confused about EWCM

[BUTTERFLYCOTTON]

If I have EWCM would my cervix be open? I have had been testing twice daily with opk and negative. I cant reach it to feel. I'm on CD 16 so I really hope I ovulate this cycle. Sorry about all the questions..just very excited about the thought of another baby! My DD was made the old fashioned accidental way...but we love her just as much!!

[Mumita]

Ladies, please remember and understand that what a text book explains about ovulation like the opening of the cervix and ewcm, etc. is based on averages on the female population but the same as the weather, you can predict what is going to happen but you can't say "when, how and where" you can only say the percentages based on the surrounding conditions.
So the female body is the same way, things are "supossed to happen" in a certain way but it can always vary depending on the person and circumstances because everyone is different  but similar.  Do you see what I'm saying?

so yes, as I said above, your cervix will "soften and open" during ovulation, you are also supossed to get some ewcm, but your ovary is supossed to release an egg and the only way to tell is by checking your LH hormone levels which is done with an OPK. However how much will your cervix open and soften?? We can't tell you that.  How much ewcm should you have?  well all women are different, which is why many people use extra artificial lubrication.  usually I can tell if I'm ovulating because when I have sex I produce TONS of ewcm (before I was pregnant) but not much would come out on the tp when I went to the bathroom.  EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT, BUT SIMILAR.

In all of this, what I meant to say is, watch for the signs of ovulation, use an OPK and chart your cycles, that will give you an average time a month when you are ovulating and have sex and enjoy it.  But don't worry about how much ewcm should you have, color, temperature, opening cervix, because everyone is different and we're also not doctors.

[Dipuo]

i checked my cervix a few days before i started my period and it was soft and open, does it only close if you have conceived? and if its open does it mean you not pregies?

[findinghumility]

One thing to keep in mind is that, while there is most definitely science to this, all of your fertility signs are controlled by hormones.  And cervical mucus as well as cervical exam can be affected by stress. most commonly women see an increase in CM during times of stress.  CM in particular can also be seen to increase if there are any irritations etc although it would generally be thicker and not normally EWCM. Medications can play a role too.  For instance, anything that can give you dry mouth can give you less CM.  Mucinex which is supposed to thin secretions has sometimes been shown to increase EWCM.  So there are other factors that can come into play.  If you are saying it feels a "little hard" but small opening then there are several options.  The most likely is that if you have been seeing CM for quite some time you may have ovulated in the last day or so and are beginning the closing up and hardening part.  If that is the case your CM should begin to thicken and diminish.  If you are just starting your actual ovulation phase which doesn't sound like that would fit given what you have posted then you would continue to see the cervix soften and open and cm increase.  You should notice a quite dramatic difference in your cervix within the next couple days if you have in fact ovulated and your estrogen is dropping and progesterone is high. Hope at least some of that made sense!  ;-)

[faye83]

Thank you for your answer!

I just felt my cervix with my middle finger and it felt a little hard but i could feel like an opening in the middle! i mean i didnt try to stick the finger in it, but there was definitely an opening, how deep, i don't know. and when i pulled out my finger (Sorry TMI) I had that same transparent reaaally stretchy (more than 3cms without breaking) CM! What gives? Is this even normal, it looks like a mix of all the different stages of the cervix lol

[findinghumility]

Definitely.  Usually it would soften prior opening and also if a woman has already given birth the cervix is sometimes permanently altered in a minor way so that she is always "open" or "soft" when COMPARED to before she gave birth.  Also the cervix would close and harden after ovulation. So the times when it would be most common notice a cervix closed and yet moist and soft would be the first day or two of fertility leading up to ovulation or just after ovulation as the cervix closes and begins to harden.  Hope that makes sense!

[faye83]

Is it possible for the cervix to be closed, and yet at the same time its moist and very soft?

[findinghumility]

Actually in my experience, for most women if you check your cervix when you are not fertile ( the week before your period for instance) it should feel low, hard, and closed.  Hard meaning like the tip of your nose. If you check your cervix as you begin to notice cervical mucus it should progressively become softer, higher, and more open. Soft being like your bottom lip.  Most women can notice a definite, significant difference if they are comparing it to their cervix during non fertile times.  Also once you ovulate your cervix should close and harden much more rapidly then it opened...usually within 2 days or less give or take.  however, if you only check your cervix when you are seeing ewcm and not at other times I can see how it would seem to always be the same.  If you are having a hard time reaching it it could be that it is very soft right now and just higher then normal.  Look online for some different positions to try.  Many women check in the shower by squatting or putting one leg up on the side of the tub etc.  Good luck!  Hope that all made sense!

[faye83]

Yeah perfect answer indeed, thank you Mumita! I was wondering too because yesterday I was trying to reach my cervix and I think I did reach it , but only with the tips of my finger, and it was very moist and soft! and i couldn't feel a hole but as i said, i could only touch it with my fingertip and its not like there's too much space down there to go around haha! sorry for all the extra information lol but I'm so excited because I'm almost sure I'm ovulating!

[BUTTERFLYCOTTON]

Thanks that answer was perfect! lol

[Mumita]

If you have EWCM you are most likely getting ready to ovulate or ovulating.  The cervix doesn't open like anything that you would feel any different, it does become a bit softer but you really wouldn't notice much of the difference.
Sperm is sooooooooooooo tiny that it fits perfectly fine through a pinhole so whether the cervix opens wide or not, it doesn't make much of a difference.