Day 1 of your cycle is the first day of your period, meaning the first day of full flow (spotting doesn't count). During this time, the uterus sheds its lining from the previous cycle. Between days 1 – 5 of your cycle, new follicles (sacs of fluid containing eggs) begin to develop within your ovaries.
What if you get your period at night? If you start bleeding in the evening or overnight, it can be confusing whether to count that as your Day 1 since there are just a few hours left in that day. For the sake of simplicity, I recommend that you do count that as your Day 1.
There are several differences between period bleeding and spotting. Spotting is lighter bleeding than the heavier flow of menstruation. From a medical standpoint, spotting technically has one or more days without bleeding before or after menstruation. It shouldn't be accompanied by heavy cramps or clots.
At the beginning or end of your period, blood can be a dark brown/red shade and can have a thick consistency—but it's also normal for the first signs of your period to be bright red and more liquid.
Does spotting count as your period? No, spotting does not count as a period. Some birth control methods used by women can lead to spotting before a menstrual period. Spotting is common among women who use copper IUD, mini pills containing only progesterone, depot shots and birth control implants.
Spotting is light bleeding that can occur between periods. It usually appears as a small amount of blood when wiping or on underwear. Possible causes include birth control, pregnancy, menopause, and more.
The color of the blood also is different. Blood produced during your period often is darker than the blood that appears when you're spotting. Another good indicator the bleeding may be due to spotting, is if you don't have any other menstrual symptoms, like breast tenderness or cramping.
“The primary reason that period blood could be brown is because it's old blood,” said Dr. Cummings. It usually happens at the beginning or the end of your period, when your flow is lighter. Because the longer blood takes to leave the body, the longer it has to oxidize (read: get exposed to oxygen), which makes it dark.
Although men will not bleed, nor will they experience all of the same symptoms as women, these hormonal shifts can have some pretty notable side effects, especially with mood and irritability. Some call it the “man period” others call it Irritable Male Syndrome, either way, it can be quite similar to a woman's PMS.
The first day of a woman's period is day 1 of the menstrual cycle. Periods last around 2 to 7 days, and women lose about 20 to 90ml (about 1 to 5 tablespoons) of blood in a period.
Spotting is light bleeding. It happens when you have a few drops of blood on your underwear. Spotting is so light that the blood wouldn't cover a panty liner. Bleeding is when the blood flow is heavier, enough that you need a panty liner or pad to keep the blood from soaking your underwear and clothes.
Implantation bleeding is defined as a small amount of light spotting or bleeding. It typically occurs about 10 to 14 days after conception. Implantation bleeding is common, and it usually isn't a sign of a problem. Implantation bleeding is thought to happen when the fertilized egg attaches to the lining of the uterus.
I start counting on the day I start bleeding, as I don't have spotting at the onset. It just starts. Days 1 and 2 are always the heaviest. Fertility awareness method sets the first bright red flow as day one.
Try wipes for on-the-go freshness
Menstruating can make you feel like you need to have a quick clean 'down there' more regularly, especially if your flow is heavy. Pad wearers are more prone to menstrual blood drying around the vulva. To help freshen up on the go, why not try flushable moist tissues?
Clear and stretchy — This is “fertile” mucous and means you're ovulating. Clear and watery — This occurs at different times of your cycle and can be particularly heavy after exercising. Yellow or green — May indicate an infection, especially if it's thick or clumpy like cottage cheese or has a foul odor.
Amount: Implantation bleeding is typically only spotting or a very light flow—some women only notice it when they wipe. Implantation bleeding is never enough to fill a pad or tampon like a menstrual period.
On occasion, you can get a brownish vaginal discharge in the middle of the menstrual cycle, or during the time of ovulation. This tends to be more common in teens who have just begun menstruating, in women who are taking a birth control, and in women who are peri-menopausal.
High stress levels are associated with: Painful periods. Presence of premenstrual symptoms like nausea, bloating, breast tenderness, and weight changes. Irregular menstrual cycles, with longer or shorter cycles than normal.
Usually, menstrual bleeding lasts about 4 to 5 days and the amount of blood lost is small (2 to 3 tablespoons). However, women who have menorrhagia usually bleed for more than 7 days and lose twice as much blood.
Spotting refers to a very small amount of bloody vaginal discharge that is usually seen as a few drops of blood on the underwear or toilet paper (2). Light bleeding, on the other hand, is a slightly heavier form of bleeding than spotting.
As a general rule, you can differentiate between bleeding and spotting based on what kind of product you need to absorb your bleeding. If you notice it only when wiping or can easily absorb any light bleeding with a pantyliner (or even just underwear), it's spotting.