At Home Insemination - Buddies?

[H8624]

For several reasons hubby and I are going down the route of at home insemination. It can be quite a lonely process I think - does anyone want to join me and we can go through it together/share tips etc?

Bit of background - we've tried for 2 months now both unsuccessful. I'm using clearblue ovulation detector to get my peak, and we've been doing the insemination every day from when I get my flashing smiley to the day after the peak, give or take the odd day! Using 10ml syringes and laying down afterwards for 20-30 mins.

Finding the 2ww a real struggle, and my heart breaks every time AF comes! I know it's only been 2 cycles and could take a lot longer so need to be patient! Altho feel like everyone around me is having babies which doesn't help!

Anyway sorry for going on - anyone want to join and share their experiences/tips? Need some motivation and hope!

@Waiting2BAMummy yes! I do this, even today, updated app, right so if I get pregnant on this month where will that be/when would I be 12/20 weeks etc, little bit psycho!

I'm going to try the cheap OPK this month as I got some including in the eBay kit. Haven't used before but as this cycle has clearly been off after Chemical think it's wise to know more. Someone said just start using from CD 11 until get peak? Will try that

We can be psycho together then @ChunkyButFunky87. When you should start testing depends on the length of your cycle, when I’ve used OPK’s before I’ve always started testing around cd 8/9 just to be sure I don’t miss it.

Ah ok @Waiting2BAMummy worth knowing, I also saw someone does them multiple times a day as apparently can peak and be gone within few hours?!

I am slightly sad by the whole false positive thing as I really thought it was it again and due on Valentine's Day would have been lovely. Turns out a few people have had them with clearblue, won't be using them again

Yes, some people have a short surge so it’s definitely worth testing a couple of times a day or you might miss it. People recommend around 2pm and 7pm.

I’m so sorry that you got a false positive. I’ve heard that blue dye tests in general are really bad for evaps. I’ve made the decision now that I won’t be testing until after AF is due as if I’m pregnant it should be a clear positive by then. Still don’t know whether to have my donor visit tomorrow though as I don’t want to waste his time and will my cm yesterday I may have already missed the boat.

@Waiting2BAMummy if you can see him then I say why not, you have nothing to loose and if you don't you'll likely be thinking 'but what if'

Fingers crossed x

That’s very true @ChunkyButFunky87 x

@chunkybutfunky87 sorry to hear AF arrived for you :(. No harm in trying OPKs to monitor next month - worth a try at least!

@waitingtobamummy do you still have CM or has it gone now? I would say go for it today just as you never know! Doing it later may even work out lucky you never know!

My cycle has finally started after a almost two month break. This time I'm meeting my donor and having my first month so nervous yet so excited I know it probably won't happen first time but fingers crossed. Hope all you ladies are doing well

It can happen @ohsotrying I got lucky first time.

Had a bit of a melt down tonight, tomorrow's my birthday, lockdown just making me miss people (my mum is really high risk so I can't see her) and I just craved some 'normal' instead I'm home with my lovely husband and daughter but found myself sobbing over wishing I was 10 weeks pregnant by now like I felt I should be. The whole false positive thing earlier this week has thrown me too, just felt a little bit sorry for myself and a little bit 'another year passed and no second child'

Husband provided early birthday chocolate, a cuppa and a hug. Normal human mode resumed!

Awww @chunkybutfunky87 it will happen xx

Happy birthday @ChunkyButFunky87 you’re completely entitled to a meltdown. TTC is stressful and with lockdown and a chemical pregnancy thrown into the mix it’s hardly surprising you had a wobble. Try to enjoy your day today.

Good luck @ohsotrying it definitely can happen first cycle though it’s good that you’re trying to manage your expectations so you’re not too upset if it doesn’t.

How are you getting on @H8624 so weird that you’re nearing the end of your first trimester. It doesn’t feel that long ago that you were worrying it was never going to happen. My cm has dried up so I made the decision to tell my donor not to visit. My previous donor had agreed to help for this month as my new ones work schedule meant he was working away when I believed I would be ovulating so I didn’t want him to make the effort to come over for no reason. Now, though, I wish I’d met him on the days he was available because that would have been perfect timing. Isn’t hindsight a bitch?! Anyway my previous donor has agreed to help again next month so I was contemplating getting donations from both of them to cover a longer time period especially as I’m not using OPK’s. is that wrong? I can’t decide part of me can’t believe I’m even considering it but the other part thinks I should just throw every opportunity at next month since I missed this month and I turn 39 next month so it would be a wonderful birthday present to conceive the month of my birthday.

Happy birthday @chunkybutfunky87 you're fully entitled to feel down - let it happen then fresh start tomorrow. Just think you conceived so quick before so you know you can conceive, just got to be patient now. It's happened once it will happen again!

