22 Oct When does your Week 1 *really* start?
Here’s a question I get quite a lot: When does my Week 1 start?
You’d think this would be super-easy to answer, right? Because Week 1 starts on the first day of your period.
Except, sometimes, that isn’t exactly clear-cut.
I was reminded of this during the start of my own Week 1 this cycle. I had a little spotting. Then, for the rest of the day, zilch. Nothing. Nada. Zero bleeding.
The following day, it was like someone finally turned on the faucet down below.
So, when did my Week 1 start–on the spotting day or full flow day?
The spotting day.
Here’s why: When you start to bleed, even if it’s just a few drops, it’s a sign that your estrogen has dropped to its rock-bottom point, which triggers the uterine shedding.
That’s key because after that, your estrogen level starts to slowly climb back up. Even if you don’t start gushing for a day or so. And that rise in estrogen is the hallmark of your Week 1.
So, when you notice a few drops down below, tag that as the start of a new cycle–and start counting from there.
Hope this clarifies things!
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