Help with OPK. Dark edge on test line? + or - ?

[squirrel.]

Hi ladies,

I have started doing OPKs daily to see what's going on (if anything) with my fertility. I still haven't had my postpartum period after having my daughter seven months ago. I'm exclusively breastfeeding and when I did so with my son, my periods stayed away 14 months and didn't return till I completely dropped all feeds. I'm worried the same will happen again this time. We'd like to be able to TTC our third and last child sooner rather than later (for a whole host of reasons), but if my periods aren't back yet there's no hope.

I have never had much luck with OPKs, but I thought I'd start anyway. I got a somewhat pattern of steadily getting darker and then fading again. I know the test line needs to be as dark or darker than the control, which didn't happen, but if you zoom on the picture, you can see on the 8th and 9th the edge of the test line was as dark as the control line. Now searching online seems to show a lot of other women experiencing the same thing and the general consensus being that means a positive test, but I'm not sure. What would you say?

As I said, it's only the edge of the test lines on the 8th and 9th, the rest of the test line isn't as dark as the control. I also got EWCM on the 9th - but I've had a lot of random mixed cm since breastfeeding.

Thanks ladies.

ps Sorry the picture isn't the best quality, took it at night in poor lighting

 

[waitingongod1]

I Don't think any of them are a positive. Sorry :/ I've never been pregnant so really dont know. Didn't want to read and run but I didn't think you had a period when breastfeeding

 

[KatO79]

Nope none of those are positive I have read though that you may not O while you're breastfeeding, especially if you're doing so day and night:

https://www.babycenter.com/404_can-i-get-pregnant-while-breastfeeding_7093.bc

https://www.askdrsears.com/topics/feeding-eating/breastfeeding/faqs/breastfeeding-fertility

.... if you're breastfeeding your baby exclusively, day and night, you may not menstruate again for a year or even longer after giving birth. If your baby sleeps through the night at an early age, your period probably will return more quickly — typically in three to eight months. The same is true if you're supplementing with formula.

So yeah, it's your body concentrating on nourishing the baby you have. Once you're breastfeeding less regularly, your period will return.

 

[squirrel.]

Thanks ladies.

I didn't get any periods at all when I was breastfeeding my son for the entire duration, but some women do get their periods back even when they're exclusively breastfeeding. It really depends on the woman, her hormones and I suppose each post-pregnancy time will have different effects on her. I am really hoping my periods return before the summer (when I plan to stop breastfeeding).

I guess I knew they were negative (wishful thinking for + I suppose ). The thing that annoyed me though is that they have a dark edge and some sources online say that with this brand a dark edge is a positive.

I just want my periods to come back That is probably the last time ever I will say those words!