AF returned for the first time 2 weeks ago. I had EWCM five days before AF showed up (EW started about a week before AF came), I wasn't expecting to see AF so soon after having EWCM. And now here it is 2 weeks after getting AF and I still haven't had any CM at all. My periods are very regular, 28 days total, EWCM comes usually CD #11-13/14 with ovulation around day 14. Here it is day 15 today and I still haven't had any mucus. Do you think my periods could just be all outta whack or what. When they returned with Abby, they were as regular as regular can be. I've always been regular. I haven't been temping just watching my CM but so far none this cycle. Any suggestions as to what could be going on? Is it possible to be pg and I just bled anyway, bcuz that bleed was a week early? Or is probably just irregularity? I dunno:???:

Are you still nursing? I'm assuming that's why you say you just got your AF back...because you're nursing...

Anyway, from what I've read, while nursing, or for a little while after stopping nursing, your cycles can be kind of odd when they start back up. You can ovulate one month and not the next, or show signs of ovulation but not acutally ovulate. Things can be a little weird IYKWIM, due to the differences in hormones and all that when things are getting started back up.

You could take a test, maybe it'll be positive :)! I'd guess that maybe this first cycle was ano-ovulatory (sorry I can't spell today, lol) though. I've read that it's really common for women to not always ovulate their first cycle once they get AF back....or to not ovulate every cycle for awhile if they're still nursing.

I get my cycles back really soon after giving birth, despite round the clock nursing, and I know the signs of ovulation pretty well, but I don't think I ovulate every month while I'm still nursing....at least not while baby is under a year old or so.

Just because your cycles have always been a certain way, doesn't mean that they'll always be a certain way. That's the mentality behind the rhythm method, that ovulation happens at a certain time.

In reality, ovulation is quite a variable event. Especially when you're still nursing, the nursing hormones can delay ovulation. Stress can also do it. Just remember, when you're TTC, to ROMP when the mucus shows up, whether that be day 11 or day 35, and you'll be just fine. I conceived my first baby around CD 24 and my second baby around CD 26, or so, if I recall correctly.

The fact that you had only 5 days of EWCM and then got AF gives me reason to believe that your luteal phase was very short. Are you temping? That would give you an exact idea of how many days your luteal phase is, and whether it's long enough to sustain a pregnancy.

And no, I highly doubt that you're pregnant based on the info that you gave, although if you're in doubt, take a test. How heavy was the bleed/period that you had?

Thanks for the replies.

Mo, yup still nursing so that's probably what the deal is.

Ruth, the bleeding was normal period flow. It was one day shorter than it normally was but was still heavy enough to be classified as a period.

I think I'll go out and buy a thermometer tomorrow and start temping so that I can have a better idea of what is going on in my cycle. Thanks!

Yeah Eva, sometimes my EWCM continues past the day I O, so it would be about a week or so after it finishes that AF shows up...

Praying for ya!

Just out of curiousity, Tripper, are you temping? How do know when ovulation happens? The reason I asked is because of the short luteal phase possibility.

Ruth, i wanted to say that I think your advice was right. I did some research on the TCOYF website and it's quite common for women to have short luteal phase if you are still nursing when AF returns. So that explains why AF came so soon after having EWCM. Still no CM at all this cycle. Maybe I'll just have an an-ovulatory cycle. I really hope that my cycles regulate soon. I'm kinda bummed that this could go on for a while. But God knows and I just need to trust Him. Anyway, Ruth thanks for the advice.:-D

Ruth, i wanted to say that I think your advice was right. I did some research on the TCOYF website and it's quite common for women to have short luteal phase if you are still nursing when AF returns. So that explains why AF came so soon after having EWCM. Still no CM at all this cycle. Maybe I'll just have an an-ovulatory cycle. I really hope that my cycles regulate soon. I'm kinda bummed that this could go on for a while. But God knows and I just need to trust Him. Anyway, Ruth thanks for the advice.:-D

No problem! I figured that could be the cause. Does Micah still nurse at night? Nighttime nursing tends to have the most influence on hormones. That could be why your cycles were regular with Abby and irregular with Micah, if he's still nursing at night, that is.

*Hijack*
Yeah, I temp, but I've found that my EWCM continues for about 2 or 3 days after I O most months... and my luteal phase tends to be about 11 or 12 days - that should be long enough, right?

*And now, back to our previously scheduled programming...* [halo]

No problem! I figured that could be the cause. Does Micah still nurse at night? Nighttime nursing tends to have the most influence on hormones. That could be why your cycles were regular with Abby and irregular with Micah, if he's still nursing at night, that is.

Yeah he still nurses about 4-6x a night. My mom just left this morning so I'm going to try and night wean him. Here's hoping it goes well.

Yep, yep, yep. 4-6x a night? No wonder your luteal phases are short. I hope that the night-weaning goes well. :)