When to start day 1 of cycle

[Lola2PC]

I usually get a bit of spotting and slight cramping about 3-4 days before what I would consider the first day of my period (heavy bleeding and cramping). I had a miscarriage last year and this month we tried to conceive again for the first time since then, but unfortunately has not happened. I track my cycle with an app but I am worried now that I may be getting the days wrong and therefore not ovulating when I think I am. I got ovulation tests to try next month but just curious if anyone else has spotting a few days before their period starts and when do you start tracking day 1 from?

My consultant always said the first full day of red blood, spotting doesn’t count.

Are you testing basal body temperature? Combing this with LH tests will give you your best chance of catching ovulation. Just counting days won’t do it when ovulation can move by several days each month - I have a really predictable 28 day cycle but I’ve ovulated as early as day 13 and as late as day 18. I used Natural Cycles to track (I’ve got pregnant really quickly 3 times now doing this)

Combining*

@Pollywoddles I always come on around 10pm in terms of full blood flow. Would day 1 be that day or the next to do you think? Thanks

I have read somewhere that the first day you see red blood whether it’s at 6am or 10pm, is day one; as that’s the day your oestrogen dropped low enough to trigger the bleed even if you didn’t notice it til 10pm.

Thanks for all the replies! I haven't been taking my temperature but I'll definitely try that as well. I'll look into natural cycles as well.

The next day is day 1 as it’s the first full day of bleeding. This was told to me by my consultant when I was doing monitored cycles so it was important that I got it right.

You don’t need to spend a lot of money tracking. A bbt thermometer, some cheapie OPKs and the Fertility Friend app, the free version, will see you right.