TTC-- fertile window question

[Roseann123]

Hello everyone!
I don't temp (don't sleep well enough for accurate results), so I rely on CM and ovulation spotting to look for signs of fertility. I usually have ovulation spotting for 2-3 days mid cycle (usually CD 12-14 ish).
My SO and I had sex on CD 3 on AF with no belief that this would result in pregnancy; however, I had EWCM and sore breasts on CDs 6 and 7 and a positive OPK on CD 7. Every six months or so I have a 25 day cycle, but this still seems very short, and I didn't have O spotting, so I dismissed it until I started spotting yesterday, CD 10, which again, is early but not totally unusual.

I would appreciate other's opinions in whether or not I have a chance to conceive this cycle. My SO is away for two more days, so if this is ovulation, sex on CD 3 is my only real shot.

I also would appreciate if anyone could recommend useful resources or knows information about spotting in general. My OBGYN confirmed my ovulation spotting, but I also have recently started spotting 2-3 days before my period fully starts. I'm wondering if I should count the first day of my period as the first day of spotting instead of the first day of full bleeding, which makes some of this ovulation stuff line up better.

I am also wondering if anyone knows more detailed information about ovulation spotting. Does it happen before, during, or after ovulation?

I am meeting with my OBGYN later this month and plan to ask her, but since my SO is away, I'm wondering if we're out for the count or should keep trying (we have a lot of scheduling issues this month, making it harder than one might expect to time things!).

Thanks everyone!

 

[lomelindi17]

You can ovulate from 0-3 days (maybe even 4) after a positive opk. So spotting and O on day 10 would fit in fine with the opk. If you did O on day 10 then I would say there's probably no chance his sperm lasted 7 days, but I've heard of pregnancy from O'ing 5 days after sex, and you can't be sure of your O date without temping so it is still a possibility. I would BD when hubs gets home too just in case you haven't O'd yet. However I'm a little confused why you would have sore breasts before ovulation? Is that normal for you? I never get sore breasts until well after O when the progesterone kicks in. Did you take a pregnancy test to rule out pregnancy from last cycle?

About spotting, you count your CD1/first day of AF as the first day of a flow where you need a pad or tampon. Spotting isn't considered AF. I get spotting every cycle a good couple days before AF and sometimes I spot all the way through my LP, very annoying. My Dr. thinks that has to do with my thyroid, but anyway spotting for a couple days before AF is normal as far as I know. I don't know anything about ovulation spotting, but I imagine it would probably be while it is releasing the egg, probably something to do with the follicle or maybe harmless cysts. I'm sure your Dr. knows more than me lol. Generally people consider the color of the blood to assess timing.. if it's pink or red it's usually fresh, if it's brown it is older blood. Hope that helps!