[MonsterMama]

AF is a week late...last one started Dec. 13th, and I normally have 33-35 day cycles. I tested on Thurs morning and got a very clear

I assumed that perhaps I just O'd late because I *did* have EWCM several times (that's the only thing I chart right now - don't temp or use OPK's yet)...the last time I noticed/recorded it was on 1/7, making that 16 days ago.

That being said, if I did O then, shouldn't AF have showed up by now ?

I don't think I didn't O (or haven't yet), because of the EWCM I noticed earlier in the month...or am I wrong in thinking that EWCM *always* means you've O'd?

Also, the time from when you O to getting your next AF is your LP, correct? Or do I have it backwards...UGH, so confused

Can't go to the doc because my insurance hasn't kicked in yet (it will in Feb.), so I'm just sitting around trying as patiently as possible to wait for AF to start.

Whyyyyyyyy isn't my uterus cooperating with me dang-it!!!

[ShawnaCAN]

No, EWCM doesn't always mean O. Your body can try to ovulate, produce EWCM, and then not go through with it. When that happens, your body might try again later or you might have a withdrawal bleed from the hormones crashing down.

The CM has to go through specific changes in order to confirm ovulation. If it doesn't go through all those changes, then it means the attempt at ovulation was likely unsuccessful.

To confirm the CM Peak (closely related to ovulation) the CM has to:

1. Develop and change over a matter of days, at least 3. If it's exactly the same every day without changing, it means the CM didn't reach Peak.
2. Become slippery. This is a feeling you may notice while walking around, it's not what you see. It's a feeling of lubrication. The slippery feeling can linger for a few days after any visible EWCM has disappeared. If it doesn't become slippery, then the CM didn't reach Peak - even if you saw EWCM.
3. Dry up drastically.

Peak is the last day of a slippery feeling. If the CM doesn't go through that pattern, then it's likely ovulation is not confirmed.

Hope that helps!

I've had EWCM several times without Oing.

[MonsterMama]

Thank you for the info, ladies! I never knew that it's gotta go through stages and hit a peak (I would have paid attention to it better), and was also unaware that you could gear up to O, but not actually O until later. I will remember that to keep track of whenever this new cycle decides to start