How to determine your menstrual cycle

I realize that every woman is different and our cycles may vary greatly depending upon physical health, stress and age. After being on the pill for years, then receiving a tubal ligation, I re-discovered the timely workings of my body!

Just for the fun of it, I began calculating the days it took for me to get my period, ovulate, then begin the menstruate all over again. I also found out that compared to some of my girlfriends, our cycles vary from 28 to 35 days. If one of my friends was stressed out, her period came later. I realized that my body will always ovulate at exactly 14 days after the first day of my last menstrual period. It last for about 12 hours and makes me more aggressive, probably due to the fact that I have a constant cramp in my left or right side and it gets on my nerves after a few hours! Rarely will I take anything, because in fact it is a slight cramping, but not enough to warrant medication, but just enough to be constantly in the background reminding you it's there. I have taken one Advil before going to bed because the cramping was a little stronger than usual and would keep me up during the night.

Then exactly 14 days later, my period starts up for about 3-4 days. So in all, it is regular as clockwork, 28 days. I have noticed that maybe 2-3 times during the year, I will have a cycle of 26 days. Why? No clue what so ever. Also, I discovered that once or twice in the year, the same ovary will ovulate two months in a row! I guess the other ovary was on vacation! Also, 1-2 days before ovulating, I have trouble sleeping at night, tossing and turning. Then when I do ovulate, I'm back to sleeping soundly.

So, going along my personal experience, the best way to calculate your menstrual period is to count from the first day that you start up until the last day before your next period begins. This way, after a few months you can average out the length of your cycles. Also, if you are listening and in tune with your body, you'll know when you ovulate and when you are near to ovulating. Believe me, lots of things will happen! You will certainly find yourself wanting to be more sexually intimate a few days before and during your ovulation. I guess this is an instinctive bodily response that helps know deep down when we can get pregnant, a sort of built in "make sure you get pregnant and preserve the human species!" type of alarm system. lol!

I find that it is a way to get to know your body and when you do, it gives you a comfort, power and knowing that really feels good!