Due to nerves and inexperience, Faye* and her husband (who are in their 30s) were having trouble with lovemaking. To address the problem, they visited a sex coach and a counselor. They also went for fertility health checkups to see if there were any medical obstacles to getting pregnant.
Despite professional help, their struggle with sexual intimacy kept them from cracking the code on sex-to-conceive. That’s when they chanced upon the Applicator Extra and got pregnant within the first month! Keep reading to find out more.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is not intended as medical advice.
*Name was changed to protect privacy.
Faye Shares Her Recipe for TTC Success
Interview responses were edited for clarity.
Q: Hi, Faye! Tell us a bit about yourself! How old are you and your partner? What do you both work as?
A: Hi, we are 32 and 35 [years old]. We both work as engineers.
Q: Did you experience any fertility struggles as a couple before your pregnancy?
A: Yes, both of us actually have some psychological issue with intercourse, and therefore it’s not viable to conceive through traditional means.
Q: Were you diagnosed with any medical conditions relating to fertility by a licensed healthcare professional, and what tests did you do?
A: We’ve seen the couple counseling service at NUH, and I have mild vaginismus*. We’ve also seen a sexual coach to learn about how to have sex, but it’s still a long way to go.
Other than this, my husband had his sperm quality tested, and it’s normal. I have [gone for] my annual medical screening and my pelvis ultrasound is also normal.
So, in short, we are physically functional to conceive but just lack the means.
*A note from twoplus: Vaginismus is a condition in which the vaginal muscles involuntarily contract during penetration.
Q: What else have you tried in your TTC journey before using twoplus Fertility?
A: No, twoplus Fertility is the first one that we tried.
Q: What led you to purchase the Applicator Extra and the lubricant? What did you like/dislike about them?
A: It looks like the Applicator Extra will be more comfortable as it has a soft tip. The [fertility] lubricant also helps to reduce friction or pain.
Also, I have read online that the lubricant has a pH level that’s compatible with sperm survival.
Q: Was the Applicator Extra easy to use? Was it uncomfortable after inserting, and did you have any trouble using the fertility tool?
A: Yes, it’s easy to use. You can feel it’s there when left in [the vagina], but not to the extent of [being] uncomfortable. I don’t have any trouble using the fertility tool.
Q: Congratulations on getting pregnant with the twoplus Applicator Extra after your first try! Is this your first successful pregnancy? How long have you been trying to conceive?
A: Yes, this is our first pregnancy. And it’s the first month that we are trying to conceive.
Q: Did you adopt any lifestyle changes to improve your odds of conceiving?
A: Not really. We have a healthy lifestyle; we don’t smoke or drink.
Q: Would you recommend the Applicator Extra to other people with difficulties with natural conception?
A: Definitely! This provides a less stressful alternative; couples can have their own pace. It’s similar to IUI [intra-uterine insemination] (except the sperm is not washed in this case), but it is cheaper and in a more familiar environment.
I met a new friend online, and she has been TTC for a long time but not successful. She mentioned having sex so often just to get pregnant, it’s like working with a KPI, and it’s not enjoyable anymore. The result is that their [sexual] performance is also not good. I recommended she try a home insemination kit like the twoplus Fertility Applicator Extra and told her about my success story.
Q: If you could go back to the beginning of your TTC journey, what would you have done differently? Also, what would you suggest to other couples who are TTC?
A: I think it’s important to use the [ovulation] test strip to track the LH [luteinizing hormone] level in the ovulation cycle to confirm the exact ovulation day.
Observing vaginal discharge also helps with tracking. And then do the work around the ovulation day (the egg dies 24 hrs after being released if not fertilized, whereas the sperm can survive a few days in the uterus).
Also, it will be good to have the sperm and pelvis checkup to ensure that the sperm quality is OK and there are also no [fertility-related health] conditions like PCOS [polycystic ovary syndrome].
If both are physically OK, cannot conceive after some time, or have difficulties having sex like us, you can definitely try to use the Applicator Extra with the [fertility] lubricant, and you may be surprised!
Overcome Performance Anxiety with the Applicator Extra
Even among the sexually experienced, performance anxiety can rear its head, much less for novices like Faye and her husband.
It’s a common problem among couples who commit to having sex by the clock, or more accurately, the menstrual cycle. Anyone who is TTC will tell you it’s to maximize their chances of getting pregnant within the fertile window. Consequently, like Faye, many TTC individuals feel pressure to perform well in bed.
That’s where the twoplus Applicator Extra takes the stress off conception. Whether you’re new to lovemaking or want to make sex feel less like a chore, this self-insemination syringe is for you. It deposits ejaculated or donated sperm deep in the vaginal tract for the best chances of conceiving.
Don’t let problems with sexual intimacy stand in the way of your dreams of becoming a parent!