When to count the FIRST day of a period?! HELP

[Dixie1488]

Now I do feel stupid asking this but google is just not cutting it for me! Please help! 😂

I always get very light brown discharge/ blood at the beginning of my period. I could wear just one panty liner and only a tiny amount would be on it. This is usually the case for 1/2 days before light bleeding, heavier then back to light.

I have always counted the brown discharge as the first day... is this right? Or should I count from the first day of red blood?

Before TTC it never really mattered but now I need to get this right otherwise it throws my apps off and I just end up confused.

I appreciate any insight 😊

Thankyou x

You should count when the ‘flow’ starts and you start bleeding. That will be the first day of your period.

I spot before my period too, sometimes up to 7 days before. I googled this so much! Before I fell into Mumsnet and found it’s relatively common and doesn’t count as your actual period.

Hope that helps! xx

I count it from the day I first see any blood

Thankyou for replying. Oh my goodness, I have been doing this wrong for well over a year 😩

I don’t know whether to go back over my apps and change the dates of my period... what do you think?
X

@ShalomToYouJackie I presume that means red blood? I have read that blood can vary in colour so It can be brown. But I think mine is just too light to be considered a period 🙈

I've had spotting in the past, but I've researched this online and it says you should count AF when the actual flow begins.

My fertility consultant told me to count my first day when I have the first day heavy/needing to wear a sanitary towel or tampon as I spot lightly for about 3-5 days before

@Crazydoglady123 Thankyou, that’s good to know. What about towards the end of AF? So for example...

I have brown “spotting” for 1/2 days before, around 2 days light flow and, 2 days medium flow. I then tend to have one day of brown light “spotting again”. Would I not count the last day as my period? Just the “flow days”?

I am so confused and my apps are going to be so messed up 😩🙈

@Bfp2 Great, thanks. Do you stop counting period days once the “flow” stops? I have always counted the last day when it is very light brown.. but now I think this shouldn’t be included?

@Dixie1488 I count my end from the day I have nothing. So for example my periods are on the shorter side. I spot normally for 3-5 days, then full flow 2-3 days then like the odd bit of spotting for a day.

I wondered this too, I’ve been counting from the ‘spotting’ day (I generally only spot for one day, maybe 2, then get proper blood) but I guess that’s wrong! Fwiw I don’t think it really matters about the end of your period, it doesn’t really have any baring on things I don’t think. The best way I’ve found to track ovulation is to pay attention to your cervical mucus.

@Crazydoglady123 Thankyou, you’ve been so helpful :)

@NC866 Exactly the same as me then! I guess I assumed recording AF was pretty straightforward but maybe not for us all hey 😂

Okay thanks. I have changed my AF dates in my apps now so my ovulation date went from CD22 to CD20. That’s what I have been doing- I used OPKs this month which were helpful but I did get a bit obsessed! 🙈

I wondered this too OP as I get the exact same (sometimes for up to a week before the 'flow' starts!).

I answered the question for myself when I started tracking my BBT and it's only on the day I actually come on properly that my temperature drops back down.

I can recommend BBTing for a couple of months if you can, it's the only way to tell for sure that you have ovulated and when. We DTD every day (or more often!) in my fertile window anyway, so don't really see the point in OPKs telling us when to do it.

Yeah I'd count first flow day. Both my apps also have a spotting option!

The last day for me is the last day that I see any sign of blood/spotting.

@DuzzyFuck Thanks, that's good to know! I think I will give it one more cycle and then if no luck I will definitely try BBT.

Thanks girls! 😊