Warning! This may be gross or dumb, but what day does a period start?

Question

Does the first day of your period officially start if you are spotting brown, or only once it turns red? I'm trying to figure out how long my cycle lasts.

Answer 1

My RE said bright red blood = day 1.  Brown/tan/pink spotting is not the start.

Answer 2

from the day you start any type of blood is your period date

Answer 3

your period always starts when you get some bleeding. It may be lighter or darker or have a light flow or heavier flow, but it's still the sign that it's started.

Answer 4

doesn't matter the color....when you're bleeding, you're bleeding.  

Answer 5

Whenever you start bleeding is day one, no matter what color!

Answer 6

I was told by my doctor that the first day of a cycle is the first day of full flow.  This does NOT include spotting.  If you spot brown before your period, it is not the first day of your period...it is counted as part of the end of the last cycle.

Hope this wasn't too confusing!

Answer 7

the day you start any kind of spotting is day 1.