How to tell the difference between CM & semen?

[SQ2]

I apologize if this has been answered already but I searched and couldn't find anything...Thought maybe a thread about this topic in general would be good aside from my specific question, below. Please post good ways to tell the difference between the two!

I've read the section in TCOYF about this, but still have a hard time figuring out if what I'm seeing is CM or "leftovers" ;) It's clear, thin, and very slippery, stretches at least an inch, maybe a little more...but doesn't stay that way if I stretch my fingers too far. I also noticed some creamy/lotion-like stuff mixed in. Very slippery, lubricated VS. I feel skeptical that it's EWCM because I feel like it's too early, but at the same time, my cycles have been so whacky since I went off the pill that maybe I could actually be gearing up to O. :confused:

Thoughts?

[ellidew]

Take this with a grain of salt because i never mastered the art of telling the difference between ewcm and semen.

I think a lot of ttc is more about a pattern you see over time and less about what you see in one instance.

For example, hopefully you know about the time you ovulate each month. If you bd and then have what appears to be ewcm the next day you can be pretty sure that it's semen or at the very least you can be some what certain that you bd'd during a time that you were fertile. If you still have what appears to be ewcm the 2nd day or 3rd day after bd'ing i'd use the assumption that it's actually ewcm especially if it's within you ovulation window. However, dh and i tried to bd everyday/every other day during my most fertile time of the month.

Maybe i'm alone in how i approach it... i personally found ttc a complete crap shoot! I'd be sure to bd around the time you are typically fertile and leave it at that. If you are charting then you will have a good idea about when you ovulated and wont have all your eggs in one basket (ewcm).

I was eventually successful ;) lol.

[SQ2]

Thanks, ellidew.I don't know when I usually ovulate. :( I've been charting since November when I went off the pill. My first 3 cycles I O'd around CD 20, then the next cycle it was CD40 and last cycle CD79 (although the two long cycles I think were due to stress and travel). I guess what I'm saying is, I don't really know my pattern yet so it's hard to say. It's conceivable that I could be fertile now since I'm on CD13. I've been trying to do kegals too to in hopes that I can more accurately tell. I guess it's just a waiting game. Thanks! :)

[ellidew]

That is definitely a tough situation. I would O between cd14 and cd25ish so i had a range but it didn't vary quite as wide. Like i said, i found ttc to be a crap shoot. Hopefully someone will have a better answer for you.

I'd say it's conceivable (no pun intended) that at least the day after bd'ing any resemblence to ewcm is probably semen and if it isn't and you bd'd that close to having ewcm then i think you have a good chance at a bfp. By the 2nd - 3rd day post bd'ing i'd assume the ewcm substance is actually ewcm. If that makes sense.

[Scooter]

There's also the water test, if you want to try that.

If you're not sure whether it's EWCM or semen, put it in a glass of water. Semen will float and dissolve and EWCM will clump up and eventually sink. I haven't tried it, but many people have sworn by this method. GL!

[beevo12]

There's also the water test, if you want to try that.

If you're not sure whether it's EWCM or semen, put it in a glass of water. Semen will float and dissolve and EWCM will clump up and eventually sink. I haven't tried it, but many people have sworn by this method. GL!

YUP!! Scooter is right. I was so crazy when I was TTC that I did this once in awhile. EWCM will ball up and sink, and semen will string, float and dissolve

[NicoleWisconsin]

Does the water temperature matter?

[beevo12]

Does the water temperature matter?

Not that I know of, I just used regular tap water.

[espresso]

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