@waitingtobamummy it's so hard to guess the right days we can't get it right every time! Enjoy the next couple of weeks without the 'what if' 'am I aren't I' thoughts going through your mind, then fresh start next cycle! I would say if both are available why not use both for a month and maximise chances as much as possible? If you can cover a larger window hopefully you will cover the right time! What have you got to lose by using them both for a month?!

@waitingtobamummy also I am doing well thank you for asking! Weird to think I'm 11 weeks tomorrow it seems like yesterday I was in the TWW worrying it would never happen!

@Waiting2BAMummy @H8624 thanks ladies,

Yes, I feel a little better this morning, pro's - I can actually have a gin or two later and I think I might need lol

Just going to try and enjoy today for what it is

Glad everything is going well @H8624 not long until your 12 week scan, how exciting! You’re right I have nothing to lose by using them both I guess I worried people would be judgey because, if I did conceive, I wouldn’t know which of them was the father. Ultimately, I guess it doesn’t really matter as they’re having nothing to do with the child anyway. Thank you for not judging I’m just so desperate to make this happen now. It will be nice not to have the second guessing for the next two weeks but at the same time I’m kicking myself for wasting this month. Nothing I can do about it now though so just going to continue losing some weight and wait for AF to arrive so I can’t start playing next months donations. It’s a military operation when you’re using a donor and having to rely on someone who isn’t as invested in this as you are. My donors have been amazing though, I am very lucky on that front. Now I just need my body to get on board, all I want as a late birthday present is a positive pregnancy test!! (and to actually stay pregnant of course!!)

Enjoy the gin @ChunkyButFunky87 you deserve it!

Hi ladies @Waiting2BAMummy @Trixabelle84 @H8624

How are you all doing?

CD10 for me today and in my original eBay kit it came with 15 cheap ovulation strips, I've just used my first one, going to give them a bash and see, as I wonder if the CP threw things off in terms of normal ovulation dates.

Nothing to lose, everything to gain

Positive pants on, 33 and a week old now, got to be a big girl lol

Hi @chunkybutfunky87, hopebthis month is your lucky month!

Trying again from today, fertile period from today until next Sat so fingers crossed!

Good luck @ChunkyButFunky87 @Trixabelle84

I’m just waiting for AF to arrive so I can speak with my donors and arrange visits for July. I believe I’ll be due to ovulate around the second week of July, just before my 39th birthday, so hoping the universe will give me the best birthday present!

@chunkybutfunky87 I'm doing well thank you! 12 weeks today and scan this time next week so fingers crossed everything Is still ok!

Good luck with the OPKs - if they are cheapies when you start to get a second line from my experience it could be worth testing twice a day so you don't miss the surge :). When I used the one step ones and only tested once I missed my surge a couple of times - but mine was short and I would ovulate on the same day as a positive sometimes!

@trixabelle84 good luck with this week hope all goes well!

@waitingtobamummy hope AF arrives soon for you so can get prepared! Did you decide to use both donors this (next) month in the end?

Glad everything is going well @H8624 I’m sure you must be excited for your scan next week.

Yes, I’m going to use both donors as I need all the help I can get!

Morning ladies, how is everyone doing?

AF has finally arrived today so I can start planning this cycle. Never thought I’d be so happy to see her lol. It’s funny the TWW feels long and I definitely didn’t miss second guessing every twinge but gosh last month went on forever!

Morning @Waiting2BAMummy think I ovulate last night, have managed 2 attempts and planning one more tonight. Trying to do SMEP and used the ovulation sticks, so every other day to allow for best sperm supply (Jesus Christ when did I become this person!!)

So yes, entering 2WW.

One of my very good friends told me she was pregnant this week, we had our first babies 6 weeks apart and always joked about doing it again. Well bless her we would have been 2 days apart, couldn't have timed better. She knew about the CP and was really sweet, text me before I saw her to say she didn't want to upset me. I'm genuinely pleased for her, hoping we might still get some maternity time together. She was a great support buddy, we laughed and cried together in our first maternity

So yes, feeling positive.

How about you?

Fingers crossed for you @ChunkyButFunky87 we all become that person, trust me it’s normal!!

I hope you and your friend manage to go through this together that would be so lovely for the two of you to be able to do that again.

My one donor has, what he calls, a tried and tested method of doing three days in a row so I’m going to see him days 10, 11 and 12 (hopefully he’ll be around) and then my other donor days 14 and 16 so hopefully I’ll be covered. I’m not tracking ovulation because I get obsessed and, especially in this hot weather, it’s so hard not to drink anything for four hours. The month I had my chemical I didn’t use them and before that I’d been trying for 17 months. It’s a 200 mile round trip to the donor I’ll be seeing for the 3 days so that’s going to be a long week but hopefully worth it 🤞

@Waiting2BAMummy oh wow that's a commitment, will you stay there for the 3 days? Must take its toll

I can’t @ChunkyButFunky87 as I have to go to work so will be driving there and back after work each day.