Experience with short luteal phase?

[Throwaway_panther]

I'm curious as to people's experiences with a short LP. I tested for ovulation extensively last month following an early miscarriage from a complete surprise pregnancy, because I wanted to see if I would ovulate (which it appears I did, according to testing and CM). I then ended up having my period 6 days later, with the 5th day being spotting mixed with EWCM (which I've read can be from low progesterone).

I've read that early miscarriages can often be attributed to short LPs, so I have to wonder if that was the cause of mine -- particularly since I had some weirdness (fading in and out positives, depending on which day I tested, for one). And that they are common with breastfeeding (which I'm still doing for my DD, though she's reduced feedings and is down to 0-1 feedings a night and is taking to solids really well).

I'm curious though if anyone has success with longer LPs -- I've read Atomic thinks that people who noticed a short one and then got pregnant may or may not have known what their LP would have been that month, which is true. But my DD's conception has always been a slight mystery for the following reasons:

My date of LMP was a week before the actual "date" they gave me upon dating at the first ultrasound measurement around 6 weeks (where my DD ended up measuring somewhere around 5w), with my doctor suspecting I ovulated "late." I got my BFP with her on what turned out to be 8DPO -- which has a huuuugely low statistical significance; I know only something like 10% of BFPs can be found on that day? The estimate due date for my daughter based on this early ultrasound ended up being almost entirely accurate (I went into labor the early morning following that day).

So it makes me wonder -- was I always a short LPer? Did I successfully conceive despite this -- have others? Is there any way to know without just continually testing to see if I always LP?

This is all just very interesting to me now.

[XXforhubby]

With my DS1, I had chronically short LP and cycles. My average was 21-26 days and 7-9 days for LP. I managed to conceive the first cycle trying with him. The only things I did differently in the months leading up to conceiving him was drinking more milk (I usually don't drink any), ate oatmeal for breakfast, and we had breakfast for dinner (eggs, bacon, pancakes, and hash browns). I believe the dairy, oatmeal, and eggs, helped regulate my hormones. Ironically, my cycles have continued to get longer, and longer since then.

I was able to conceive my DS3 while still BFing my DS2. Don't feel like you have to wean to get a boy!

FX and GL to you [emoji8][emoji170]!



[emoji170][emoji1379]DS1, [emoji577]DS2, & [emoji602]DS3[emoji170]
[emoji166]One Last Pink Sway[emoji166]
My Ovulation Chart

[Throwaway_panther]

With my DS1, I had chronically short LP and cycles. My average was 21-26 days and 7-9 days for LP. I managed to conceive the first cycle trying with him. The only things I did differently in the months leading up to conceiving him was drinking more milk (I usually don't drink any), ate oatmeal for breakfast, and we had breakfast for dinner (eggs, bacon, pancakes, and hash browns). I believe the dairy, oatmeal, and eggs, helped regulate my hormones. Ironically, my cycles have continued to get longer, and longer since then.

I was able to conceive my DS3 while still BFing my DS2. Don't feel like you have to wean to get a boy!

FX and GL to you [emoji8][emoji170]!



[emoji170][emoji1379]DS1, [emoji577]DS2, & [emoji602]DS3[emoji170]
[emoji166]One Last Pink Sway[emoji166]
My Ovulation Chart

Thanks XX!! I would definitely never wean for my sway, no matter how obsessive I am -- haha, I actually had a hard time when my daughter pretty much demanded solids. I miss being the only source!! I found atomic's older post on swaying while breastfeeding for a boy, too, and coincidentally I've followed a lot of that stuff without even realizing it.

That's interesting you had chronically short LPs, but also good to know you conceived sticky pregnancies with them. I only had the one cycle off BC (where I hadn't had a period in 2+ years) for my DD since she was also our first cycle trying, so I don't know if I've always had them, but I'm certainly convinced that she was conceived during one. I'd guess this recent miscarriage was from one too.

Thank you so much for the input on the breastfeeding, too. I was on the fence about swaying so soon, but the oopsy pregnancy at 3 months postpartum made me realize just how ready I am for another baby, and very specifically a boy -- my DD already nightweaning on her own and taking to solids just seemed like another sign of, "I'm ready."

I've been eating oatmeal with full fat dairy daily, and we're big breakfast people over here too -- eggs, potatoes, bacon. Hopefully those are all good things.

