Brown spotting right before AF due - 3w5d preg

[Dixielane]

my LMP was April 25th so I am approx 3w5d along, and my period is technically due tomorrow and tonight I had BROWN spotting - the sludgy kind. It was only (sorry TMI) a spot on my underwear, and when I wiped I didn't see any pink. just brown. So old blood.

Is this implantation spotting from when the baby attached (hence why its brown?) I got a BFP 2 days ago, and 1 day before that a BFN, so the BFP is very new!

Should I worry or is this normal? With my DD I believe I got spotting right when my period was due that lasted only once, but with her I tested a week after I was late, with this baby I got my BFP 2 days ago.

[MN BabyDust]

It's different for everyone, but it certainly could be implantation bleeding when the egg attaches to the uterus. I had brown spotting that turned to red for a couple days around the time I would have had my period, and I have also had spotting at random times during this pregnancy, even now at 19 weeks. I know it's hard to be patient, but there's not much you can find out at this point. If you've gotten a BFP, chances are good that the spotting is no big deal.

[APToddlerMama]

I guess it is impossible to know, but my guess is that it is leftover implantation spotting.  I spotted for 7 weeks with my first, and am 12 weeks pregnant now and had a full week of implantation spotting including red.  Good luck!

[Jaimee]

I spotted brown/pink around the time of AF when I was pg with #1 and again a week later or so.  So hard to say since m/c around the time of AF is quite common... but with an early BFP it suggests the embryo implanted pretty early and your levels are rising.  Hoping all is fine! 

[Dixielane]

So is brown better than red?

And why would it just now come out if it was from implanting? My period was due today so its makin me nervous! I have spotted a tad more today, mostly lightly tinged brown on the toilet paper an I have to look hard to see it. And then I went walking and spotted on my panties lightly, not even enough to need a liner..

[Mountaingirl79]

I spotted 3 days before AF was due, and thought that it was AF for sure.

Low and behold, It was just late implantation spotting, something I never had before, an am now almost halfway thru the pregnancy.

Not to worry unless it gets heavy or red! ETA: I went to the ER for spotting at 13 weeks also, and it was brown. Brown IS better than red. 

[Dixielane]

Originally Posted by Mountaingirl79 

I spotted 3 days before AF was due, and thought that it was AF for sure.

Low and behold, It was just late implantation spotting, something I never had before, an am now almost halfway thru the pregnancy.

Not to worry unless it gets heavy or red! ETA: I went to the ER for spotting at 13 weeks also, and it was brown. Brown IS better than red. 

Thanks! Thats reassuring. I had spotting when AF was due with my daughter but I didn't test till a week later. I guess I'm nervous because I got a bfP so early on before AF.

[Jaimee]

I agree that brown/tan is better than pink and pink is better than red.  The brown suggests old blood, such that you are no longer bleeding and it just took a bit for some CF to bring it down.  Pink suggests extremely small amounts of blood mixed with CF (like an irritated cervix or something).  Red is obviously bleeding that is occurring in the moment.  All of these can mean absolutely nothing or they can mean something.  It's very common to have spotting and sometimes even full on bleeding in a perfectly healthy pregnancy.  It's also common to have early m/c around the time of AF (I've had two).  But I would say as long as it's not getting heavier, redder, or crampier then I wouldn't worry.  Do you temp?  As long as your temps remain high, that's a very good sign that everything is okay.  If your temp dips to the coverline or below, that's a sign of m/c to come. 

I totally get what it's like to be scared to go to the bathroom, to scrutinize the toilet paper for hints of color.  I hope it passes quickly! 

[Dixielane]

No I dOnt Temp. A temp wouldn't tell me anything right now huh? Since I have no chart to base it on. Spotting did stop tho and I also made a new thread with my hcg and progesterone results.

Thank you very much

[Jaimee]

Well, a single temp right now wouldn't tell you anything.  But, I'm thinking if it is something you'd like to try, you could give it a go.  If your temps are in the low-mid 98's I'd say that's a good sign.  If they're not, that doesn't mean anything is wrong, but you'll need to temp for a few days either way to determine what your "normal" temp range is during your LP/pregnancy.  Then if your temp dips from your established zone for several days you'll know what's coming.  If something IS going on already, temping won't help you much.  I think, just do whatever feels right to you.  I know that I like more information, but other people get overwhelmed, confused, frustrated, etc. by more info, especially if it's not the clearest information.  So if you know yourself to be the latter, then I wouldn't mess with temping now.  But when your next cycle comes around (hopefully 9 months+ from now!) you might find it interesting to start charting as a form of birth control or ttc #3 down the road. 

[redpajama]

I didn't spot at all during my first 3 pregnancies.  

This time, with my 4th, I had a significant amount of spotting beginning the day before my period was due (it went back and forth between brown and pink, but it was heavy enough that I wore a pad and thought it was my period).  It lasted for 3 days.  On the 4th day, I was feeling really confused about this weird "period" and decided to take a test, just to rule pregnancy out.  It was positive.  I'm 23 weeks now--never had any spotting after that, and everything has been normal.

[FrannieM]

following with fascination because, dixieland, you and i are in the exact same boat.  And i am just feeling awful about this one tiny brown spot in my underwear, like i totally want to cry.  But it does not look like AF to me.  And i checked my cervix and it's just creamy, I can't find ANY traces of red, brown, OR pink...

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN.

Sorry, I am having a hard time getting a grip.