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Private short-term disability?

LadywithsodomojoLadywithsodomojo Posts: 96
edited November -1 in Trying to Conceive
Hi all,
I have several questions I would like to pick your brain on, but here are my current two:
1) Did any of you purchase short-term disability insurance to use while on maternity leave? Bonus points if it was in WA state! How much do you spend, and do you recommend the company you are using?

2) At what point should I be buying sperm? It seems like "the goods" sell out pretty quickly. Is it common for people to jump on it when they're newly released? Do you just religiously check the site to see when new donors are available?

Thanks :)

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    ahk00ahk00 Posts: 1,420 ✭
    edited November -1
    I have STD coverage through BCBS Highmark out of St. Louis but I live in FL. I do not pay for my STD my company pays for it.

    If you see a donor you would like I would buy enough sperm to keep you covered when you can afford it. It goes fast and it stinks to have to pick another donor.

    Good luck.
    SMBC: TTC since 12/2014: 3 home attempts: 2 BFN & 1 chemical. 3 medicated Dr assisted IUI's: 2 BFN & 1 BFP (04/24/15) with twins in May (new donor) MC with D&C @ 9w. 4th IUI 09/17/15: BFN. 10/15: hsg good. 11/15: BFN. 01/16: BFN. 05/16: Embryos arrested. IVF failed 06/16: KD BFN 07/16: KD BFN 09/16: IUI #7 with donor sperm BFP-MC at 9w w/ D&C. 02/17: diagnosed with hetero compound MTHFR & clotting mutation. 03/09/17 IUI #8: chemical pregnancy. IUI #9: 04/19/17 BFN LOOKING FOR EMBRYO'S TO ADOPT
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    jones.mom02jones.mom02 Posts: 295 ✭
    edited November -1
    Can't answer question 1 but for question 2. I would suggest to not even look for donors until you are ready to purchase them because they can go fast.

