What does a “normal” period look like?

Did you know that your period can tell you a whole lot about what is going on with your health, hormones, and fertility?

So that raises the question — what does a “normal” period look like?

A few indicators of a healthy period include: length of cycle, length of period, color and consistency of period, and time of ovulation.

Length of Cycle:

A full cycle can range anywhere from 25-36 days. With the average cycle length settling around 28-29 days. Too long or too short of a cycle may point to issues with delayed or early ovulation which points signs to potential hormone imbalances that need to be addressed.

Length of Period:

Period length can fall anywhere from 3-7 days. The average length settling around 4-5 days. Too short of periods may point to estrogen deficiency or poor follicular development, whereas too long of periods may be a sign of estrogen dominance.

Color + Consistency of Period:

The color of your period can tell you A LOT. Bright red is normal and healthy. Dark red or brown spotting a couple days before, or after, your period is also considered normal. But, if you’re experiencing very dark red (even purple), clotted and heavy periods … this may be a sign of excess estrogen in the body. Whereas very light pink and scant periods may mean and estrogen deficiency or poor follicular development.

Amount of Blood:

60ml or less is normal, with the average being between 35-50ml. For reference — a regular tampon/pad holds 5ml and a menstrual cup holds 30ml. This means a minimum of 7 regular tampons or a maximum of 12 regular tampons throughout your entire period is considered “normal.” Going through 1-2 full menstrual cups throughout your cycle is considered normal.

I LOVE teaching my clients how to observe their periods through fertility awareness method + private coaching so that they can be advocates for their own health + fertility ♥️

Have you ever considered cycle length, period length, war period color/flow as vital fertility clues before?