Questions about using a Diva cup for TTC

Quote:

Originally Posted by fourwildones

After reading the how to on TBM, I am confused about the TBM/Diva cup method (which I was considering doing mainly to retain the sperm/increase chances of pg'cy)

depending on how close you are to Ov., would you lower the pH of the sperm with aci-jel or replens if you had already used rephresh the day or even 12 hours before? With rephresh, is the assumption that you don't have to check or lower pH at all, since rephresh is supposed to be reactive with everything? (even if your DH's pH is high?) I know in another post the jury is out on combining rephresh and aci-jel, but I think lime is out for me (irritating/YIs) so I am thinking replens or aci-jel would work as a substitute if I were to add anything to the sample AT ALL.

I've read elsewhere that you would lie down for 30 min, check ph, then lie down another 30, etc for a total of 4 hours, and I have heard of some women ramping-would both the 4 hours and the ramping be contradictory to a pink sway?

Lastly, Can the brand of cup be different from Diva/instead? I have a meluna (a smaller more flexible cup) and would assume it could do the same but don't know if there is something special about the brands.

Am thinking this cup technique would keep sperm IN the vaginal canal longer without having to worry about it's dripping out...good for TTC but not sure if retaining and ramping would actually be swaying boy. I have ramped with all my planned pregnancies and have some of each gender so I am not sure what to make of it all.

TIA for any thoughts on this topic!

You don't NEED to retain sperm to increase your chances of pregnancy. Trust me, people did not evolve for hundreds of thousands of years in an environment where Diva Cups grew on the trees and women had to lay weakly on a chaise with their knees at their ears for 7 days while slaves fed them grapes, in order to get pregnant. In fact, Jump and Dump is a totally valid method for swaying pink because it reduces the numbers of sperm and the amount of semen, without eliminating your chances of getting pg. You don't need to lie down for any time at all after DTD and you certainly do NOT need to ramp. Yes, some semen will drip out but you can STILL get pregnant, as tens of thousands of teenagers have learned to their very great dismay. These are techniques recommended for people with low fertility and even then they're not proven to help at all. You can get pg if you jump up immediately after DTD and turn 700 cartwheels and then run the Boston Marathon. In fact, doing those things (in a fully fertile couple, without doing other swaying techniques) quite probably even sway BLUE by raising the numbers of sperm onhand and preserving the maximum amount of semen which will further help to keep sperm alive. And if you believe in pH, keeping the semen around will keep pH higher for longer (hence the lime and checking pH every 30 minutes).

If you're trying to increase your odds of pregnancy, lime is the LAST thing you want to do. TBM has nothing to do with increasing odds of pregnancy, it's a method to lower pH and sway pink. The only reason they talk about a Diva increasing odds of pregnancy is because the TBM swayers have done SO much to reduce their odds of pregnancy to begin with.

So NO, if you're using Acijel/Replens/RepHresh you do not need lime at all, and in fact I prefer people leave the limes in their margaritas. You don't need to mix anything at all with DH's sample if you're using jellies and you do not need a Diva or any other brand of comparable cup (Meluna is fine).

The whole checking pH every 30 minutes stuff is unneccesary if you're using the jellies. That's only for people who are doing douching and TBM. If you're using the jellies, feel free to skip testing pH all together, because I think it drives people to the brink of insanity, raises testosterone, and in your special situation ;) I think a more subtle approach would be of benefit.