What is CD1 ?? Conflicting info, so looking for advice !

[Jools1]

Hi

I'm trying to work out what the first day of my cycle should be - yes I know it should be a simple question but, to take my last one as an example:

First day - very very light brown spotting
Second day - heavier brown spotting
Third day - red spotting in morning but not enough to need a pad till the evening
Day 4 and 5 - heavy
Days 6 and 7 - brown spotting tailing off.

I've had some people say that the first sight of brown spotting is CD1 and others say that it is the first day of bright red blood ?

I just wondered which is best to go for as this also effects my cycle length - 5 days or 7 ?? ?

Any advice much appreciated - thanks

In your case I would proabbly count day four of your cycle as CD1.

I am one someone who rarely gets spotting and tends to get heavy bleeding straight away but the last couple of cycles I have had spotting for 2 days before I've really counted myself on CD1.

brown blood is old blood

I'd count third day - red spotting as CD1

Thanks ! I've calculated from the third day and think I shall stick with this - I got confused because I googled the following from an American site (copied below) and it conflicted with advice I'd heard on here ...

"The start of the menstrual cycle is defined as the first day of bleeding. This includes the day(s) of brown flow before it takes on a more reddish color. Knowing the first day of your cycle is helpful in determining when your next period will arrive, calculating which days are most favorable for pregnancy, and many other topics surrounding your reproductive health.

The brown secretion that many women have towards the beginning and/or end of their cycle is due to the difference in speed of menstrual flow at these times. Often at the start and finish of a woman's period, the rate of her flow is slower than during the in-between time. Delayed flow rate increases the time of exposure of the blood and the uterine lining to oxygen, causing them to darken. This is similar to how a scab browns when the previously red blood is exposed to the air."

TBH I am not sure it really matters provided that:

1. there are enough days between your ovulation and the first day of spotting to give a decent chance for the eff to implant (say, 11 or 12, but I am no expert) and

1. you always count it the same way to help you in recognising any patterns.

Picking a way of doing it and sticking to it sounds like a good plan.

Just to add - I use fertility friend (an online method of recording temp data, CM, and other fertility signs - which is also American BTW) and that does not class your new cycle as having started until the first proper day of bleeding has occurred. I.e if you input spotting (of any description, brown, pink, red whatever) that is not CD1.

CD1 is when you need to wear a pad or mooncup or whatever