Help understanding pattern

I have been given the instruction to count 3 or 5 made stitches of each ‘popcorn’ as 1st throughout in the pattern for a moss stitch baby jumper whilst decreasing. What does this mean?

Welcome to the forum!
What is the pattern and designer?
Can you quote exactly the directions for the popcorn? Don’t give us a large portion of the pattern due to designer copyright. A few rows is fine.

Sure - hope this helps

I can just see the directions for increasing in a stitch which is probably part of the popcorn. When you get to Shaping the Neck, count these increased stitches as one stitch. It may help with this instruction if you place markers either side of the increased sts (for example in row 15). Then it’ll be easier to see which sts should be counted as one stitch.