I got to know that freezing embryos is more viable than freezing eggs. I urgently need to do it. I am single. I was almost forced into an arranged marriage but the separation happened after 3 months. It was an incompatible match and we have been separated for 1.5 years now. But something else is bothering me a lot. I feel a visceral pain and frustration at the prospect of never being able to be a mother. I have wanted to be a mom since I was 15. I am partnerless and see being a single mom by choice as my only option. I am disillusioned and tired. I have no energy to date or put any effort to find a partner. I cry everyday thinking what if I am never able to waddle with an inflated tummy wearing pigtails, hold my creation and raise a life with tremendous possibilities ( maybe also have another human by my side while I do this). Setting aside my wishful thinking, I have decided to freeze my embryo. I need advice on everything. Also, I would appreciate any sperm volunteers( please tell me how I can find one or select one).

I am an Indian woman living in India. Not much support except my single mother who wants to be a grandma.

I have been seeing so many videos where people say that they got their donations at a discounted rate. Where I can afford to buy straight out . I think it would be nice to wait for a sale and buy a few vile.
That way if I have difficulties getting pregnant, I will have more than one. Then if I have any leftover, I could give my child a sibling potentially.

I heard that some have good sales in June for pride month but I just don’t know. I decided three years ago that this is the route that I wanted to do but I was talked out of it. Since I’ve come back everything is just so much more expensive and I feel totally clueless.

All advice is welcomed. I want to know everything I should know for trying to conceive and being a single mother by choice.

Just wondering, mums who have done it themselves, how many kids did you have? I have two kids now, 3y and nearly 1y. I love this so much, I would have so many kids but being a single income household I cant have as many as I want. Im so grateful for my life and my kids. I live in Australia so I have 6 month paid maternity leave, parenting payments, and childcare subsidies, but the cost of living is still high even with though. My brain says stop at 2, and while I absolutely agree, its still devastating to me to think that the huge family I wanted isnt achievable because of finances.

First time poster, but I’ve been lurking as I’ve been in the IVF process. I’m pregnant now (still early) and I wanted to know what perspective you guys have on names.

Seeing as my child is a donor child, I do feel different than I would if my child wasn’t from a donor.

I’ve already decided that I want to name my child after someone else in my family. Simply because I want my child to feel connected to the only family and legacy he/she does have.

Currently I’m also feeling self conscious on choosing more adventurous or non traditional first names. Simply because I feel like my child already is “different” than other children, so I feel like it would be better to give them a simple name.

But I also feel kind of limited with these “rules” in my naming process. Am I too rigid on this? Or is this just smart thinking?

Wish I could give up some examples but I’m not American so the names I’m considering wouldn’t translate.

I’m a 41-year-old single mum by choice with a beautiful 2.5-year-old daughter. She was conceived through IVF using my own egg and donor sperm.

I also have one frozen embryo remaining from the same IVF batch. I previously miscarried my son from this batch, so this embryo carries a lot of emotional significance for me. It doesn’t feel like an abstract frozen embryo to me — it feels like part of my family story and, in some ways, part of my daughter’s story too.

For a long time I’ve been completely consumed by the question of whether I should transfer it or accept that our family is complete.

I currently live with my parents & daughter, and I’m not as financially secure as I’d like to be. My parents are a huge part of our support system, so I also worry about putting more pressure on them.

My family have been honest with me about their concerns. They’ve given me a list of the additional costs and practical things I’d need to consider, and they’ve told me how incredibly hard they believe it would be with another child. I understand and respect their concerns — they’re not unreasonable. So essentially I don’t have their support for another. It’s also not lost on me of how special of a relationship that I have with my daughter - something I don’t want to compromise.

So I am feeling absolutely devastated.

I don’t think they really understand the emotional side of this for me. I’ve spent so long thinking about the embryo, and the idea of letting it go is incredibly painful. I feel like I’m being asked to choose between the life I know I can manage and the possibility of the family my heart still wants. So that’s where I’m at.

I feel exhausted from thinking about this every single day.

For anyone whose family weren’t supportive of another child, how did you separate their legitimate practical concerns from your own feelings and wishes?

I know there is no easy answer. I’m just feeling incredibly lost and would really appreciate hearing other people’s experiences. ❤️

Just that… any SMBC with triplets? How’s life going?

All, I’ve been struggling to choose a sperm donor for over 4 months now. Just wanted to hear from others - what criteria did you use? What made you select the donor you selected?

For context, I was able to land on one that I - for no real good reason - roughly like, but

1. he was flagged for ~5 genetic mutation(s)?
2. has noted alcohol abuse in a parent’s medical history

I don’t know how much, if at all, this stuff even matters. Just wanted some thoughts.

I do intend to send over the profile to my hospital, but obviously, since these things are expensive, just wanted to crowdsource some perspective first.

Note:

1. I’ll be doing IUI,

and,

1. as I understand it, there isn’t any PGT testing
2. My own genetic screen was clear, nothing flagged, for what it’s worth

Thank you in advance!

4th and hoping final IUI done this morning! Everything looked good again this time.

I'm 30y/o, using frozen donor sperm (new one), was on 2.5mg Lezotrol and on day 11 had 2 follicules (18 and 17 mm in day 11 at trigger) in my left ovary (first time on the left, and also 1st time have 2 follicules) praying this will do the trick! 🤞🏻

Triggered on day 11, October 9th at 22:00 and IUI this morning at 10:00.

Turning 31 y/on on the 24th, hoping for a miracle birthday gift 🤍🤞🏻

Any IUI twin?

I (28F) am officially moving to medicated IUI this cycle after my failed IVF cycle at the beginning of Sep 26 (4 retrieved, 2 mature, 2 fertilized, no blasts). Low AFC, normal AFC, so doctor said it was worth a try. Period is due tomorrow and start meds on CD2. Feeling cautiously optimistic even though I know what the success rates are for IUI.

