Working out cycle length?

[camnciarasmummy]

I just got my first "proper" period after stopping bc last month. My cycle before going on the pill was 28/29 days, my last cycle from breakthrough bleed to the beginning of this period was 33 days. Will my cycle now stay at 33 days? I am wondering how to determine cycle length so I can try and pinpoint ovulation.
Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

[little_O]

It can take a few cycles for your body to get back to normal.
I'd still wait a few and see if the pattern changes.

Fertility friend had a good charting system which will help you get familiar with ovulation times etc.

[Ladylove]

I agree, wait and see. Also you are better off learning to read your body's signs of ovulation than basing your guess on the length of your cycle as this will be more accurate. Most people do not ovulate exactly, to the day, in the middle of their cycle. Fertility Friend has a great set of guides to get you started.

[Trillian]

Definitely keep charting for a while - it's not unusual to have it vary by a few days either side but generally speaking you will always still ovulate 14 days from the start of your bleed. So even if you have a 40 day cycle, you will ovulate on day 26. It takes a few cycles to get the hang of it so use fertility friend to help at the start.

[camnciarasmummy]

Thanks ladies, Trillian I was under the impression that I'd ovulate 14 days from the first day of bleeding but last cycle I didn't ovulate until cd 20.

[Reet]

Women generally ovulate 14 days before AF arrives, so if your last cycle was 33 days it sounds spot on that you ovulated at around day 19/20. Your cycles will vary after coming off the pill though so like Ladylove said, try and get to know your body and its signs of ovulation (eggwhite cervical mucus etc) or you could buy some ovulation tests and start testing midcycle... Good luck!

[Ladylove]

My luteal phase (between ovulation and the first day of AF) was generally 12 days of a 28 day cycle so not everyone ovulates CD 14.