Let’s Try This a Little Differently

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It’s about time for insemination #2

Read about insemination #1 here

When I got the call about the blood test being negative, I was bummed. I definitely cried. I was hoping that I was that small group who got pregnant on the first go. I’m not in that group. I do think something happened. Whether it was the introduction of sperm to my body, which it hasn’t seen in quite some time. Or it worked to some degree and threw my entire body out of whack. Or it was just the stress. Either way, my body was a shit show. I got my period 2 days early which NEVER happens. I simultaneously got a cold/sinus thing that same day. Then I had this weird leg pain thing. It was weird all around.

Either way, it wasn’t going to discourage me from going again. This is a journey from the moment I decided to start whether it sticks soon and I start the journey motherhood, or it takes a bit and I just keep going. I’m in this for the long haul.

So let’s fucking do this again!

Leading Up to Round Two

I am doing things a bit differently this time. From the things I’ve been consuming non stop, to the way in which I’ll inseminate.

As far as food goes, I’m eating basically everything I mentioned in the What to Eat While Trying to Conceive post. I’ve eaten more pineapple this past week than probably my entire life. I’m loading up on fruit, sunflower seeds, walnuts, almonds, and more. I’ve been taking my prenatal vitamins as well as a few other supplements. I found a Fertility tincture at Sprouts that I’ve been taking which has red raspberry leaf, red clover blossoms, nettles leaf, and yellow dock root. I also recently got cinnamon, bromelain, and beetroot capsules. I’ve also heard a lot of things about Royal Jelly and bee pollen. I bought some but have yet to take it.

I decided to try acupuncture for fertility. The treatment they did is for women struggling with fertility or simply trying to conceive. I figure every bit helps! It doesn’t hurt by any means and they’re pretty great. They put a few needles on my face, hands, and legs, but also focus them on my lower abdomen along with a heat lamp to “warm up my baby maker” he said haha. It’s SUPER relaxing and when they leave me alone to do the breathing, I get so relaxed I take a quick nap.

My body is a bit out of whack as I mentioned which has thrown things off as far as tracking ovulation. I’ve been using the Pregmate strips as well as the Clearblue Digital tests. Testing 3 times a day to try to find my peak. I use the Premom app which allows you to take a picture of the strip and it gives you a numeric reading. It’s been weird because it shows low, while the Clearblue Digital said: “High Fertility” which means I’m in my fertile window. If you’re not familiar with testing ovulation, the tests read when your LH levels have increased. LH is the luteinizing hormone, which occurs a day or two before ovulation known as your “peak.”

The Premom app says low, but the numbers from the strips are climbing. My period app says that I’ll ovulate Sunday, but Premom says Friday (which I don’t think is accurate). I’ve also been using the period app for months tracking my period even before trying to get pregnant so I truly think that one is more accurate.

I also started using the Ava to track my cycle and will continue using it every night to keep a close eye on what my body is doing. It’s super easy to use. You wear it while you sleep and it tracks breathing rate, temperature, and more. I am still taking my BBT (basal body temp) with a thermometer too because I’m neurotic haha. If you want to try the Ava, I highly recommend it. If you head to their site, code: BOSSLADY get $20 off your purchase. You can use it to simply track your period, or when trying to conceive, and your pregnancy.

At-Home Insemination Take Two

So as far as the insemination itself goes, I’m going to try a few things that I’ve read and watched a bunch of videos praising them during insemination. I am still going to be using the Mosie Baby kit because I really loved it. I felt like it was made perfectly for this process and I trust it more than a tiny syringe.

Pre-seed

Pre-Seed is a lubricant that is supposed to aid in getting pregnant. If you didn’t know, most regular lubes actually contain spermicide which will kill those little swimmers before they make it to your eggs. Clearly, I don’t want that. I didn’t use any at all last time. However, this lube is said to mimic your own cervical mucus and help maybe it a better place to be for the sperm to reach their destination. I’m willing to give it a shot because all it can do is help. From what I’ve read, a little goes a long way so it really won’t be too much or really anything to worry about.

Saalt Menstrual Cup

You’re probably confused, I know. When someone posted the article in my Metal Marvels VIB group I was like whaaat???? Yea, so a LOT of women are using menstrual cups to aid in getting pregnant. With and without partners they’re using it in the process. The idea is that post insemination or ejaculation, you insert the menstrual cup to keep the sperm as close to the uterus as possible to have a better chance of making it without falling out, haha. You can lay with your hips up but it still feels like it’s possibly going to fall out. This way, it can’t until you take the cup out. They recommend leaving it in for 12 hours max.

So you insert it like you would during your period, then leave it up there to act as a barrier and hold the sperm in for a much longer period. I am absofuckinlutely willing to give this a try. I purchased the Saalt cup to give it a shot (as well as the cup Wash). I loved that there were two size and color options. As much as I was shocked when I first heard this idea, I truly think it’s fucking genius. People are also using soft cups, another menstrual cup variety, but those look too weird to me.

So I’m going to give it all a shot and see how it goes! I also was looking at the Diva Cup, however I LOVE what Saalt does. They commit 2% of their revenue to donate period care and help fund initiatives in education, empowerment, and sustainability. They donate cups as well as educate people in the areas that are most in need.

Update: Post Insemination

Alright so I didn’t get a peak response yet but my ovulation should be tomorrow, but I also don’t want to miss the window. So I chose to do it last night, Saturday.

Using the cup and pre-seed:

Using these was actually pretty easy. The cup got slippery for a second so it took me a second to get it in. But the process was pretty easy! I laid with my hips up, inseminated, waited about 10 seconds to pull it out, then immediately put in the menstrual cup with pre-seed in it.

I still laid there for 15 mins with my hips up and legs pulled back to really try to make them travel straight to my uterus. I did a happiness mediation on the Peloton app. Then I laid there with my hips up for another hour or so finishing Dead to Me on Netflix. Which if you haven’t watched, go do it immediately. You’ll finish it in a day. It’s so fucking good.

But 2nd round is now done and now we wait. I’m honestly not sure which part is more stressful, the trying to track and figure out the perfect timing, or the 2 week wait. Either way, they’re both stressful. I have an acupuncture appointment Monday for the type of treatment they usually do post transfer in IVF. So hopefully it will make the little baby stick this time. ??

Send me all the baby dust you’ve got!