AWOL period, negative tests...

[allsquareknickersnofurcoat]

My periods are so regular you can set your watch by them, they even turn up at the same time of day! I EBF my DS, and periods returned 6w PP. I've been through periods of depression and stress and illness and nothing has ever affected my period, not that I'm ill or stressed at the moment anyway.

The only time my period was late I did a test the next day and it was positive, and I was pregnant with DS. I have a 25 day cycle and am today on day 28... I did a test on day 26 (the other one in the pack of two from DS! Close to the expiry date but still in date) and it was negative. Woke up feeling sick this morning (had morning sickness with DS from 4 weeks) and was genuinely shocked to get another negative result?

I know you can get negative results and still be pregnant, I guess as I have a shorter cycle that may make a difference (if I were the average person, my period would only be due today)? I'll test again in a few days, but if I'm not pregnant, what the hell is going on!? And if I am, my HCG levels are clearly lower than last time, could this be a sign that I'm going to miscarry or something? [paranoid]

You are not alone! There were a few of us in this boat on a thread earlier in the week. Best advice seemed to be wait a week and if still bfn go to gp. I'm currently 5 days overdue and I'm never ever late. Have just googled myself silly trying to work out why on the Internet - not a good plan

This thread does pop up regularly so have a quick look through the archives.

It doesn't matter how long your cycle is because not everybody ovulates on the same day. So you might ovulate on day 11 for example, making it 14 days between ovulation and your period and somebody with a 28 day cycle might ovulate on day 14, likewise 14 days luteal phase (time between ov and period). All of mild interest but just to point out that the length of your cycle isn't relevant to testing positive earlier/later. It's all due to when you ovulate and then when the egg implants which is different woman to woman and pregnancy to pregnancy.

Anyway...

One of two things has happened. Either you're pregnant and it's not showing up yet for any number of reasons or you ovulated late/not at all. Again for any number of reasons (but usually stress or illness mid cycle, though sometimes it's normal to just not ovulate).

Bear in mind as well that if you're still bfing this can fiddle with your cycle. Certainly it did with mine on occasion, particularly if dd had fed a lot. The hormones seemed to be a bit up the spout every now and then.

So, yes, all you can do is wait a few days and test again. I know that's not brilliantly helpful but is all you can do.

AF turned up about an hour ago. Not upset, just relieved to actually have an answer rather than it being up in the air! :)
Show , I am still BF and probably did more last month as we were on holiday and it was warm. Weird that EBF didnt affect my periods at the beginning, but a change does now... :)