Time to be a Period Flow Detective?
How to Calculate How Much You Bleed During Your Period and why It’s Not as Scary as It Sounds
Let’s discuss menstruation! Have you ever wondered what the real amount of blood loss is during your period? It’s probably much less than you think. Are you ready to explore the specifics and debunk a few myths?
Let’s first discuss why this matters before getting into the juicy details:
Monitoring Health: You can learn more about the health of your menstrual cycle by tracking your blood loss. Excessive period blood loss could be an indication of hormone abnormalities or fibroids.
Recognizing Your Cycle and getting ready for your period in advance: Everybody has a unique flow! Knowing your flow means fewer surprises, whether you need additional pads/tampons or a heads-up for the days you’ll feel more exhausted.
So, What’s the Actual Blood Loss?
Fun fact: the average female loses between two and three tablespoons of blood when they are menstruating. So it’s about 30 to 60 milliliters, which isn’t so small? However, it feels like more since it’s combined with other fluids, such as uterine lining. However, losing up to 80 milliliters is typical.
Are You All Set to Calculate your Blood Flow Loss? Let’s go!
1. Select Your Favorite Weapon for the Period: Menstruation cups, tampons, or pads
Pads: 5 milliliters of blood can be contained in a fully saturated light pad. When completely soaked, a heavy overnight pad can store about 20 milliliters.
Light/Regular pads: Can hold about 5–10 mL of blood .
Heavy/Overnight pads: Can absorb up to 15–20 mL of blood.
Tampons: When fully soaked, a conventional tampon may hold approximately 5 milliliters, whereas a super tampon can store up to 12–15 milliliters.
Light: Holds up to 3 milliliters of blood
Regular: Holds 5 milliliters of blood
Super: Holds 12 milliliters of blood
Super plus: Holds 12 to 15 milliliters of blood
Ultra: Holds 15 to 18 milliliters of blood
Menstrual cups: its capacity ranges from 20 to 30 milliliters, depending on size; the blood may be seen immediately, making measurement simple.
2. Monitor Your Flow
Put on your detective’s hat now! Keep track of your flow every day and record the number of days your period lasts. Consider yourself a period detective collecting hints, whether you are tracking your period with an app or by writing it down in a notebook. You’ll have a deeper understanding of your body’s distinct rhythm the more you track.
3. Time to do some mathematics!
About Tampons or Pads: Multiply the quantity of tampons or pads by the amount of absorption. Assume you use three standard tampons every day for five days.
4 regular tampons each day (full) x 5 milliliters x 2 days= 40 milliliters
4 light tampons each day (full) x 3 milliliters x 3 days= 36 milliliters
Regarding Menstrual Cups: Simply empty the cup, make sure the measurement lines match, and record the amount.
4. Total Everything!
Total blood lost during this cycle: 76 milliliters
Now keep track of your period flow each cycle and notice if there is any pattern. The tracking doesn’t have to be flawless.
What Is Typical? What’s Not?
Less than thirty milliliters of light flow? It’s okay that your flow is a little light!
Average Flow: For most persons, a flow of 30 to 50 milliliters is about normal.
More than 80 milliliters in a heavy flow? That is regarded as weighty. You should probably talk to your doctor if you’re continually emptying your cup or soaking through your pads or tampons every hour.
The Final Word
Monitoring your menstrual flow is not as difficult or frightening as it may seem. It helps you feel more in control, maintain greater health, and have a deeper understanding of your body. The most crucial element is to feel secure and at ease in your own skin, regardless of how light, normal, or heavy your flow is! Therefore, embrace your inner period investigator; after all, your periods are just one tiny but very crucial aspect of your amazing self.