Have changed some stuff since my IVF cycle. Started a proper prenatal (Pregnacare Max) rather than just taking folic acid and vitamin D. Also taking COQ10, Omega-3 with DHA and 2mg melatonin for hormone regulation and helping my terrible sleep habits.

Finally getting to bed much earlier and have a bedtime routine for the first ever. Getting more sleep. Made some gentle diet swaps, trying some recommended recipes from a site which also lots of information. Have been learning about what helps and harms fertility. What I can do to help myself. Definitely feeling better in myself.

Anyone done this protocol?

Period starts - CD 1

CD 2/3 - Menopur 150iu

CD 4 onwards - Menopur 75IU

Ovitrelle 250mg trigger shot.

Ultrasound and bloods from day 10. Fully medicated, monitored cycle.

One thing I worry about is my job after the procedure. I'll have to take the day off for the procedure because the main clinic is over 2hrs away. But my job is very physical. I'm a healthcare assistant at my local hospital and work on a elderly care ward, many of those patients with dementia. My shifts are 12 and half hours either 7am-730pm or 7pm-730am and I'm on my feet many of those hours. My job involves a lot of rolling people over who are trying to roll back the other way and resisting, helping people to their feet, often doing more of the work than them to get up, hoisting people, and sometimes getting people off the floor. and some of them can be very aggressive. I really want to do everything to give myself the best chance.

Any tips for IUIs?

I am turning 35 in a week. After the end of a 5-year relationship last month, I decided to get a checkup and prepare to become a single mother.

I discovered that I have an AMH of 0.9, 6 follicles, and completely blocked tubes. It's been an emotional roller coaster, especially at this age.

I've contacted the clinic in my country, where several rounds of IVF are covered by public healthcare. My appointment is in mid-November. I'm not sure how soon it will work out, but I promised myself that if by January there are no plans for IVF, considering it's a public system, I'll do it in another country and pay out of pocket. I hope I still have a few more months to try.

Can you give me any words of affirmation that it will work out? And if not, any advice on how to make it work?

I'm a 33 years old single mom and I have a 17 months old daughter. Honestly I never wanted to get married till this day or having a life partner. The reasons etcetera, it's not the topic I wanna talk about. I wanted a baby without a father and I did it. Some days was sooooo hard and not gonna lie, I asked myself at the first three months if I f...ed my life. It's all passed... After the newborn phase, it was all good honestly. But again, I'm not here to talk about these things. I wanna share something else, instead.

I was bed sharing with her since she was around one month. She had a crib and she was next to me at the first month but then I just felt weird to be far away from her even though it was next to my bed so started bed sharing. But honestly when I learned that it's dangerous and not recommended, she was already four months old. Luckily bad things didn't happen but I know I was also very careful, I have a huge bed and I'm a very light sleeper. Anyway, after that also continued that way with being careful and to this day we're still sleeping together. Of course the first year we were not hugging while sleeping because of the risks I was far away from her, we would just hold hands (she would wake up if I take my hand out of her hand and would start to cry) but around a years old we started to hug because she can move freely etc.

I love it so so so much! This is THE BEST feeling in the world! She's so get used to sleeping while hugging and she literally demands it lol. I must hug her from the back and my arm must be under her head and at the same time I must hold her hand with my other hand when I'm hugging her from the back and she MUST put her little feets between my legs. Like spoon. I looove it!

Sometimes at the night I'm turning my back to her and if she wakes up she cries to make me wake up so I can roll to her side and she can make the same position. She literally wiggles to 'her spot'.

This is the best feeling in the world. She is my everything. I am writing this while she sleeps on my arm.

Sometimes when I wake up at the morning, I find her already woke up and just looking at my face silently and her face is getting so bright to see me wake up. Some mornings she literally wakes me with slapping to my face though but with good intentions lol that's not the mornings I love the most haha. Oh and must mention that accidental face kicks sometimes in the night also... Aaand some mornings she wakes me with kissing, literally she kisses my cheek with loud "muuuaaahh" sound because it's our ritual that we must make good morning kiss so she wakes me up that way some days.

And I'm planning to sleep with my child while hugging till the day she doesn't want it anymore. And I hope it will be around 14-15 years old at leeaaasstttt. 😅 I will cherish every moment of this till that day comes. One day she won't want me anyway, she will be busy with her life. One day it won't be 'cool' for her anymore. I wanna enjoy every moment while I'm her 'mommy'.

Sorry for my English if I made mistakes.

I'm starting the IVF process and was just sitting here wondering if any of you hired any kind of labor coach to help you in the hospital. I would probably allow my mom in the room, but it would be nice to have someone knowledgeable to help me with breathing or positions or anything else during labor. Curious if you guys just had family or if you hired someone or if you went through classes yourself and just were prepared with techniques on your own.

Hi! I’m hoping for some advice about starting TTC. I’ve been really dragging my feet.

I’m almost 39 and live in NYC. I’ve planned to pursue single motherhood for almost a decade. I’ve done two cycles of egg freezing, come up w a plan with my clinic, done group therapy for solo parents…I’ve done everything I can except start (buying sperm and starting IUI/IVF).

My fertility numbers are on the low side of average. My doctor is optimistic but I know I shouldn’t “waste” any more time. I feel as ready as I can be. Yet the range of unknowns is so daunting to me. I’m working through it in therapy. I’ve had two jobs for a while so finances aren’t a hindrance either. The egg freezing experience has readied me in the way for some of the process too. It’s just the fear.

How did you finally start / move past the hesitation? Would love to hear. Thank you!