    My plan was to find a donor I love but that isn't popular. I found a donor that had a lot of vials available for months. I purchased a couple each month. Then suddenly he was sold out! So now my plan is to hopefully build my family on the vials I at least had :( ... We have 1 pregnancy so far, and hoping for 1 more with my current storage. It adds more stress to the ttc process that you don't need.
    Celebrating 10 years together with 2 precious babies.
    Born: Jan, 2016 Home 2 IUI, partner carried
    Born: Nov, 2016 Home 1 ICI, I carried
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    LadywithsodomojoLadywithsodomojo Posts: 96
    edited November -1
    That's what I'm realizing... It may be best to buy as much as I can all at once out of fear it will not be available again.
    Thank you both for your advice!
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    RedHeatherRedHeather Posts: 600 ✭✭
    edited December 2015
    I have STD through Colonial Life -- it is private, but the agent contacted me through work, so I don't know if you can get it without an employer connection. I was paranoid of the possibility of needing a long period of bed rest (which I fortunately didn't), so I got the most generous policy I could afford. I pay $70/month for a benefit of $1800/month for up to 6 months after a two-week elimination period. The pregnancy benefits didn't kick in until 9 months after the start date of the policy, so you should try to get a policy before TTC if you feel you will really need it. I ended up only getting one month worth of benefit since I had an uncomplicated vaginal deliver (6 week disability period minus 2 week elimination period), but that was enough to more than make up for the one week of unpaid leave I'll end up having. I'm taking a full 12 weeks, but I only had sufficient accrued leave to cover 11.
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    FutureSMBCFutureSMBC Posts: 1,018 ✭
    edited November -1
    Yes! Buy your vials when they are available!
    You can set an alert to be emailed for when a donor becomes available but you have to be quick about it. I've seen donors sell out in less than 10minutes.
    Also, just because a donor says "release late December" doesn't mean it won't be released earlier (or later)!
    I regret not buying more vials when I could. My donor is now retired and I only have 5 vials left.
    Hopefully it'll work this cycle!
    tt1d429d
    TTC since March 2015: 5 ICIs & 5 IUIs -all BFN
    July 2016- IVF w/BC/Lupron/Gonal-f/Ovidrel - converted to IUI- BFN
    Sept 2016-IVF w/BC/Lupron/Gonal-f/Ovidrel- Two 3d ET- BFP @ 9dp3dt, Beta#1: 209 @ 12dp3dt, #2: 782 @ 15dp3dt - EDD 6/3/17 - It's a Boy!
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    momsquaredmomsquared Posts: 59
    edited November -1
    I had Aflac and it was definitely worth every penny. But FYI you have to purchase it BEFORE you get pregnant because there is a 10 month waiting period to use it for birth. I missed this window by 2 weeks but they were awesome and let me use it anyway.
    December 2016 Ages 9,7,5 & 3
    IMG_4148.jpg
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    New-mama?New-mama? Posts: 593 ✭
    edited November -1
    I didn't know you could use short term disability for pregnancy
    TTC attempt 1: ICI Dec 2015 BFN/Attempt 2-3 IUI Jan&April 2016 BFN/Attempt 4: 1ICI 1 IUI May 2016 BFN/Attempt 5-7: ICI-June, Sept, Nov 2016 BFN/Attempt 8-9 iui April 2017 BFN.
    May 2017 IUI BFP!!!!
    pregnant-1494046800z5z1495083600z1.png
    tt1d86de
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    ahk00ahk00 Posts: 1,420 ✭
    edited November -1
    momsquared wrote:
    I had Aflac and it was definitely worth every penny. But FYI you have to purchase it BEFORE you get pregnant because there is a 10 month waiting period to use it for birth. I missed this window by 2 weeks but they were awesome and let me use it anyway.
    Your kiddos are beautiful!!
    SMBC: TTC since 12/2014: 3 home attempts: 2 BFN & 1 chemical. 3 medicated Dr assisted IUI's: 2 BFN & 1 BFP (04/24/15) with twins in May (new donor) MC with D&C @ 9w. 4th IUI 09/17/15: BFN. 10/15: hsg good. 11/15: BFN. 01/16: BFN. 05/16: Embryos arrested. IVF failed 06/16: KD BFN 07/16: KD BFN 09/16: IUI #7 with donor sperm BFP-MC at 9w w/ D&C. 02/17: diagnosed with hetero compound MTHFR & clotting mutation. 03/09/17 IUI #8: chemical pregnancy. IUI #9: 04/19/17 BFN LOOKING FOR EMBRYO'S TO ADOPT
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    LadywithsodomojoLadywithsodomojo Posts: 96
    edited November -1
    Great to know, thank you! That's annoying about the two-week elimination period. Due to being self-employed I have no paid maternity leave. Since I plan on being a single mama, I know I would like to take as much time off as I can.
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    Mommy2016Mommy2016 Posts: 1,037
    edited November -1
    I'm a teacher and I don't get paid maternity leave either. I bought the short term disability insurance through my employer, I believe it is Aflac. It costs me $72 a month and covers 80% of my salary, starting 10 days after my sick leave is used up (but it will back-pay for those 10 days.) It had a 10 month waiting period as well, but I'm in the clear now since it is taking me so long to get pregnant.

    I really can only afford to take 6weeks, but I'd love to take more. Although, if this try works (fingers crossed) I'll be due right at the start of the school year. Eeeeks! Not a good plan for a teacher, but hey, you do what you have to do, right?
    Luca Gabriel was born 10/25/17 at 34 weeks, due to PROM. He's healthy and perfect! I'm in love!
    5/2015-BFN 6/2015-Chemical 8/2015-BFN 10/2015-BFN 12/2015-BFP (miscarriage)
    2/2016-BFN 4/2016-BFN 7/2016-BFN 10/2016-BFN 11/2016-BFN 12/2016-BFN 3/2017-BFP!!!
    IXn6m5.png
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    momsquaredmomsquared Posts: 59
    edited November -1
    ahk00 wrote:
    momsquared wrote:
    I had Aflac and it was definitely worth every penny. But FYI you have to purchase it BEFORE you get pregnant because there is a 10 month waiting period to use it for birth. I missed this window by 2 weeks but they were awesome and let me use it anyway.
    Your kiddos are beautiful!!

    Thank you :)
    December 2016 Ages 9,7,5 & 3
    IMG_4148.jpg
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