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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

Anyone ever used the turkey baster method and got pregnant? Any advice?

98 replies

PastYourBedtime · 13/08/2008 14:02

After a year of trying to get pregnant naturally we have decided to give it a go. Dp suffers from delayed ejaculation (he can ejaculate during masterbation but not sex easily) and i ovulate infrequently, so we have decided to try and give things a helping hand.
If he was to masterbate into a 'cup' and then into a syringe we could then insert it at hopefully the right time. Well thats the plan! Anyone had any success with this method or any thoughts?

OP posts:
gingerninja · 13/08/2008 14:09

A friend of a friend has but I'm not sure of the technicalities and I'm a bit to ask.

Original poster
PastYourBedtime · 13/08/2008 14:22

In theory it should be simple but in practice i doubt it will be! (How would you aim into a cup?!) I'm just hoping that the it'll work the same way as having sex would - unless the sperm will die in the cup?

OP posts:
Ihavedoneit · 13/08/2008 14:27

Sorry for name change but I have used this method of getting pregnant with my partner. He had some issues around sex and just felt too under pressure to do it at the right time for getting pregnant...so we used this method.

Worked first month of trying for us, please feel free to ask anything.

tryingnottoobsess · 13/08/2008 15:03

No experience myself, but I remember listening to a radio interview with Sandi Toksvig, who used it with her partner, in fact they had 2 kids I think (female parner, donor was a friend). She said they just bought a pippette from Boots and it was very simple, though obviously she didn't go into great detail with it being national radio! I bet there's info on the internet - I can't look cos I'm at work, but searching 'lesbian pregnancy' or similar might give you some results, because I think 'turkey baster' method is relatively common for lesbians with a willing male friend. Good luck.

Original poster
PastYourBedtime · 13/08/2008 15:13

Thanks. Will def google pippette, was thinking of using a calpol syringe, but the pipe bit doesn't look long enough.
IHAVEDONETHIS - was it awkward, (i mean between the two of you, not the actual thing iyswim) i don't want to put pressure on dp to perform or make him feel uncomfortable. He would prefer to carry on as we are i think because he "wants to be able to create a baby out of making love rather than something cold and sterile" so is there anyway to make it still seem loving? How did you do it?

OP posts:
MrsBates · 13/08/2008 15:16

I heard the Sandi Toksvig interview so and was struck with that bit of information but wasn't sure if she was joking. I do have a close friend who is gay and she and her partner are using this method at the moment, with donor who is a mate. No luck for them so far but they have heard of other successes they say so it might just work...

Helsbels4 · 13/08/2008 15:23

Why don't you do what you normally do but just before the crucial bit, whip out your cup or whatever for him to do the business into? It's not very attractive but when me and DH were trying for babies, I'd always lay for at least half an hour afterwards with my legs up and resting on the wall cos I heard that a lot of semen runs back out afterwards . I fell pregnant on 3rd month of trying with DS and 2nd month with DD. As i said, not attractive but it might help!

Dottydot · 13/08/2008 15:26

Hi - slightly different but both my dp and I got pregnant using the old yoghurt pot + syringe method!

Our donor would do his bit, keep the pot somewhere warm (on top of a warm radiator did the trick) and then we'd use the syringe.

Dp got pregnant the second time of trying. Took me longer but my body's a bit crap.

Definitely works though - good luck!

Original poster
PastYourBedtime · 13/08/2008 15:31

If we were to have him pull out and then masterbate he would lose his erection almost immeditaly with the pressure. I ought to say that he doesn't masterbate in a traditional way - he squeezes the base or something equally odd. He cant ejaculate any other way and i've never been able to do it for him.
thanks for all your posts - it seems there is hope!

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nelix2000 · 13/08/2008 15:58

hiya...i conceived ds one this way....using a syringe...5ml....keep sperm at body temp and away from sunlight...conceived 1st time and am trying for numer 2....infact AF is due tomorrow (our first try) so am testing and fingers crossed.....!!! goodluck! any questions I will happily answer for you....

Original poster
PastYourBedtime · 13/08/2008 16:31

Thanks and good luck for testing! I've got to go to the docs on the 23rd to get the results of some blood tests i had done to see if they can regulate my cycle.

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makingafamily · 13/08/2008 17:57

Hi. Its a method lesbians have been using for years with alot of rainbow babies to show for it.

