Starting the pill for a second time

[Marie737]

I just took a five week trip abroad, and did not call my insurance ahead of time to request an extra pack of birth control pills (enpresse, estrogen and progesterone) so I only had one pack. I stopped taking it for a month so I could be already be taking the pill by the time I arrived home. I got my period at the end of these four weeks, and if I were to do Sunday start I would have begun on the 19th of this month (I did Sunday start when I first began the pill), but instead started Tuesday the 21st. Is this an appropriate starting method? What is the logic behind Sunday start? Will I be protected after 7 days of taking the pill? Sorry if this is a confusing/intelligent question, I'm just confused as to the logic behind Sunday start and am worried that I messed up the process by starting two days later than scheduled.

[Redskies]

To minimise disruption to your cycle and to give you contraceptive coverage sooner, the usual advice is to start taking the pill within 7 days following the start of your period. "Sunday start" - choosing the Sunday in that week - is a thing because it can help people remember which day they're supposed to start their future packs, and it also makes it more likely for most people (but not all) that they'll have their bleed during the week rather than at a weekend, and more people prefer it that way.

If you did start within 7 days of the start of your period, most pill information says you should have your contraceptive coverage after 7 days of taking the pill. We still strongly advise using a back-up method for the whole of the first pack, just to be sure.

If you didn't start the pill within 7 days of the start of your period, you can't rely on your pill's contraceptive coverage until you've taken the whole first pack, and it's really important to use another method as well during that first pack.

It's absolutely okay to start taking the pill at any point during your cycle. If you start outside the first 7 days of your cycle, you just need to be aware that your cycle is more likely to be wonky for a few months while it re-aligns with your pill-taking schedule, and temporary side-effects can be more likely.

Also, stop-starting the pill like you did can also cause some temporary cycle wonkiness and side-effects. It's no cause for concern, just something to know about so it doesn't surprise you if it happens.