please explain ewcm to me...

[HeadFairy]

I know what it is, I know what it looks like, but I don't understand the timing of things. I know lovely young fertile girlies will have approx 5 days of it, and as an old chrone (38) I usually only have a couple of days, when in that couple of days do I ovulate? I can't temp (shift working, irregular hours and nights) and I know I should really go out and get some OPKs just to see when I ov, but until then please tell me how it works. I presume as the egg only survives for approx 24 hours after ovulation, that you stop producing ewcm 24 hours after ov, because there's no more need for it. Is that right?

[HeadFairy]

Thing is... this week, lots of ewcm on cd 13 and 14, none on cd15 and some again today cd16. So question is, do I leap on dh this evening? Is it too late this month? Can I tell just from ewcm alone?

[belgo]

Go for it today, nothing lost is there?

I think you are at your most fertile on the last day of EWCM, or just afterwards.

[HeadFairy]

Oh goody... I mean, it's no hardship for me it is Friday after all, but it would be nice... I'm just so confused about the whole ewcm thing. I think I'm going to get some sticks next week. I'm sure my cycle has changed slightly since ds was born. Thanks Belgo!

[AnnasBananas]

Head Fairy, if you're still around, the day or days when you have the most abundant EWCM will be immediately preceding ovulation. Sorry if TMI but those two days cd 13,14 with lots of EWCM you probably had the 'damp knickers' feeling that will probably have been your most fertile period and possibly ovulated day 14 or 15. It is possible to get some further EWCM after ovulation but it won't be as much as before and will be drier/jelly-like rather than watery/stretchy.

According to the Fertility Friend website the EWCM dries up rapidly within a day or ovulation. There is a very good 'online tutorial' on the website which will explain it better than I can!

Good luck to you and hope you caught your eggie this month!

[leaky]

Headfairy, do you have a fairly regular cycle? If so you will OV exactly 2wks before your AF is due.Hope that helps.

[ilovemcdreamy]

Sorry have to disagree with you, leaky. That's exactly the mistake lots of women make when TTC. Ovulation in a healthy cycle can be anything from 10 to 16 days before AF is due, and, annoyingly, ovulation can move days from one cycle to the next. Far better to keep an eye on the EWCM and have sex on every day that you see it, the last day of EWCM being the most important, as belgo said. Sometimes EWCM dries up even before 24 hours post ovulation. Top tip to help you produce more EWCM is to make sure you are drinking 2 litres of water a day.

[AnnasBananas]

What McDreamy said. Spot on for fertility awareness advice.

[HeadFairy]

thanks for the advice everyone... I'm on the 2ww now. Before I had ds I used to ov around cd 15/16 (checked for a few months using opks) so I was really curious if cycles change drastically after having a baby. If I'm not pg this month I will go and buy some ov sticks again to check if things have changed. The wierd thing is I was still getting what I think was ewcm on cd 18 and 19. It was more jelly like (sorry, tmi I know!) and less watery, so I'm assuming that was post ov left overs.

Fingers crossed for this month, would be nice to have conceived on my wedding anniversary a week after ds self weaned from bf

Thanks for the advice everyone

[AnnasBananas]

Good luck for your 2WW. Hope you get your BFP!

My own experience was that after having both children my cycles settled back to pretty much what they were before.

[HeadFairy]

thanks I've only had four periods since ds was born but they've all been exactly 28 days apart, which was pretty much as before, so here's hoping things haven't changed too much.