hi everyone, i'm new here, and after reading a few of the posts it seems like a really positive and supportive group of people and I hope I can be a part of it

i'm 27, gay, single and want to have a baby. Everyone looks at me like I'm crazy if i even mention the idea and the more I try to pursue it, the more discouraged I am getting. So I am being proactive, and trying to find information that can help set me on the right path. Also, I came here to get advice, support and inspiration, and would really like to avoid debates about single motherhood. Please!

So my options as far as i can see are known donation - I have a male friend (best friend really) who may be willing to donate sperm but this brings its own complications and issues. I see some people on here have taken this path successfully - what do you think made it easier?

I am even considering swapping eggs for sperm, but this is also pretty complicated, and am worried the donor would back out once his partner is pregnant. Has anyone heard of people doing this successfully?

If using unknown donor, what is the likelihood of finding a donor through a clinic? Is there competition between straight/gay/single women - do the donors get to choose who they'd like their sperm to go to, etc? I've heard of 3+ years on waiting lists but then other people seem to just have to wait the quarantine period for local or not even that long for overseas donor sperm.

I've also read that correctly followed at-home insemination is pretty much as successful as IUI - is this true?

Are there any other options I might not be aware of? Am i better off looking into the sperm donor registry thing? I am psyching myself up for fertility testing etc to make sure i'll be able to conceive (i have had problems with my fsh levels in the past) and if everything is fine i'd really like to start trying before the end of 2010.

I'd prefer not to spend an obscene amount of money using a clinic as I have worked hard to save a bit of a 'nest egg' for a baby for quite a while, but would rather spend this on supporting bub and I while I am off work with him/her rather than actually conceiving.

Does anyone have any other experiences/ideas or even just some insight into what my options could be?

sugar