TTC - First time home insemination

[libbyidk]

First time posting so bare with me.

We are in a same sex relationship, and I just thought i'd share our story so far to see if anyone else is going through the same or has any advice/tips for myself and my partner.

We first went to a private clinic, and payed hundreds for scans, blood tests, screening etc, only to be told my partner couldn't donate her eggs (we were counting on this as it lowers the price by about 3-4000 pounds!), we were then told we should try IUI at the clinic which would cost us about 2-3000 pounds. We went home after this appointment and had a chat, we decided to try home insemination first, and if it doesn't work after 2 times, we will then go back to the clinic, but I wasn't finding them very helpful, and they were quite rude to us!

We searched online for sperm banks and came across cryos in denmark. We researched all the legal complications and know all about it, and decided as so many people do try this, we were going to as well. We ordered our anonymous washed donor sperm (MOT20) 2 vials (all we could afford.)

It arrived on tuesday (it lasts for 7 days in a nitro tank), and I started using the clear blue dual hormone predictor kit. I also use a fertility app and have been vaguely monitoring my cervical mucas. I tested negative from monday (the start of my fertility window) until yesterday (friday) i went straight from negative to peak on the clear blue monitor! I researched this to make sure it was right and I saw that a lot of people go straight from low to peak, especially if they missed their surge (which i may have done). The app also said I was due to have peak fertility friday and saturday, so i'm confident in the test and we decided to inseminate one vial on friday at 6pm (8 hours after my positive result) and we inseminated again on sunday at 6am. Just before I had the insemination, I was getting pretty bad cramps and I think ovulation may have started, although i'm not 100%. I got some cramp after inseminating too.

Frozen sperm lives in the body for 12-24 hours (apparantly) but some swimmers can last longer. So we inseminated at 6pm which will cover me (hopefully) until 6pm saturday, whilst also inseminating at 6am saturday which would cover me until 6am (hopefully) sunday. We sat and talked constantly about the timing but we just decided to go for it, as like everybody says, even if the timing is perfectly right and your CM is perfect, there is still only a 10-20% chance of conception.

I'm just praying my clearblue test was correct and my peak is friday and saturday like it shows. (My app also shows this like i said). I have a 29 day cycle and it's hardly EVER irregular, so I think we've done all what we should have.

Now we're onto our two week wait which i'm not looking forward to! Like I keep saying to myself, it is our first time trying and we could have done a number of things wrong. It is just trial and error from here on out! If anyone else wants to share their story about home insemination with frozen sperm, using clearblue monitors / success stories, i would really appreciate that!

Hi @kateandcaz I use opks 2 x a day. i combine with a fertility app so I can log notes and on the opk i write the cycle day (in tiny letters). I also took photos the first couple of months so I could see the difference.

I don't know how old you are but the older you are the closer the timing between the LH surge showing up and ovulation so that in your 40s (which I am!) they may be happening at same time rather than 24-26 hours in advance

Hi kateandcaz - what signs have you been monitoring, and when do you usually ovulate in relation to when you see them?

Thanks HappyHedgehog247 I do opk three times a day with clear blue digital first thing in the morning. I'm 29, from previous months it's been in the 36 hours. @persipan I have been temping and trying to check cm but am not very good at comparing it to anything, I will try today. I got a high on my clearblue this morning so I'm hoping it stays high tomorrow as the 'stuff' doesn't arrive till Tuesday at the earliest 🤞 I have some great charts that I made ready to plot the times of insemination.

@thaigreencurry82 and @ohhellno and @persipan I wondered if you would mind sharing any tips for home insemination. What did you use? I'm on cycle 3 of trying with a known donor. No luck so far and not sure if that's timing, method, age or just luck!

@HappyHedgehog247 @kateandcaz

Sorry for not replying earlier didn’t get a notification.

My tip is to use greater number of lower motility vials as this allowed me to do four inseminations over 2 days. Yes the tank keeps them fresh for 7 days so no need to worry re storage.

