How do you calculate cycle length?

[Alabama100]

Is is from the first day of your last period to the day before your next period? Or is it from the last day of your period? Dd is only 8 months old but I've forgotten already.

Based on the first day of last period to day before next period my last cycle was 36 days....does that sound right? Seems really long to me....I only gave up breastfeeding a month ago though and still producing milk, could it be ths?

Also, having a long cycle does that mean I have to wait longer to try every month as opposed to a shorter cycle. Could my cycle shorten? Thank you.

I think you count the days from when you start bleeding (start of cycle) to the day before you next bleed.

36 days is long (28 is 'normal'), but then I've always been a regular 25 days girl myself, so they do vary. I'm sure your BFing must have something to do with it. I gave up BFing early by most standards (5 weeks?) - DD is now 8 months and my periods are still not consistent in length.

I think ovulation normally occurs 14 days before the start of your cycle, so if you had a longer one, yes you would wait longer.

If your cycles were shifting though and you wanted a second I would probably have sex every three days throughout the month, so as to be sure you had sperm in there during the fertile period.

I don't know what makes cycle length vary (hormones I guess, acting on the 'ripening' and release of the ovum), but given they do I don't see why yours couldn't shorten.

We're going to actively ttc until around Jan so do you think my cycle should settle down in a few months? 36 days seems really long but I've only had 2 periods nice giving up bfing at 7 months.

since not nice.

Hi,I always go from the first day of my period however I learnt that vulation can change from month to month if your cycle length changes. I read this blog on another site about how to tell when you are fertile, t may help, I fund it useful to look for the signs! hope it helps forum.prideangel.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=537 Good luck xx

Eugenes that is incorrect; ovulation is NOT necessarily 14 days prior to period starting.

First day of period is first day of cycle. Prolactin is probably affecting your cycles but they should settle down. If you had a 36 day cycle then you probably ovulated later but as it was your first cycle post feeding you might not have ovulated that month. Long cycles dont mean that you are not ovulating btw.

Yep I'm sure you're right... just what I've read; it also worked for me.

Nothing is certain where cycles and ovulation are concerned, otherwise no-one would have issues getting pregnant.