3 weeks late and the pregnancy test says, "not pregnant"

[seasiren]

Has this ever happened to you? I have been regular since my son was 8 months old and now I am late. I am not trying to get pregnant. My DH and I are hoping to wait until DS is 3 so this whole thing is a surprise and yet, like I said the test was negative. I have only been late one other time and that was when I was pregnant with DS. I am wondering if any of you have had this experience and what happened.

[MovnMama]

Short answer is yes, this has happened to me and I was pregnant. I definitely had two negative home tests and a semi-negative blood test. And I was pregnant.

Sorry, that's maybe not what you want to hear, but hey, I wasn't exactly "trying" when it happened to me either. Also, you know your body best, so I would go with your gut. You could also get a blood test, but if you read my linked post, that may not be reliable in your situation either. I turned out to have freakishly low hormone levels that pregnancy. But a fine and healthy baby.

Anyhow, this was a fun thread a while ago where I posted my whole "late - am I pregnant?" post. http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/1241872/i-didn-t-know-i-was-pregnant

It's post #15.

Good luck figuring it out, and keep us posted!

[Mami Love]

Are you breastfeeding?> I was BFing full time (pumping 3 times a day at work) and I didn't stop "missing" periods until a month or two after I complete stopped BFing. it could be that your hormones haven't  fully adjusted.

If you aren't, the same thing could be with your hormones, but, again, I know friends who never tested pregnant on a test until 12 weeks, and some like myself who can test positive at 3.

[Mami Love]

Oh and not to mention i've had 28 day cycles for 10 years. never ever late, until the times i was pregant with my kids. And while I was breastfeeding.

[seasiren]

I read your post! Wow! That sounds like me so far, we even bought and moved into a house this month and have been so busy the time for a period came and went and I didnt even notice. I can't say I actually feel pregnant, but I do feel pms type symptoms. The body is a crazy ride sometimes. My last pregnancy was pretty typical and my periods have always been regular. I guess at this point its a waiting game. Ill let you know how it goes.

[seasiren]

Thanks mami love. I have done two home tests and one at a free clinic and they were all negative.. So even though my period has been back to regular flow for 6 months (even though I continue to BF) I am going to assume that my hormones are just deciding to go haywire and I am not pregnant. I am going to make an appointment to see the doc in a few weeks just to be sure.

Did you have any significant signs of pregnancy when you were three weeks late?

[capretta]

Do you chart your temps or cervical mucus? It's possible that buying a house and moving caused enough stress to delay your ovulation.

[sublimeliving]

Yes, this has happened to me. I had always had normal cycles until one year. I felt very stressed out, and obviously didn't ovulate. I maybe had three cycles that year. That was years ago, and since then (trying to lead a low stress life) I've had normal cycles.

I have however heard of women getting pregnant and having negative tests. I would go in and get a blood test done. At least make sure you aren't drinking alcohol, and are taking vitamins. Ya just never know. : ) Best wishes. 

[Mami Love]

Well I actually found out this time around that I was pregnant at 3 weeks pregnant. I wasn't even late! But with my other two pregnancies my Pregnancy hormone count was that of twins or more. It was always super high. So that's why I could pee on a stick at 3 weeks and it be positive. It was very very faint, but just enough to see it under the right light. My good friend tested at 13 weeks and was negative. But around like 15 weeks, she finally tested positive with a blood test. So it could be that your body isn't producing enough hormones to test positive on a pee test yet.You could also have been having your periods out of "habit" but never ovulating since you are still breastfeeding. As it is a possibility. Your body probably got the hint that ok no egg being released, lets not have a normal "coat then bleed" cycle this time. Breastfeeding does change your hormones by a ton. In many ways. Some don't have periods, some ovulate without periods, some have periods, no ovulation. I would say if you don't quite "feel" pregnant, I wouldn't worry too much unless you live a lifestyle where it would matter to know ASAP. I myself bought a house moved last year and by then I had one periods at baby #2 being 6 months, another at 10 months, and then regular at 12 months. I can't quite recall if I missed any, but I do know that when I went back to regular, my days apart started being 32 days, 31, 30... etc til I got to 28 days, and not I"m pregnant with baby #3.

For piece of mind I would get blood work done, but do give it a few weeks like you did, That way your next cycle has had a chance to come around or not.

[Mami Love]

Oh and to mention, with my first I had major signs of pregnancy at around 5-6 weeks (before I realized I was late) I had horrible nausea, my breast hurt to even shower, i was extremely tired, no energy, etc. Took a test at 6.5 weeks, and it was positive, with no signs of it not being positive

With baby #2 I realized I was late around 5.5 weeks. Went home during lunch, peed on a stick, and instant it was positive. I had slight nausea during the first trimester, nothing like my first, I was tired but no sore boobs.

This time around, I"m at about 5.5 weeks (6 Saturday). I have known for 2 weeks now. Absolutely no signs of pregnancy aside the fact that i just "knew". Like something for over me at 2.5 weeks to buy a pregnancy test. I didn't understand why. I peed on one, nothing. It was a 3 pack so at 3 weeks I peed on it. I put it down as I washed my hands. Looked down it was negative. I went to check on my kids, came back within a minute of 2 and all of a sudden that second line was there. I almost fainted. The next morning I peed on it again. and watched it turn. And again I almost fainted lol. Then i bought 2 with digital reads, and peed on them, so 3 tests on the same day, at 3 weeks came back positive.

My point is that all 3 pregnancies have been different with the signs. I have high preg. hormone counts from the start. So I tested positive really early. I haven't had a chance to research if breastfeeding lowers the amount of pregnancy hormones when you conceive, in regards to testing via pee. But I wouldn't be surprised.