For the timings of my inseminations read my previous post. I only used the clear blue monitor, not cervical mucus or body temp as for me the clear blue is much more accurate.

The only thing that matters for success is the timing.

I’m now 24 weeks and will use the same method for a sibling x

Thank you! I'm using a known donor so 'fresh' sperm! The trouble is we do not live near each other so tries per month limited. Hoping for December luck as I can be off work for the week so try multiple times! So happy for you xx

Sorry meant to say good luck!!!! I am proof this method works and saves you thousands on IVF.

@HappyHedgehog thank you I feel truly blessed.

If you are using fresh then your chances are even greater. You just need to do as you say more than one try, eg on the day of and day after the solid non flashing smiley face.

@thaigreencurry82 congratulations! And thanks for the advice. Can I ask if you we're using frozen?
I've been comparing my strips to last month's and they look like they are a day ahead so hoping I don't peak tomorrow as the delivery won't come until Tuesday at the earliest 🤞 I'm not working this week so have plenty of insemination time, we have 3 vials of mot 20 so just praying for good timing

@kateandcaz yes I used frozen unwashed from Cryos. Even if your tank does arrive on Tuesday then insemination the day after the peak is also fine :)

I think we've missed the boat :(( got a peak this morning, at least a day earlier than expecting. No idea what time the delivery will arrive tomorrow, will have to just inseminate when it arrives but I think I've deffo messed up this cycle. Gutted

The egg survives up to 24 hr after ovulation so you may still be okay. Fingers crossed.

It should arrive before midday. And if your ovulation is normally a bit after your peak opk, that could actually work fine (although it's obviously stressful).

Hello all,
This is my second month TTC, last month we inseminated twice, once being two days after positive ovulation test. Waited to test and had a negative pregnancy test and then had my period as normal. This month I have only been able to inseminate once which was last Wednesday. This was two days before predicted ovulation which I think happened on Saturday instead.
Yesterday I was sick twice early hours of the morning as well as having a headache. I spent most of the day sleeping while feeling uncomfortable with sickness/indigestion. This morning I had another headache and now feel sick again.
Kind of hoping these are early signs, or I've just caught a sickness bug.
Fingers crossed for when I test in 12 days xx

Welcome @plumplum33 can I ask what method you used? Fresh? Frozen etc? Good luck and fingers crossed for you xx

@persipan latest tracking info says before midday so hoping it does and we'll get straight on it, if we are lucky we should still catch the egg!

@Kateandcaz I used fresh and thank you xx

Fingers crossed @plumplum. I definitely cannot meet with my preferred donor this month (ovulation due Thurs). I can either 'waste' a month which feels terrifying, or contact my back up donor who I feel less good about but who lives locally or could order on Cyrus asap tomorrow and pay late order fee. It's a tough choice. Really like the donor I've tried with last 2 cycles but at 42.5 not sure I can afford even one month without trying.

I know what you mean @HappyHedgehog about making each month count. That's why I tried home insem in the first place after my IVF didn't work rather than wait the advised couple of cycles.

Thank you @thaigreen. I've got an appointment to discuss IVF on 19th Dec but wonder if I spend the money on home insemination instead.

@HappyHedgehog247 good luck with which ever way you choose :)
Sending baby dust
xx

@HappyHedge obviously I don't know your situation but logically I think people have to try and make each month count otherwise it's a wasted chance. Just giving you my point of view on how I see it.

@plumplum33 good luck!
We have just inseminated, first vial down 2 more to go. We are gonna do it at 6 hour intervals and hope that it catches. I've not had a spike yet so praying we catch the egg!

Apologies for butting in to your thread, but I have two unopened Stork home conception kits and wondered if anyone would like them? Free to a good home and I will happily cover the postage. Just having a clear out and would like them to go to someone who would find them useful as they retail at £100 each. I got given them as part of a free trial but we only experimented with one of the three we were given. If so, then PM me your address and I will post them out.