Cervical Mucus: Can someone please explain?

[Sparky Mum]

Hi everyone

I'm new to charting my cycle and have some uncertainty regarding CM.

I'm logging everything into an app, I've read that the two main fertility signs are your BBT and your CM.

I'm understand the BBT, but I'm struggling to understand the different types of CM. I know what I'm personally used to seeing, but the descriptions I'm reading don't really fit me.

'EWCM': I don't think I've ever seen this, it's widely described as clear and stretchy.

'Watery': Does this mean it's runny? Clear? Colourless? Thin? I have no idea.

I am on CD10 today and had the faintest second line on an OPK. CM I would describe as clear and sticky but neither 'watery' nor 'stretchy' so I'm not sure what to chart it as.

Any advice or tips are appreciated greatly. We don't want to miss our window.

Thank you!

 

[Vintageling]

Following as I also would like to know more

 

[WinterWolf]

Hi. After AF you probably won't have much CM. Leading up to ovulation your CM should be watery. Watery CM is thin and clear. If you put some on your thumb and forefinger and try to pull it apart, it should be like water, just staying on your fingers.

A couple of days before you ovulate and during ovulation you should get EWCM. It literally looks and feels like egg whites. Clear and stretchy. When you put it between your fingers it should stretch. Some women say they never get this and instead just notice an increase in watery CM.

After ovulation you should get creamy (like lotion) or sticky/tacky white CM. If you get this stuff between two fingers it'll just stick to them, it won't stretch. Any white coloured CM is a sign you're not fertile as sperm can't survive in it.

So, if you're on CD10 with a very faint OPK line you should be in the watery phase. CM should be clear and thin. It should soon thicken up to EWCM.

Hope that helps. sorry if it was a bit graphic!

 

[Sparky Mum]

Thank you so much! Graphic is what I need right now because I can't make sense of it.

Sounds like I do have watery at the moment then! There was stretchiness to it this morning but the rest of the day (and yesterday) it's just been watery. All completely colourless though so that's a good sign!

So am I correct in thinking watery = fertile but EWCM = most fertile and indicates ovulation?

(Thank you!!)

 

[Sunflower1]

Watery is clear and wet.


Creamy is like white/cream lotion between your hands


Slippery is when it's turning to egg white - your fingers slip on it


EWCM, if you put between fingers and separate fingers it stretches (semen does this too but will break after a few stretches, EWCM doesn't)


Sticky, white and thick and sticky (post ovulation)


You have to feel it between your fingers I'm afraid!


EWCM can happen up to 6 days before ovulation. Creamy and watery are also fertile I think.

 

[Sparky Mum]

Thanks Sunflower!

I entered my BBT this morning and the app instantly went 'green light! You're fertile! Gogogo!' Haha.

I'm counting my blessings too because OH was away on business until the 9th!

 

[MoominGirl]

Personally I always got a bit confused with CM especially at the beginning. I think that was because I never really produced all that much if I'm honest. Once I started seeing a pattern with opks, I then started to notice the changes in CM a bit more easily. We used preseed/conceive plus as well.

 

[Sparky Mum]

I'm glad it's not just me. We all have different patterns and can't expect to all fit into the same categories

 

[kristenann]

Hi i am ttc and not totally 100% clued up but this is my findings so far in my 6 months..
You need to collect as much as you can firstly,
I firstly look at it, note colour,
To tell what it really is i will rub between fingers, if thick/lotion like its "creamy" if watery mine anyway is clear and like liquid so not thickness to it at all. I also try to spread it between fingers (if it does its eggwhite cm, tho i never have this!
*Note for first time this cycle i drunk pure grapefruit juice for 4 days straight , 4 days before i knew i was due to ovulate, first time in a long time my cm has been watery thruout fertile period instead of creamy/unfriendly. I had 250ml a day and mixed with my usual diet lemonade cause its rank.. make sure its pure i got one which said had 10 grapefruits squeesed in it.. no concentrate rubbish

 

[Sunflower1]

Thanks Sunflower!

I entered my BBT this morning and the app instantly went 'green light! You're fertile! Gogogo!' Haha.

I'm counting my blessings too because OH was away on business until the 9th!

Good luck! x

 

[Vintageling]

Thank you so much this thread is awesome.

 

[kristenann]

Also as wonderful as Fertily Friend is i find, anytime i add watery or ewcm or a high,soft,open cervix it will automatically put me at green light (most fertile) even if after ovulation..! Haha..i would try and get an idea of when you ovulate and listen to your CM / Cervix / OPKs more then Fertility Friend personally

 

[Princess81]

There’s not much to add really, the ladies above have done a fantastic job
At explaining.
With ewcm, you could squidge it between your fingers and then pull it apart and it would nearly web between your fingers!

 

[Princess81]

Actually if you look at google images on ewcm it’s shown clearly on there (if you aren’t grossed out about it).

 

[Sparky Mum]

Sometimes you just have to woman up and ask the question!

I'm glad other people are being helped by this, I don't feel so silly now.

Thank you everyone who responded!

 

[Princess81]

I’d never heard of ewcm til I joined this forum! Lol.

 

[Sparky Mum]

I know haha!
There are so many abbreviations on here I see and just think 'Whaaaa?'

 

[Vintageling]

I know haha!
There are so many abbreviations on here I see and just think 'Whaaaa?'

I'm the same I struggle with the TTC slang

 

[Sparky Mum]

What does TTC mean?
Just kidding

Yeah I've Googled a few but nothing relevant comes up.

 

[Vintageling]

Yea I'm slowly getting there lol just makes me giggle as reminds me of having to learn scouser slang when I first met my oh and teaching him Welsh slang