The five day minimum begins from the time you are actually rendered niddah. If you wiped within a few seconds of urinating, even a stain smaller than a gris will render you niddah. If you waited at least a few seconds after urinating before wiping, the stains did not render you niddah and you may not begin counting your five-day minimum from that point.

If you are certain your period is about to begin and you would like to start counting the five-day minimum, performing a bedikah and finding reddish stains on the cloth will definitely render you niddah and allow you to start your count. However, if you are not certain that your period is about to begin, performing a bedikah can extend the amount of time you are niddah (if you render yourself niddah from the stained bedikah but your period only begins a few days later). You should weigh the decision carefully before deciding whether to perform a bedikah to render yourself niddah.

Please note that if for three cycles in a row you began bleeding before sunset on the second pill free day, you have established a veset kavua for that day, which requires a bedikah in any case.

Please feel free to get back to us with any further questions.