Is it normal to have a brown discharge before and after your period?

Yes: The brown vaginal discharge is usually old red blood cells and tissue that has degraded to that color. It is more prevalent in paients who take oral contraceptives because the lining of the womb(endometrium) is very thin.

Yes: The periods can vary with time and the bleeding can start or stop that way.

Brown Blood: Brown blood is always a sign of old blood. More than likely if you convert to birth control pills this will disappear.

Common: That should not represent a problem. It is pretty common.