[atomic sagebrush]

I"m so sorry for your loss.

We cannot know what your LP was when you conceived your daughter, so let's set that question aside. There is just no way to know - I do see people get BFP 8 DPO and this would not tell us what your LP would have been that month had you not conceived, anyway.

It is totally normal to have weird cycles after a loss and with breastfeeding. So again, we can't extrapolate anything at all from that.

Even IF you did have a short LP the mnth you conceived your daughter and now this month, that means nothing for any other cycle. You can't take 2 cycles and draw conclusions that way.

[atomic sagebrush]

I also want you to understand that the day you go into labor on does not really tell you anything about when you conceived.

Human pregnancies go "about" 40 weeks. Sometimes longer, sometimes shorter. Baby's lungs make a chemical and this chemical signals the body to go into labor and not some magic day on the calendar. The number of people, even who know 100% when they got pregnant, who deliver spot on their due date is 5% (if that even). Due dates are just an estimate, not a guarantee. That's way fewer than the number of people who got a pregnancy test on 8 DPO! So you can't take those two things to prove anything at all.

[Throwaway_panther]

I also want you to understand that the day you go into labor on does not really tell you anything about when you conceived.

Human pregnancies go "about" 40 weeks. Sometimes longer, sometimes shorter. Baby's lungs make a chemical and this chemical signals the body to go into labor and not some magic day on the calendar. The number of people, even who know 100% when they got pregnant, who deliver spot on their due date is 5% (if that even). Due dates are just an estimate, not a guarantee. That's way fewer than the number of people who got a pregnancy test on 8 DPO! So you can't take those two things to prove anything at all.

Thank you! And, yeah, that's true, I know the guidelines on ~40 weeks~ are imperfect (as I have found so much medical "knowledge" with the female reproductive system are...), it just also seemed like a pretty dead on date considering I had such an early ultrasound to date.

I think in my "let me learn everything I possibly can" insufferable way, I'm again surprised (but shouldn't be) at even the medical community's stance on short LPS: many consider it a defect and a problem, while others think it's just a part of female diversity. Typical!

We'll see how this month goes.

[atomic sagebrush]

Ultrasounds aren't that kind of accurate. 3-5 days either way and 8-11 weeks is more accurate than earlier or later. I just don't think we can extrapolate from that.

Yes, the LP issue is also one of my personal pet peeves. I think they (and by they I mean doctors and naturopaths both, because naturopaths end up treating a lot of people for this issue) make errors both directions on that - treating people who do not need it and then refusing to treat people who DO need some help.

I think it may be a case of BOTH things being true - sometimes it's a problem, but sometimes it's just diversity. This is in part because there is more than one reason why people get a short LP, and also that some LP are short but still good enough to conceive with, and thus that's kinda the definition of "not a problem", if it doesn't prevent the desirable outcome from occuring. Hope that makes sense.

[dancingdiva88]

If someone did have to take progesterone for a short luteal phase problem what would it sway? Providing they ovulate on their own and just need the boost after ovulation? And if you didn't conceive that month would it affect the next cycle's sway?

[dancingdiva88]

@throwaway - I got my first postpartum period about 3 weeks ago after weaning my 10 month old DD from breastfeeding. I had been temping since I stopped breastfeeding and got it 4 weeks later after stopping but ibhad the same thing with a luteal phase of only eight days and spotting late the night of the 7th day past O. I'm putting it down to my first egg release since she was born so it probably wasn't the strongest O. I have since O'd again and am currently 2 dpo so we'll see how this cycle is.
I'm usually a 12 day luteal phase.
Breastfeeding can really make wonky cycles and low progesterone though people tell me. Good luck!

[dancingdiva88]

@throwaway - I got my first postpartum period about 3 weeks ago after weaning my 10 month old DD from breastfeeding. I had been temping since I stopped breastfeeding and got it 4 weeks later after stopping but ibhad the same thing with a luteal phase of only eight days and spotting late the night of the 7th day past O. I'm putting it down to my first egg release since she was born so it probably wasn't the strongest O. I have since O'd again and am currently 2 dpo so we'll see how this cycle is.
I'm usually a 12 day luteal phase.
Breastfeeding can really make wonky cycles and low progesterone though people tell me. Good luck!