Someone please explain spotting and when to count as CD1

DaniLu13

Hey ladies!

 Do I count light spotting as CD 1 or wait until an actual flow to count as day 1? Not sure how to calculate and my efforts looking online are not helping. Any ideas? Thank you! 

krdesi

I would count from when you started spotting as cd1 but I might be wrong.

gscoville

CD1 is when you have flow that requires a pad or tampon.

This and much else TTC is explained very well in both the newbie link at the top of this board as well as in the extensive tutorials on Fertility Friend.  

gscoville

krdesi:

I would count from when you started spotting as cd1 but I might be wrong.

No, this is incorrect. If I counted spotting as my period, I'd have had a two week period by now and still going as I've been spotting for most of the last 16 days. You need full flow to consider it as CD1.

krdesi

gscoville:

krdesi:

I would count from when you started spotting as cd1 but I might be wrong.

No, this is incorrect. If I counted spotting as my period, I'd have had a two week period by now and still going as I've been spotting for most of the last 16 days. You need full flow to consider it as CD1.

I did say I might be wrong...so I'm covered

Didn't know..sorry op

Mrbatesisinnocent

gscoville:

CD1 is when you have flow that requires a pad or tampon.This and much else TTC is explained very well in both the newbie link at the top of this board as well as in the extensive tutorials on Fertility Friend. nbsp;

This. CD 1 is first day of red flow, not spotting.

mjester1

Flow that require pad or tampon

DaniLu13

I'll check out fertility friend. Thank you!

lrosy13

gscoville:

CD1 is when you have flow that requires a pad or tampon.

This and much else TTC is explained very well in both the newbie link at the top of this board as well as in the extensive tutorials on Fertility Friend.  

lrsb11

On a related topic then, what are we considering spotting?  

 I had bright pink that required a pad, but didn't need to change pad as quickly as usual.  By this afternoon,determined it is definitely not IB as I previously thought where it was light pink.

Normally my spotting wouldn't start off as pink or red.. more brownish like at the end of AF. 

Could I consider this CD1 I wonder?

herecomesthesun

For me, the rule of thumb is if a pantyliner won't cut the mustard- it's CD1. 

That rule may or may not work for those with a lighter flow- I don't really know what that's like.

quidditchcapn1120

herecomesthesun:

For me, the rule of thumb is if a pantyliner won't cut the mustard it's CD1.nbsp;That rule may or may not work for those with a lighter flow I don't really know what that's like.

This is how I do it also. But my normal flow requires a tampon and a pad so I'm not sure what normal is like for lighter flow gals.

amandoza23

I count CD1 as anything RED. For me, red spotting always ends up being AF so I count that as CD1. If it's brown, I would wait for a red flow...

704bride

If I'm remembering correctly from when I wondered about this exact thing years ago, it actually doesn't really matter too much, except that counting the first day of spotting technically shortens your luteal phase. Some people look for the temperature drop and count that as day 1, but I don't always have a temp drop right at the start of my period. Others say to count any red as CD1. The way I look at it, if the spotting turns into your period, why not count it as CD1? I would just make sure you do everything the same way each month because alternating between counting spotting as day 1 and red flow will change your luteal phase each month and make it hard to figure out what your "regular" day of ovulation is (if you have a regular cycle).

gymnst1013

lrsb11:

On a related topic then, what are we considering spotting?  

 I had bright pink that required a pad, but didn't need to change pad as quickly as usual.  By this afternoon,determined it is definitely not IB as I previously thought where it was light pink.

Normally my spotting wouldn't start off as pink or red.. more brownish like at the end of AF. 

Could I consider this CD1 I wonder?

Full red flow is CD1

ETA - this is per my RE's instructions.  It's not as important to get it exactly right when you're not doing treatments.  You need to be more exact with treatments because monitoring appointments and certain tests need to fall on the correct days of your cycle.

Shayliz

704bride:

If I'm remembering correctly from when I wondered about this exact thing years ago, it actually doesn't really matter too much, except that counting the first day of spotting technically shortens your luteal phase. Some people look for the temperature drop and count that as day 1, but I don't always have a temp drop right at the start of my period. Others say to count any red as CD1. The way I look at it, if the spotting turns into your period, why not count it as CD1? I would just make sure you do everything the same way each month because alternating between counting spotting as day 1 and red flow will change your luteal phase each month and make it hard to figure out what your "regular" day of ovulation is if you have a regular cycle.

Even people with regular cycles don't ovulate on the same cycle day every cycle. Nobody should go on a temp drop as CD1 and I've never seen that as advice here.

OP, my doc says full flow requiring a pad or tampon is CD1. If you spot in the morning and then it turns into full flow that afternoon or evening, it would be CD1. If you spot but don't get full flow until the next day, then that next day would be CD1.

adunkin

amandoza23:

I count CD1 as anything RED. For me, red spotting always ends up being AF so I count that as CD1. If it's brown, I would wait for a red flow...

This for me. I'm a light flow gal. I very rarely need anything more than a panty liner. I tend to get a small burst of red that means brown/rust color spotting is over and AF is here. As another pp said, my doc stressed that consistency in recording is the most important thing - however you decide to record it.