Help with cycle and ovulation! TTC

EmeraldPie · 2025-09-22T08:54:01+00:00

Have been TTC for a few cycles now. No previous pregnancy. I'm early 30s. Recently my cycles have been slightly shortening in length from around 27-28 days to 25 days on the most recent. I get abundant EWCM appearing on around CD 13 each month and last for a few days. Flo is predicting my ovulation date earlier due to shorter cycles. Does this mean my luteal phase is short? As my fertile mucus appears mid cycle-(ish) but period is coming around day 25-26. Should I start doing OPK for more accuracy?? Just confused as I start to see fertile CM in mid cycle but period is coming slightly earlier.... Please advise :)

ThatAquaViewer · 22/09/2025 11:15

I can't really advise on the luteal phase aspect, but I'd recommend BBT tracking along with doing OPK. I'm pregnant with my third and think OPK and BBT (I used ovusense, which confirms ovulation date) definitely helped each time :)

Original poster

EmeraldPie · 22/09/2025 11:46

ThatAquaViewer · 22/09/2025 11:15

I can't really advise on the luteal phase aspect, but I'd recommend BBT tracking along with doing OPK. I'm pregnant with my third and think OPK and BBT (I used ovusense, which confirms ovulation date) definitely helped each time :)

Thanks so much. Yes I have some OPKs so I will use those this month and also try to check BBT. Flo app is definitely inaccurate so want to try some other methods and just use this for extra reference!

OP posts:

Blue2020 · 22/09/2025 20:50

Definitely recommend opk and bbt.

The luteal phase typically stays the same length (don’t hold me to that) so if your cycle has shortened then you are likely ovulating earlier. Although if you don’t track then you won’t know when that is. Don’t go off the cervical mucus alone. While it can typically be a good indicator it’s not guaranteed. When I tracked I had cycles where I had the CM, then 5 days later when I felt dry the opk said I ovulated. I conceived my son that cycle.

bbt confirms if you have ovulated, so the temp will increase a day or two afterwards. It was very accurate for me and helpful. I used fertility friend to keep a track of it, then Premom for the opk sticks.

Make sure to DTD at least twice in the 5 days before and on ovulation. So the day after the positive opk test. We used to just have sex every 2-3 days to cover the window. Then once the bbt rose I knew it was over.

MellowMint · 22/09/2025 21:03

I used both Flo and PreMom, but I noticed they often gave slightly different predictions—sometimes off by 2–3 days. For tracking, I relied mainly on ovulation strips and used PreMom to help interpret them. Once you upload a photo, the AI analyzes the strip and tells you your hormone levels, which was really helpful.

During my first cycle, I definitely missed my fertile window. Around CD14 my levels started to rise, but I never got a true “high” reading.

By the second cycle, i got large box of tests and I decided to test twice a day, morning and evening. My hormone levels rose again, but the highest reading I saw was only 0.83. Technically, that’s still considered too low and not a peak. Despite that, we timed things during the week my ovulation was predicted, and I ended up getting pregnant that cycle.

I honestly believe my peak window was just extremely short. I don’t think my readings would have gone much higher, and if we had waited for a “perfect” peak result before trying, I might never have conceived naturally.

Original poster

EmeraldPie · 22/09/2025 21:43

Blue2020 · 22/09/2025 20:50

Definitely recommend opk and bbt.

The luteal phase typically stays the same length (don’t hold me to that) so if your cycle has shortened then you are likely ovulating earlier. Although if you don’t track then you won’t know when that is. Don’t go off the cervical mucus alone. While it can typically be a good indicator it’s not guaranteed. When I tracked I had cycles where I had the CM, then 5 days later when I felt dry the opk said I ovulated. I conceived my son that cycle.

bbt confirms if you have ovulated, so the temp will increase a day or two afterwards. It was very accurate for me and helpful. I used fertility friend to keep a track of it, then Premom for the opk sticks.

Make sure to DTD at least twice in the 5 days before and on ovulation. So the day after the positive opk test. We used to just have sex every 2-3 days to cover the window. Then once the bbt rose I knew it was over.

Thanks for the advice.

I also assumed that luteal phase stays roughly at 14 days but know it must be able to vary slightly.

As my periods are coming a little earlier I also thought I would be ovulating earlier, e.g CD 12. DTD on this day too…. And obviously didn’t conceive. It’s a little disappointing. Maybe just have had a bit of bad luck so far. I’ll start doing BBT and hopefully this gives me a bit more accuracy. Thanks for your help!

OP posts:

Blue2020 · 23/09/2025 19:19

EmeraldPie · 22/09/2025 21:43

Thanks for the advice.

I also assumed that luteal phase stays roughly at 14 days but know it must be able to vary slightly.

As my periods are coming a little earlier I also thought I would be ovulating earlier, e.g CD 12. DTD on this day too…. And obviously didn’t conceive. It’s a little disappointing. Maybe just have had a bit of bad luck so far. I’ll start doing BBT and hopefully this gives me a bit more accuracy. Thanks for your help!

Show quote history

I think the length of the luteal phase can depend on the person, they say the average is 14 days. I think mine was 13/14 days and it stayed the same length on the odd occassions my ovulation was delayed. However I think some people can have shorter luteal phases. You will know yours once you have tracked a few cycles.

If you just dtd every 2-3 days throughout the whole cycle you should have a chance each time. We were a bit more infrequent with dtd and didn’t want to make it pressured, so I tracked to know we had a chance each month. It was worth it for us.

Original poster

EmeraldPie · 23/09/2025 22:21

MellowMint · 22/09/2025 21:03

I used both Flo and PreMom, but I noticed they often gave slightly different predictions—sometimes off by 2–3 days. For tracking, I relied mainly on ovulation strips and used PreMom to help interpret them. Once you upload a photo, the AI analyzes the strip and tells you your hormone levels, which was really helpful.

During my first cycle, I definitely missed my fertile window. Around CD14 my levels started to rise, but I never got a true “high” reading.

By the second cycle, i got large box of tests and I decided to test twice a day, morning and evening. My hormone levels rose again, but the highest reading I saw was only 0.83. Technically, that’s still considered too low and not a peak. Despite that, we timed things during the week my ovulation was predicted, and I ended up getting pregnant that cycle.

I honestly believe my peak window was just extremely short. I don’t think my readings would have gone much higher, and if we had waited for a “perfect” peak result before trying, I might never have conceived naturally.

Thanks for this! I have downloaded Premom. It’ll be interesting to track BBT and also see how the ovulation times with cervical mucus

OP posts:

Marmite1992 · 24/09/2025 04:15

I had the same thing, it was actually the stress of trying to conceive that was shortening my cycle. I paid a lot of money to see a consultant and he said throw the thermometer and ovulation tests away and have sex every other day. I was pregnant the next month!
If you have been trying for some time, I recommend getting some tests. If not, try the relaxed approach for a month or so. Good luck

Original poster

EmeraldPie · 24/09/2025 09:52

Marmite1992 · 24/09/2025 04:15

I had the same thing, it was actually the stress of trying to conceive that was shortening my cycle. I paid a lot of money to see a consultant and he said throw the thermometer and ovulation tests away and have sex every other day. I was pregnant the next month!
If you have been trying for some time, I recommend getting some tests. If not, try the relaxed approach for a month or so. Good luck

Yes, totally understand you. The only issue is that at the moment me and my partner have a long distance situation so it isn't possible to DTD every other day :(. If we did, maybe would have conceived by now. I wish I could use this approach at the moment!

OP posts: