Reassurance for others light periods/short luteal phase/implantation bleed and spotting

[BBluebell]

Hi all, this is my first post but reading others' posts on Mumsnet has been an invaluable support to me while trying to conceive and early pregnancy. I want to try and bring some reassurance to others.if they are worrying about the same things I did.

I am currently 20 weeks pregnant with my first child . Had my 20 week scan this week and all looking well.

When trying it can be so easy to worry about everything and fall into the 'it will never happen for me' rabbit hole. There are so many things I worried about and frantically searched Mumsnet for answers on.

I had been on the pill for 15 years and when I stopped taking it my cycles were a bit irregular (between 26 and 32 days so not too dramatic) and my periods were EXTREMELY light. As in 1 or 2 days and not enough to even use a tampon. This really worried me as I though surely I don't have enough lining for an egg to implant.

I also had a short luteal phase (around 8/9 days depending on the month).

I was off the pill for 5 months before falling pregnant. I was sure it wouldn't happen until my cycles improved and was planning on going to the Drs when I got to 6 months off the pill to see why my periods were still so light.

We were so surprised and felt so lucky to find out we were pregnant before then though.

I had a significant implantation bleed too. A day of bright red blood a few days before my period was (vaguely) due. And since my periods are light i initially mistook this for my period. However I couldn't get out my head that it could potentially have been an implantation bleed and took a test the day my period had been due to put it out my head more than anything. I was so shocked it was positive!

A few weeks later I had about a week of pink spotting too which really concerned me. I was given an early scan on the NHS and they confirmed everything was looking ok and it just happens sometimes.

Has progressed well since then and just so excited and thankful. We really weren't trying very long in the scheme of things and feel very fortunate.

I hope that others who are maybe worrying about light periods etc can take a bit of comfort from this and know it may not be hindering you trying to get pregnant.

I will add that I'd read on here about taking high dose vitamin c to help with a short luteal phase and had started doing that the last couple months before I conceived. No idea if that actually helped but I thought it was worth trying.

Hi @BBluebell Thanks for taking the time to send your message to provide reassurance. I had been on the pill for about 11 years and now been off it for 2 and a half years and been trying to conceive all of that time. I feel I have very strange cycles compared to what seems the norm. My cycles range between 33 and 37 days approximately and I would say I bleed in some way for about half of the cycle. It usually starts off as very light brown spotting for a few days, then gets slightly heavier spotting for a few more days, and then only after about 4 or 5 days from an initial spotting do I actually get red blood (it's so dragged out!). When I do get red blood, it's very light and for a really short time, maybe 2/3 days, and then back to old brown blood. When I have red blood, I can basically wear the same sanitary pad all day if I wanted to (not that I do), because there is such a little amount of blood usually. Once it goes back to the old brown blood, it can then go on everyday right up until when I think I ovulate, and it stops. It's very frustrating as I have to constantly wear panty liners for about half of my cycle. Once I'm at ovulation, the bleeding stops until I'm back to about 4/5 days before my next red blood period. I worry that there is not enough lining for an egg to implant but I've had a recent scan (and two sets of blood tests) and they didn't identify any issues. It seems they have no reasoning for my long dragged out, light bleeding. Does any of this sound familiar?

Thanks so much for this!! I’m on month 4 of TTC and very similar to you…. On the pill for 17 years, took 10 months for AF to return. I now have a 28 day cycle, but ovulating on day 18 (according to BBT), so 10 day luteal phase… But BBT drop on day 9 before AF. AF is SO light (4 days of using a pantyliner only). Already tired of BDing every other day up to ovulation!!!!

AF is due in two days, and I’m frantically searching about short luteal phase and light AF. So this has given me some hope for this month….. 🙏🏽

I’m 34 and have agreed with husband that if no luck after 6 months will go to Dr. Best of luck with your pregnancy.

@BBluebell thank you so much for posting this.
I too was on the pill for around 14 years, unfortunately last December I had a mc and since then my af is even lighter than it was.
We've been trying on off since Feb with a few months off here and there.
You read so many different things on the Internet but light flow does seem very common for many.
All the best with your pregnancy :-)

Thank you for posting this! I have a shortish luteal phase but my biggest worry has been my light periods, like you I have one day and one of spotting most months. I have older children and when I had them I barely had to try and my periods were five days on average.

I caught on in July but it was chemical so I was gutted. I'm now taking a few vitamins including high dose vitamin C. So fingers crossed I will get there soon

Your story is really reassuring and I hope the rest of your pregnancy goes well

X

Just checking back in on this thread…. After posting in September, I actually found out I was pregnant a month later! So the light periods and short luteal phase didn’t seem to impact it too much.
I did, however, find out 3 weeks ago I’d had a MMC so I am waiting for the surgical management this week. Very sad, but I do think it managed to implant etc so I’m hopeful that when my cycles return we can start trying again.