Hey earth muffins! If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you will know that I monitor my cycle using the basal body temperature and cervical mucus methods. The basal body method is super simple – just take your temperature each morning and track using an app. However, the cervical mucus method takes some time to learn… I have found these methods super insightful on my cycle, so I wanted to share my tips on reading your own mucus. ๐ Let’s jump right into how to read your cervical mucus!
What is Cervical Mucus?
Not gonna lie, I think the word “mucus” is pretty gross. It reminds me of The Princess and the Frog. ๐ BUT, there isn’t anything nasty about your cervical mucus! Healthline defines it as “a fluid or gel-like discharge from the cervix”. Your hormones stimulate the glands in the cervix to produce this mucus, which is why it varies in thickness and amount depending on what stage of your menstrual cycle you are in. To keep track of your own mucus, all you need to do is observe it. When you are about to use the bathroom each day, wipe with some toilet paper before doing your business. It is also helpful to touch/stretch the mucus, looking for characteristics mentioned below. Some people prefer to actually insert a finger to monitor their mucus, but I have found that the toilet paper method is easier (and less invasive).
The Types of Cervical Mucus
During your period
When you are on your period, you will not be able to see any cervical mucus for obvious reasons. Know that it is there, you just can’t see it!
A few days after your period
Once your period is over, you will experience some “dry days”. During these days you will not have any cervical mucus. These days are when you are infertile during your cycle, so the risk of pregnancy is much lower. The length of this infertility period depends on your cycle… But, once you start to see cervical mucus you know you are on to the next stage!
Before ovulation
Before you ovulate (and are at your peak of fertility!), your body prepares by releasing cervical mucus. This mucus will be creamy, glue-like, and slightly stretchy to the touch. Depending on your body, this mucus can be white, yellow, and/or cloudy. As ovulation approaches, this mucus will become more clear, watery, and slippery to the touch.
Ovulation
This is the most important stage in this how to read your cervical mucus post! ๐ Once you notice your cervical mucus is the consistency of egg whites, you are ovulating! The mucus will be clear and easily stretchable. To test if it is “stretchy”, place a bit of mucus between your thumb and pointer finger and slowly pull the fingers apart. If the mucus stretches and doesn’t break, then you know you are in this phase of your cycle! If you are wanting to get pregnant, this is the best time to start trying; if you want to avoid pregnancy, this is when you need to be extra careful.
After Ovulation
After you are done ovulating, your cervical mucus can either go back to being creamy like the “Before ovulation” phase or just stop altogether to have more “dry days”. For me personally, I have a couple of days of creamy mucus before dry days until my period starts again. During this phase, you have a low risk of pregnancy as you already ovulated in your cycle!
Recap of How to Read Your Cervical Mucus
There you have it – a basic guide on how to read your cervical mucus! ๐ While it sounds a bit complicated at first, it is actually quite simple to pick up on. Once you start looking for that egg-white consistency, it is easy to place other mucuses in the correct phase of your cycle. Along with the basal body temperature method, the monitoring of my mucus has given me so much insight to my menstrual cycle. I highly suggest you all do the same! Have you ever tried the cervical mucus method??? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Love,
Jenna โฅ
