Top products from r/queerception

• I really enjoyed Blood, Marriage, Wine & Glitter. I read Bear's other two memoirs first and found it fascinating to follow along their evolution, but you could read this as a stand alone.
  
• I've been meaning to read Pregnant Butch and just haven't gotten around to it.
  
• The Longest Shortest Time is a podcast that isn't explicitly queer, but does have some queer focused episodes.
  
  
  For non queer books:
  
  
• I also really enjoyed Bringing Up Bebe.
  
• The Birth Partner has been much recommended, but I'm not planning to read it until I'm pregnant again and much further along.
  
• Coping With Infertility, Miscarriage, and Neonatal Loss: Finding Perspective and Creating Meaning is something I'm currently reading. It's pretty good, although I actually do therapy so a lot of it is not new to me.
  
• Expecting Better
  
• NurtureShock I really, really enjoyed this. It's kind of like Freakonomics, but about parenting.
  

I've heard of people using Softcups and this is probably what we'll try first (we'll be doing at-home AI with an in-person donor). They seem to be similar to the Ziggy Cup but they are disposable and you can find them in most drug stores with other menstrual products.

I have friends who have been successful with at-home AI. Other than the timing, the biggest key is minimizing the time that the sperm is outside the body. We're talking minutes, so you will still need to coordinate to go through the process in the same place at the same time. If you want to preserve it for longer than that, you will need special kits which are not cheap. So, I can't really think of any benefits of going this route if you have the option of just having sex unless you truly find the idea of having sex that unappealing.

That's too bad about Target! I've heard good things from Old Navy though. H&M also has a good online maternity section (including to the knee shorts!). Have you tried Amazon? I'm going to be super pregnant all summer, so I mostly bought so flowy dresses because it gets SO HOT here and I am certain I won't want any kind of pants. I did, however, get these capris and they are super comfy!

Are you taking your temperature to confirm ovulation? A positive opk doesn't guarantee ovulation. Seeing your temp charts could help save $$ before going to the RE for blood tests to confirm ovulation. You can get one on Amazon for about $8. I like the Mabis that saves your temp until you take a new one. But make sure if you order one you get one. BBT are a common scam on Amazon. If you get a different brand than you bought, report it and Amazon will send you a new one. This is mine: MABIS Basal Thermometer, Digital BBT Thermometer, Basal Body Temperature Thermometer For Natural Family Planning, White and Pink https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000O6YCZY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_IgG3BbW8ZHE1M

My wife and I pay for our sperm so I hear you! This shit adds up fast. I just heckled the bank we use and their prices have really jumped. Sperm used to be $350 when we bought our first round of vials a few years ago and now it’s $500+ per vial. And that’s before shipping! Ugh. Makes you want to cry.

I just used my first Wondfo Babydust LH Test and I like it so far. It was $28.50 for 50 LH dip tests and 20 HCG tests and it shipped amazon prime. It was easy to read although it does have a very obvious indent that could be mistaken for a faint positive so you’d definitely need to watch for depth of color and not get tricked by the shadow.

Here is the link if anyone is interested.

Wondfo Extra Wide Tests - by The Babydust Method - 50 LH ovulation and 20 HCG pregnancy test strips https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LW7N348/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_aUs4AbGE0TS80

I also bought a saliva microscope called Ovatel for $35 on amazon prime and it’s way cool. You check your saliva for salt crystals. It even comes with an adapter to hook it up to your smartphone camera. Some crystals means you’re headed towards ovulation. Covered in fern like crystals supposedly means ovulation. Today was CD 8 and the first day of my fertile window. My LH Test was negative as I expected and my saliva test had some scattered crystals.

Ovatel Ovulation Monitor - Simple and accurate way to pinpoint ovulation with unlimited tests and a free Smartphone App https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0792QJZZY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_AYs4AbWSY65D3

What I’m most excited about is my Femometer app! Because it lets me take photos of my LH strips and HCG tests and my saliva test and it stores it all on my chart. I used to use Kindara for years but now I think I’m a Femometer convert. Plus the Bluetooth bass thermometer makes it way easier to test early in the morning because I do not wake up well.

Sample of my tricked out chart that satisfies my Type A personality science geared brain

https://imgur.com/a/jcV8BrB

This one is (somewhat) queer & trans inclusive and had a lot of really good information, covering conception + pregnancy and physical + emotional + partners as well. A bit dated, but found it surprisingly comprehensive.

New Essential Guide to Lesbian Conception, Pregnancy, & Birth https://www.amazon.com/dp/1555839401/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_DVQRCbAN0Q46S

I use these:

https://www.amazon.com/Specimen-Cups-Lids-Oz-pkg/dp/B00BUOLO6Y/

I've also used one of those small tupperware containers, they work just as well

I stand corrected, we actually did what is called a vaginal insemination. Here are the tools we used https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XZ96DOA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F303LQW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1