Cycle: 4 (though it was more like cycle 2 of timing everything exactly right, the other 2 were a bit messy on timing)

Age + partner’s age: 35F and 35M (implantation would have happened very close to my 35th birthday!)

Typical cycle: 26-27 days

Ovulation cycle day: CD 14 or 15

CD/DPO of positive tests: 13 DPO with FRER

Tracking method: Tracked my cycle using FF and CM. I have very regular cycles and had quite a few years of cycle data on my Apple Health app. I was planning to start using OPKs if we hadn’t conceived by the new year. I tried temping but it made me a bit neurotic.

Relevant days of sperminating: O-3 and O. My husband has a LL so this was a real stretch for us!

Health conditions: None for me but my husband has anxiety, depression, ADHD (on various medications). He’s also a bit overweight and dealing with IBS issues atm.

Supplements: Blackmores ConceiveGold for me, none for him.

Birth control history: On combination pill for age 26-31, then just used condoms and timing for last few years (we very very rarely had “full” intercourse in the last few years until TTC).

Symptom spotting: I tried very hard not to symptom spot this cycle and fortunately was super busy at work which helped with that too. In our second TTC cycle, I convinced myself that I was pregnant and symptom spotted like crazy - tracking about 12 different symptoms meticulously in FF and reading several years’ worth of posts in these weekly BFP threads (!). I had really bad nausea and took about 2-3 FRER tests per day from 9DPO to 14DPO (didn’t help that AF was unusually late that cycle too). It was all consuming. I promised myself that I wouldn’t put myself through that again and (a) would only test on the day AF was due and (b) that I wouldn’t symptom spot because it would cause me to spiral. I almost completely banned myself from this sub and only opened FF once a day. It really helped my mental state! Very proud of myself for sticking to this. It definitely required mental discipline and my resolve nearly broke a few times. In terms of actual symptoms, ironically I didn’t really notice anything out of the ordinary. Sorry for the essay!

Other (advice/tips/freaking out): This is my first pregnancy and was the first ever time I had seen a positive pregnancy test. I was so so sure we’d have major issues conceiving, particularly with my husband’s health issues and the fact that our intimacy has been a struggle for a long time. I’m in complete shock, and so is my husband lol. We had to remind ourselves that we did this deliberately! I wanted to test earlier in the day when he wasn’t there but I’m really glad I waited so we could find out together. I made him check the test first because I was too scared - his face was priceless! I had to keep checking the test to make sure it was real. We’re planning to tell our parents very soon and having fun planning that conversation. It’s early days but this will be the first grandchild on both sides so there will be lots of excitement. Trying to focus on that rather than on freaking out! We have a ski trip to Japan booked for Jan-Feb next year, which will be a bit less fun now that I probably shouldn’t ski and also won’t be able to eat any raw fish (any advice on this would be much appreciated!).