I am so glad you asked your question...I had the same thing happen to me! We were trying to conceive also, and I was tracking my menstrual periods. The last month, I spotted lightly on/off for an entire 6 days before my actual regular period began, and of course...this is the month before I conceive and did not know what to tell my doctor regarding the date of my last menstrual period (LMP). The five months prior were very regular...you just never know!
In my case, I kept track in a calendar the days I spotted and had heavier/regular bleeding, and then compared this information to what the doctor saw on the ultrasound (height/weight of fetus), said that the first day of my regular bleeding was the official first day of my last menstrual period (LMP). For me, the 6 days of spotting prior did not "count" as a period. Rosa's answer regarding the counting your spotting days as the first day of bleeding makes sense, too...it probably is very individual and depends on how much spotting there actually is, if it is more like light bleeding or if it is a spot of blood that could be easily missed. Our bodies just aren't perfectly set-up to work like clock-work every month!
I would try to keep track of two scenarios: one with your first day of spotting as the "day 1", and then first day of regular bleeding as your "day 1". I realize that gives you a huge window of possible times you may ovulate, but this is more realistic, anyways. Experts now recommend to have unprotected sex every-other day, regardless of where you are at in your cycle, for the best odds of conceiving.
My point of that long story: even if you are off the actual date by a few days, your doctor can help narrow down or pinpoint your due date via ultrasound, as well as your monthly prenatal visits to monitor the growth of the baby. Don't become to worried about getting the exact date right...few women actually do!
Now, to your last question. Having a few spots and then nothing probably would not count as a period, but it's great you are keeping track. I would suggest tracking both scenarios (first day of spotting and first day of regular bleeding), and calculate when your next period would begin. Spotting on/off would most likely not count as a period, however, unless it was more of a consistent spotting throughout the few days before your period.
Also, most women, even the most regular ones, are not a perfect 28-day cycle each and every time. Give yourself some room to be flexible with dates, and if you are tracking spotting and regular bleeding days, and also including a range of cycle length (say, 26-days to 30-days), you will have a broad range of possible ovulation, as well as possible future periods.
It may be too early for a pregnancy test to reveal a positive if you are pregnant, and I would wait a few days after the last day that you could possibly start your period. For instance...you could pick Sept 17 (spotting) or Sept 20 (flow) as your starting point, and I would choose Sept 20th. Then, instead of being set-in-stone on 28-day cycle, give yourself some room with a 30-day or 32-day cycle. After all of this, and you have not begun your period yet, then you can take a home pregnancy test. I just offer this, so that you save money on tests, and also don't become so overwhelmed and anxious about the exact precise moment.
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I am so glad you asked your question...I had the same thing happen to me! We were trying to conceive also, and I was tracking my menstrual periods. The last month, I spotted lightly on/off for an entire 6 days before my actual regular period began, and of course...this is the month before I conceive and did not know what to tell my doctor regarding the date of my last menstrual period (LMP). The five months prior were very regular...you just never know!
In my case, I kept track in a calendar the days I spotted and had heavier/regular bleeding, and then compared this information to what the doctor saw on the ultrasound (height/weight of fetus), said that the first day of my regular bleeding was the official first day of my last menstrual period (LMP). For me, the 6 days of spotting prior did not "count" as a period. Rosa's answer regarding the counting your spotting days as the first day of bleeding makes sense, too...it probably is very individual and depends on how much spotting there actually is, if it is more like light bleeding or if it is a spot of blood that could be easily missed. Our bodies just aren't perfectly set-up to work like clock-work every month!
I would try to keep track of two scenarios: one with your first day of spotting as the "day 1", and then first day of regular bleeding as your "day 1". I realize that gives you a huge window of possible times you may ovulate, but this is more realistic, anyways. Experts now recommend to have unprotected sex every-other day, regardless of where you are at in your cycle, for the best odds of conceiving.
My point of that long story: even if you are off the actual date by a few days, your doctor can help narrow down or pinpoint your due date via ultrasound, as well as your monthly prenatal visits to monitor the growth of the baby. Don't become to worried about getting the exact date right...few women actually do!
Now, to your last question. Having a few spots and then nothing probably would not count as a period, but it's great you are keeping track. I would suggest tracking both scenarios (first day of spotting and first day of regular bleeding), and calculate when your next period would begin. Spotting on/off would most likely not count as a period, however, unless it was more of a consistent spotting throughout the few days before your period.
Also, most women, even the most regular ones, are not a perfect 28-day cycle each and every time. Give yourself some room to be flexible with dates, and if you are tracking spotting and regular bleeding days, and also including a range of cycle length (say, 26-days to 30-days), you will have a broad range of possible ovulation, as well as possible future periods.
It may be too early for a pregnancy test to reveal a positive if you are pregnant, and I would wait a few days after the last day that you could possibly start your period. For instance...you could pick Sept 17 (spotting) or Sept 20 (flow) as your starting point, and I would choose Sept 20th. Then, instead of being set-in-stone on 28-day cycle, give yourself some room with a 30-day or 32-day cycle. After all of this, and you have not begun your period yet, then you can take a home pregnancy test. I just offer this, so that you save money on tests, and also don't become so overwhelmed and anxious about the exact precise moment.
How long have you been trying to conceive?
October 20, 2009 - 8:47pmThis Comment
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