First day of period

[holdontotheaffirmative]

At the risk of sounding completely stupid, what classes as the first day of your period for the purposes of trying to figure out when you're most fertile? I often have very light bleeding for a few days before I have what is class as a proper period- is the first 'heavy bleed' day 1?

TIA

The first day of your period is day 1 of your cycle, otherwise known as CD1. IF you have a 28 day cycle, you will most likely ovulate around CD14 or a day either side of it. I recommend tracking your cycle with My Tracker, Ovia or Flow and it'll tell you when it thinks you're ovulating - giving you time to buy some ovulation test strips (OPKs) to guide you alongside your app.

I just read your OP again and feel I haven't answered your question, sorry. I don't think spotting is classed as the first day of your cycle but it largely depends on how heavy the spotting is and what's normal for you.

Hey OP. I asked the very same question & the best reply I got was the first day of bright red AF as any brown spotting is old blood x

Thank you both for your replies- very helpful. Do you know if any of the fertility monitoring apps are free? I'd love to use one, but budgets are tight!

@holdontotheaffirmative I use My Tracker but Ovia and Flo are also free.