Me and my DP are due to start TTC next month using this method. Our donor and his partner will come round when the time is right. Pop one into the yoghurt pot and off we go

Tips that have been given to me are:

  • Dont use a glass pot
  • 5 ml syringe is fine
  • Leave the swimmers in the pot for 15-20 mins to allow them to liquidify as easier to suck up into the syringe
  • Get to know the angle of your cervix so you know where you aiming for
  • Try and have an orgasm after insemination as this helps suck the swimmers up
  • Lay with your bottom raised for a minimum of 30 mins after insemination

Good Luck

Original poster
PastYourBedtime · 13/08/2008 18:25

Thanks for the tips. Sorry for tmi but is it the white thicker bits that are the sperm? Have got a little plastic tub to catch it in and will get a syringe type thing from boots. As for the lying down bit - any excuse to put my feet up for half an hour is fine by me lol

OP posts:
makingafamily · 13/08/2008 18:33

Just suck the lot up, sperm are too small to see with the human eye and the other bits are just as important as it has the right ph levels for the body and to keep keep the swimmers swimming or something like that. Sorry not the most medical of explanations lol

mslucy · 13/08/2008 21:56

had it done in hospital - IUI - and am now pg.

Took a few attempts but got there in the end.

Hurrah for the turkey baster!

nelix2000 · 14/08/2008 08:33

pastyourbedtime hi again lol can I say.....when you have your bum in the air....leave the syringe in after the insem, it acts a plug........and as makingafamily says having an orgasm...or two or three>.....lol will act as a vacum for the lil guys and get them where you want them to be....I did this and I kept my bum in the air for 2 hours has dp bring me food etc and watched stuff on tv....it passed quickly and none came out once the syringe was removed.....goodluck!

summerlovin · 14/08/2008 13:44

Wow - this thread has great info - I didn't know all this was going on!!!

Does anyone else have any ideas of what you can use as a 'plug' to keep the swimmers in???? Even if you are not using the turkey baster method this is still a problem....

thornrose · 14/08/2008 13:49

I can't believe I'm sharing this but my ex partner "suffered with" delayed ejaculation and I got pregnant really easily. I used an ovulation kit to pinpoint best days firstly.
We had sex until I was satisfied then I/he would masturbate him and at the crucial moment I would sit on it or if we were able too, insert it quickly. It was tricky with the timing but it was a success. Should've namechanged but what the hell!!

Original poster
PastYourBedtime · 14/08/2008 16:35

Thanks all, loads of great tips on this thread. Am going to get a kit to find out when i ovulate and give it a go. Am glad to see i'm not alone, its not the sort of thing i can tell people in real life!

OP posts:
gettingstarted · 24/08/2008 20:52

Thank you for all the tips here. We're trying to sort out the technicalities, but as a lesbian couple are lacking sperm and want need a known donor. It's difficult to find one!

mrsleroyjethrogibbs · 24/08/2008 22:05

summerlovin regarding the plug thingy, I think if you look on ebay and enter the word mooncup in some american vendors do something which is for that very purpose. you could of course just get a mooncup and use it for that as well as af, or if you use a diaphragm you could use that too

Original poster
PastYourBedtime · 24/08/2008 22:52

Well my blood tests came back ok, and the doctor is referring dp for a sperm test to make sure everythings ok with him. As my periods are so irregular we don't know when i ovulate so are just giving it ago every couple of days. Having a lot of trouble actually getting it into the pot tho... We've ended up having to scoop it up off his stomach (tmi sorry) and then use the pipette thing. Been keeping my legs up in the air (very undignified!) Thanks for all the tips and fingers crossed for all trying!

OP posts:
sjohnso3 · 03/09/2008 13:22

I was so happy to see this post as I thought it was only me and DH who had this problem.

We are ttc and dh suffers delayed ejaculation and then masturbates and holds on till he pushes inside me and then releases - sorry if this is tmi!

Thornrose - I saw your post and was wondering if you had any tips or how long it took you with this method?

Trying hard to not get stressed about it but doing my head in as worried I won't get pregnant.

wantingababylon · 18/09/2008 22:13

hello all I was looking around for ideas and found this discussion board! wow. So inspired i went out and bought a medicine syringe (pharmacist only asked what i wanted it for and i had to think on my feet and said it was to dispense medicine to my dog !) and got my hubby to do the business...... After almost 3 and a half years of trying the normal way i am open to ideas, whilst being on the waiting list at the hospital. will try again tomorrow too, fingers crossed

donnankelly · 02/10/2009 10:29

hi.i found this so interesting as my gf and i used the turkey baster and our gorgeous little man just turned 4 and we r currently trying again.it certainly works.i have never really thought about ovulation and when i was due on really just did the doo and wo hooo .
i am very fertile id only have to look at a penis andid be pregnat hahaha not that id want to lol.
good luck to all u guys and gals who r trying for a baby dnt give uphope it really does work.any questions etc feel free to ask x