When do you start counting the le gth of your period?

[VixFromThe6ix]

Let me explain...

I spot a day or two before the heavy flow, so would you start counting that your period came when spotting started or when your heavy day comes?

According to this site, it's when you have heavy flow. www.ivf.com.au/blog/understanding-your-cycle-and-timing-for-conception#:~:text=Day%201%20of%20your%20cycle,lining%20from%20the%20previous%20cycle.

I always counted since spotting.... This kind of changes things by a couple days lol

Just wanted to see if this was common knowledge and I just lived under a rock my whole life 🤣

Probably from when I had to use towel/tampon if that helps?

In IVF, day 1 of your period/cycle is counting from the first day you have a bright red flow before noon. So if you spot for a couple of days, you don't count that.

Actual flow not spotting

@VixFromThe6ix I also wondered this and doc said first day of full flow so the first month I was also out by a few days

All my many years of ttc, I was counting it wrongly! I always counted day 1 as the day I saw blood so if a few drops appeared at 10pm, I would class that as day 1. Wrong! It's the first full day. So all my fertility tracking attempts were a bit wrong 😑

Luckily I managed to have 1 dc, I do think I might have had more luck and conceived more quickly had I been counting correctly for all those years!

So does that mean I only have a 2 day period?

From first spotting to being all finished is 5 days but it's usually the middle two days that there's actually flow and the rest is just spotting. No wonder we're not getting pregnant!!

Thanks everyone!!! I was always thinking I'm ovulating late but I'm not.... Now I'm gonna enter as of my first heavy flow day into my app.

I wish this was more known cause how many girls are doing it wrong.... Ugh

I've been tracking my periods all wrong for years too! Like a PP said even if I didn't get the flow of proper red blood, requiring my Mooncup and with cramps, until late evening I'd still count that as day one. I'm using the noon rule from now on.

If you’re using length of period to estimate ovulation alone it’s much better to use ovulation strips and temping to get actual ovulation if you’re ttc . I have PCOS and ovulate day 20 and luteal phase is 12 days. I would have been ttc on days with lower chances if I hadn’t been tracking temp etc!
good luck!