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I heard it can appear that close together. I will be curious if that counted as a period too....waiting game sucks

We're are you at in the process?? How many months TTC?

If O happens that close does that leave enough time for fertilization and implantation? Because that takes at least a week for all that traveling and work and if AF starts just a couple days after I don't think thats enough time to do all of that before being washed out.

I'm on cycle day 8 of our 9th cycle of trying. Supposed to ovulate this weekend. It's a long process, changing a few things up each month to hopefully raise the chances.

I have read it can leave enough time because the process does happen so fast but who knows guess we will find out!!

Today some light spotting and abdominal cramping.....

Waiting until next week to test.... But technically my
5 days before isn't until July 30 :/

Welcome Sheena! Were the two days of bleeding "regular AF" type bleeding (i.e. not just light spotting, no need for a tampon)? I would probably just wait it out, as hard as that is! If your AF isn't expected until the first week of August, an hpt wouldn't be able to detect pregnancy this soon.

Were you on birth control before TTC?

If you O'ed 1-4, then AF 5-6, it couldn't be implantation bleeding. Once the egg is fertilized, it stays in the fallopian tube for about 3-4 days before traveling down to the uterus, where it will implant. This collective timeframe can be anywhere from 6-12 days. http://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/understanding-conception

It sounds to me like one of three things happened:
1. You just had "leftover" light bleeding from ovulating
2. If you were on bc before TTC and your body is still trying to find it's natural hormonal balance
3. Your body had some early bleeding/spotting before full-blown AF. Many women have random, unexplained bleeding before AF shows. Not uncommon at all.

I highly recommend using an app (I have Ovia and FertilityFriend) to track. You should chart your BBT http://www.babycenter.com/ovulation-chart and remember, temp first thing in the morning, still lying in bed and at the SAME TIME every morning for accuracy. You can track cervical position and mucus as well. Keep in mind none of these is fool-proof, but will give you insight into your body and cycle.

I've been off bc since April (we are NTNP), but this is my first month actually ovulating (confirmed by BBT-there's a temp dip, then spike when you O). I also started the cheapie opks Day 5 of my cycle (AF days 1-4) and tested EVERYDAY since I didn't know when I O'ed (I'm a 32 cycle). I got a positive opk evening CD 28 and morning CD 29, which again was confirmed by the BBT. I now can use my app (which tells me my fertile window) and I can use opks just on those days to pinpoint the actual day of ovulation.

Hope this helps! Definitely use this site, the apps and other sites to get more of an understanding about your cycle, including length. I did a lot of research (and still do) about this and I learned SO much about the cycle. :) GL and Baby Dust!!

Thank you Sarah! No wasn't on BC before nor was not sexually active month before either so shouldn't have a huge change. Maybe leftover O bleeding. It was overall light bleeding (think 1 tampon worth for whole thing).

A hpt assumed wouldn't pick it up because it was beginning of the month

I need to start BBT but hard when I don't wake up at the same time (any
Foster dog will eat the thermometer if left right by my bed ....

So if I am conceiving though I shouldn't be ovulating this month then correct?? No O yet but just O 1-4.

Thanks!!!! We're are you at in the process? This waiting is hard.

Hi Sheena, I'm a bit confused by your reply. So, while every woman's body is different (different cycle length, luteal phase, etc.) being or not being sexually active does not affect that. Additionally, an hpt doesn't consider physical time of the month (your comment re: an hpt not picking up pregnancy because it was the beginning of the month). A woman's menstrual cycle includes the following phases:

1. Menstrual phase
-this is the first day of menstruation and usually lasts until approx. day 5
2. Follicular phase
-starts on the first day of menstruation and ends with ovulation
-during this time one follicle will mature into an egg (the others die). It usually occurs around day 10 of a 28-day cycle
-the follicle growth stimulates the lining of the uterus to thicken in preparation for possible pregnancy
3. Ovulation
-this is the actual release of a mature egg
-usually occurs mid-cycle, around 2 weeks before menstruation starts
-the egg is released into the fallopian tube and towards the uterus. The life span of the egg is ONLY 12-24 HOURS. If it doesn't meet up with sperm, it dies
4. Luteal phase
-the ruptured follicle that released the egg transforms into the corpus luteum. It releases progesterone; the thickened lining of the uterus waits for a fertilized egg to implant. If a fertilized egg implants, it produces hormones to maintain it, including HCG (what a hpt detects). If pregnancy does not occur, the corpus luteum dies (usually around day 22 of 28 day cycle). The lining is shed=menstruation

YES every woman is different, but this IS the cycle that every woman goes through. The days may slightly shift if you have a longer or shorter cycle length.

Your ovulation detection had four days of smiley faces but that does NOT mean you ovulated for four days. It detects your fertile window. When you ovulate, the egg is released and only lives 12-24 hours. You ovulate once a cycle (not month, but cycle) I'll reply in the next thread with my cycle so you have an example.

Definitely read the links I posted, as they are really helpful in understanding this process. Tracking is super informative too, because it can help detect your fertile window, ovulation frame as well as any issues that might complicate pregnancy. For example, the luteal phase is generally 14 days, but 10-16 is considered normal. If you have a LP of less than 10 days, it would be very difficult to for the egg to implant, because the uterine lining did not have enough time to develop and sustain a pregnancy.

My most recent cycle:

Menstrual cycle= June 11-14 (Cycle Days 1-4)

Fertile window (detected by Ovia app, based on my 32 day cycle= June 24-29 (CD 14-19)

Ovulation day (detected by opk, confirmed with BBT)= June 29 (CD 19)

Luteal Phase, mine is 14 days, June 29-July 12 (14 days between O and day before menstruation, CD 29-32)

July 13=start of menstruation. THIS IS CYCLE DAY 1 OF MY NEXT CYCLE

*this puts my next fertile window at July 28-August 2 based on my 32 day cycle

Do you have a regular cycle? There are calculators you can use online (and on the apps) to gauge your windows. I'm more than happy to help you determine if you send me
your last two period dates (day it started, ended). For example, I just started my 4th cycle off bc, so I'd send my June and May period dates.

I hope this is a little clearer! I know it's a confusing and complex thing :)

Hi guys! Sorry I've been missing, I need a break to kind of refresh! But I'm pretty close to my window of opportunity, so I'm ready to get back in the swing of things.

How's everyone doing?

know how you feel Jenna..Ive tried to slow down and take a break on charting and reading into everything. Kind of going into a slump I guess? I got a spike on my OPK yesterday, so I'm within my O window. About to get back to that lovely tww, UGH

Totally get it Jenna! I'm not doing ANY charting/temping this cycle (cycle 2 of actually ovulating after getting off bc haha) The only thing I'm going to do is opk during my fertile window just so I KNOW. I'm still 1.5 weeks away from my fertile window though UGH! This whole process is a LOT of waiting! It doesn't get any easier when everyone on Facebook or Instagram seems to be announcing pregnancy....I also turned 33 today, so the realization of "time running out" is starting to hit me hard. I need a break from tracking though....a lot of TTC/time to BD is really limited right now, so why overanalyze and worry to be disappointed when AF shows?!

How is everyone else doing?! Hang in there...hoping we all get our BFPs soon!!