cautious, but at 7 days late and a definite BFP, you're off to a great start. Fingers crossed for a strong, sticky bean! 💖

Thanks @primrosechill and @eloiseislost. I am trying to stay very very very cautiously optimistic. Especially as I seem to have far fewer symptoms than in a normal month, and am still getting occasional spots on wiping, so don't want to get my hopes up.

Right now I am just happy that it seems at least my body is capable of that first step, which feels like good news enough on its own for now.

@primrosechill I think officially our actual second cycle actually trying. Which is one of the reasons I am not getting too hopeful.

But I have tracked for years and years in Clue, as I always needed to know when AF would come and fuck me over

We've been supposedly 'trying' for a while (ie years), but dh's version of trying for a long time was sex once a month, on a Sunday, if that (hence why I joined the thread), and for a long time, not remotely near that due to ed and all the stress that involves.

This month we used Fertility Check lube, and dtd on the day I had ovulation symptoms. Which I would normally avoid as ovulation symptoms make me feel pretty manky.

I tested today as I had some ewcm yesterday and wanted to check if I was back in fertile week early after a wonky month, and I'd had a line on an opk some quantity of days ago so thought we may need to dtd

So it's all still very much up in the air!

Awesome news @DinkBoo - if this cycle is not our cycle, I might check out that lube you mentioned, too. The last few cycles we haven't been using anything to help ourselves in that way.

I saw somewhere that ovulation sticks can actually work as pregnancy tests as well! In fact, sometimes they can give you a clearer result faster than a pregnancy test. Not sure what "some quantity days ago" is for you but if it was closer to your AF due date, that could have been it!

@primrosechill I think it was around 3/5 days ago, so when I was a couple of days late at least, but I have totally lost track of this month as time feels like it has gone all wonky with af not arriving on the dot and without the usual hormonal symptoms.

I got a negative opk today, with a faint hint of a line. Hopefully that's a good sign

The Fertility Check lube is like water, so I was skeptical (not unrelated to the fact it was the cheapest option on Amazon as I nearly fainted when I saw how much ttc lube costs), but dh said it made a huge difference on his end (pun not intended) so I'd definitely reccomend a lube.

@DinkBoo I bought the Conceive Plus lube last month, DH was furious I spent so much on lube! 🤭
Didn't work for us last month but fingers crossed it works this time! 🤞🏼

@DinkBoo oooo congrats if this is it! Sounds like it is 🥰 fab news!

Oh I’ve spent so much on lube and generally everything for ttc we have nearly been doing this for 18 months so it’s getting expensive and this is even before we have a baby to pay for 🤪 totally worth it if I get pregnant one day!

@MrsKin90 well my fertility clinic said when I come on I need to call them as I will need to have tests done on the first 5 days of my cycle so I’m just waiting for AF...

I know adoption is a long process to so I might do some research on it as it might be an option for the future. I deff wouldn’t rule it out.

I know what is going on in the world is madness and I’m still going out to work so doesn’t really feel like complete lockdown for me, could actually do with a few weeks at home tbh to relax! As long as we all stay safe that’s all that matters. Hope everyone is ok x

@DinkBoo I will keep everything crossed this is your bfp, I do really hope it is for you ☺️🤞🏻

So nice to read some updates and potentially a bfp, great stuff! Xx

I hope you're forgiven now @eloiseislost

I also hope your investment pays off @Lori23TTC

It really does feel like companies are preying on people's hope and desperation, even the reputable ones selling fertility basics.

I haven't said anything to dh yet, so I'm very grateful you are all here to talk to

I've been feeling a lot more nauseous all day today rather than brief waves, and my boobs are a lot more sore, so I'm now just hoping these are good signs, and not an epic af coming and the positive being residual hormones or entirely psychosomatic.

The symptoms, not the test being psychosomatic of course . Messaging whilst cooking.

@DinkBoo that's so exciting! Fingers crossed for you. I hear cheapo tests are notorious for having lighter lines than better branded tests so wonder if you'd get a great bfp on a frer or clearblue or a digital?

I'm having a pity party. ☹️ A friend announced the birth of her beautiful baby born today and instead of being absolutely delighted for her (which I am underneath) I feel sad. Really deeply sad. I am feeling extra cruel for feeling sad as they had a devastating miscarriage a few months after we started TTC and now thankfully have gone on to have a healthy beautiful baby. I'm so happy for her... but it really highlights how long we've been trying. They've also used (without knowing) the name sat at the top of our baby name list which we'll never get to use. I feel like them using that name is a sign that it isn't going to happen. Which I realise is silly really as nobody knows one way or another. Why is this so hard?

@MrsKin90 Your post broke my heart 💔 And I don't say this with pity, but rather with empathy. My best friend of 20+ years is giving birth any day now. I just can't be purely happy for her, I just can't. The worse thing is that I pretend to be and it's exhausting. And I hate myself for being so petty. 😞
I think the desire to have a baby is overpowering and it casts a shadow over all other emotions. Try not to be too hard on yourself. You can't change how you feel!
The name thing is slightly annoying, sure, but not a sign of anything. Maybe a sign that an even better name is destined for your child? 😉
Sending virtual hugs your way 🤗