# 41, Single & 1st time TTC: Sept’13. Cryos Denmark/Home insemination. Advice?



## Floriana (Jul 8, 2013)

Hello!

I am going to TTC for the first time this September. I have decided that I will use home insemination as it’s as close to ‘natural’ as I’m going to get as a single woman! For my first try at least!

I have reserved three straws (ICI MOT 10) from my chosen donor with Cryos International in Denmark, and although I’m not living in the UK at the moment I will be there for ovulation in September so will arrange shipment to where I will be staying (Devon area if anyone is interested in meeting for a coffee?!)

I am extremely excited about it all! I am finally on the countdown with just over one month to go! Like many of you I have been on this journey in my head for a number of years. 

Does anyone have any advice or tips about the process of home insemination - before, during or after? I have a pretty good idea of how to go about ‘it’(!), and I have a fairly clear idea about timing, but all the same I would appreciate ANY ideas, suggestions or thoughts on what worked or didn’t work for you, regarding thawing, receiving/sending back the tanks, the process of ordering and timing of ordering, doing the inseminations etc.?

I am planning to order the liquid nitrogen tank in case of late ovulation. I saw someone here said it’s possible to get longer lasting tanks so I will enquire about that with Cryos. I’m going to use all three straws, so will need to figure out the right timing of each. I think as it gets closer to ovulation I’ll test for LH surge morning and evening.

Another thing I am thinking of using is Preseed. I read that some people have found it useful, and as I’m concerned that I might not be producing a lot/enough Egg White Cervical Fluid (or is that EWCM?!) thought it might be a good investment for me. I do have noticeable EWCM but only for a day or so. Must pay closer attention this month to the exact amount and for how long!! Some women on FF say that EPO worked very well for them in increasing fertile mucus – too well in some cases – but I am also concerned about it possibly delaying ovulation. As I have a limited time in the UK I don’t want to risk that! Any thoughts?

I am tracking my cycle with a Clear Blue Fertility Monitor and Clear Blue Ovulation Test - pink one this month, though I see there is a purple one available that gives you a high fertile as well as peak fertile reading, so will consider whether or not it’s worth the extra expense. As I’m using a syringe (rather than the rather old-fashioned ‘man’ method!) I don’t know if knowing HF would be of any special use to me – I only have three tries anyway so will do it at Peak/LH surge; also my CBFM will tell me HF.

I am also charting: recording my Basal Body Temperature every morning and cervical mucus. I have been using an ‘old fashioned’ glass mercury BB thermometer on and off for years but recently decided to invest in a digital one (Geratherm) as I didn’t want to risk a mouthful of mercury and broken glass at this crucial time off my life! However I am less-than-impressed with the digital thermometer; it is recording temperatures far lower than my ‘old reliable’; the readings seem completely off. So now I’m using both to see if things improve to a reliable level.

I’m on several supplements – including Zita West Vitafem (hoping to be able to change to the 0-3months one in 4 – 6 weeks!!), Omegas, Probiotics, Royal Jelly, Calcium, and extra of various others that I feel I might need. I also take powdered wheatgrass, chlorella and spirulina daily in water and eat a high raw diet. 

I have recently started Activated Charcoal and Bentonite Clay (and chlorella) for detoxing, as suggested in The Better Baby Book, and have implemented a few others of their suggestions that I feel are right for me. 

The books I have been reading about single motherhood, donor insemination, and being healthy for pregnancy include (in no particular order): Single By Chance, Mothers By Choice – Rosanna Hertz; Choosing Single Motherhood – Mikki Morrissette; Single Mothers By Choice – Jane Mattes; Mommies, Daddies, Donors, Surrogates – Diane Ehrensaft; The Better Baby Book – Lana & Dave Asprey; Zita West’s Guide to Getting Pregnant – Zita West; Helping The Stork – Carol Frost Vercollone, Heidi Moss, Robert Moss; Natural Solutions to Infertility – Marilyn Glenville; Trying to Get Pregnant (And Succeeding) – Marisa Peer; Knock Yourself Up – Louise Sloan; The Baby-Making Bible – Emma Cannon; The Impatient Woman’s Guide to Getting Pregnant – Jean M. Twenge. There are others that I would like to get too but those are it for now!

Sorry, I’ve gone on far longer than I intended to. I’m just hoping that I’ve covered all the basics and done my homework as best I can, but I would be so grateful if anyone has any suggestions about anything I could be doing differently or better?! All feedback is welcome! 

I am aware that a majority of triers don’t succeed with their first attempt (in ‘normal’ life as well as here), but I am going to remain optimistic and see it all working perfectly! I very much enjoyed Marisa Peer’s booking Trying to Get Pregnant (And Succeeding) – I found it inspiring, and she encourages visualising what you DO want to see happening, rather than focusing on your fears and anxieties (not always easy I’ll admit).

I’m so excited that my journey to ‘trying’ is almost here and I am so looking forward to it; I can hardly wait to get started! Then of course comes the 2WW, and that I’m sure brings its own issues! But to get to that stage finally will be wonderful…

Floriana xx


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