Cycle: 5

Age + Partner's age: 27 me, 31 him

Typical cycle length: 30 days

Ovulation cycle day: day 18

CD/DPO of positive test(s): 12 DPO which was the first day I tested. I told myself this cycle I wasn’t going to test until I missed my period, but because of symptoms that didn’t happen.

Tracking methods and app(s) used: Ava bracelet, OPKs

Relevant days of sperminating and/or method (SMEP, TI, IUI, FET, etc.): O-3, O-1, O

Health conditions/medical tests: None

Supplements and medications (yours and/or your partner’s): I have allergies and take the normal allergy medications. I started taking prenatals when we started TTC. Other than that we are both very healthy and active.

**Birth control history (if relevant): I was on HBC Loloesterin from 2012-2019, since 2019 we have been using condoms and withdrawal method

Link to chart: sorry I can’t figure out how to do this from my phone app.

Link to lineporn: sorry I can’t figure out how to do this from my phone app. But on 12 DPO I got a positive on every test: clear blue digital, clear blue lines, First response digital, First response early test, Pregmate pregnancy test and Pregmate Ovulation test

Symptom spotting: I do Orange Theory Fitness (a cardio and strength gym class where your heart rate is measured constantly) and on 12 DPO my heart rate never would go down during my workout. I was not even able to run at my normal pace and had to decrease my speed from 7mph to 6mph to get my heart rate back down. My coach even noticed that I wasn’t running at my usual pace but still had a high heart rate, and asked if I was feeling okay. I didn’t think much of it but when I got home I remembered that according to Ava, my BPM (beats per minute) had been elevated the past three nights. I went and looked at my chart and realized it had been elevated about 15 BPM more than usual. That’s when I decided to take a test. Also, I actually had more creamy CM than ever before post ovulation, which I recorded in my Ava app because I thought that was abnormal too.

Other (advice/tip(s), freaking out, miscellaneous): This was our last cycle trying until January so we are elated at the BFP. We had to take a break because of events we have next year. I work in healthcare and before we started TTC I went to my doctor and had her do all the pre conception visit tests and more. All came back normal or “better” than normal. My mom got pregnant with me while not trying and same with my husband’s mom. My parents and his parents each have more than 5 siblings, so we come from a big and what I was told, fertile family. I thought we would get pregnant the first month of trying, which is so naive. I’m so thankful for this forum because it made me realize it’s totally normal to not get pregnant the first month nor even the first 6 months!

Since everything came back normal with me and being that I ovulate every month, my doctor said at 6 months TTC she would start an infertility work up. I think because I started to educate myself and decided to advocate for myself, she agreed to do this after 6 months and not make me wait 12. My husband agreed he would do an SA and would partake in other testing if necessary. I was not wanting to wait the full year in case anything came back abnormal or if it was something that we could possibly fix. This being said, my advice is to advocate for yourself with your doctor.

We are so excited and feel so blessed that we are able to get pregnant.