The Nourished Blog
Did you know that the bleeding amount during each period is actually a great clue about your overall hormonal balance?
Too little bleeding can be a sign of low estrogen, whereas too much bleeding can be a sign of estrogen dominance and poor detoxification.
Keep reading to get the details on what your period is teaching you!
First, let’s cover some basics…
- Overall, an average bleed ranges between 3-7 days. Most period will start off light, then transition to 1 or 2 heavy/medium days, and will then taper back down.
A period less than 3 days may be a sign of low estrogen levels whereas a period well beyond 7 days may be a sign of estrogen dominance.
- Spotting does NOT count as day one of your period.
- A healthy flow should look like a bright cranberry red. Sometimes your period might look darker red in color which is due to old blood mixing in or heavy (or clotting) bleeding. A couple days of heavier flow is totally normal!
Now let’s talk about bleeding amounts…
See below for how much a typical period device holds:
Tampons and Pads:
- 1 regular tampon or pad holds 5ml of blood
- 1 super tampon or pad holds 10ml blood
Period Underwear:
- Typically holds between 5-10ml of blood
Menstrual Cup:
- An average menstrual cup holds about 30ml of blood
Ok – so now that we have that covered… how much should you bleed per cycle?
An average amount of bleeding per period is between 35-60ml.
Some women with a heavier flow might experience up to 80ml.
This amount of bleeding might look like 1-2 tampons on your light days and up to 5 tampons on your heavy to medium days.
Remember, you do want at least one medium and heavy day as a sign of a healthy flow!
As always, I encourage my clients to cross-reference their menstrual bleeding with other hormone signs and symptoms throughout their cycle.
If you’re experiencing very light periods and are also experiencing signs of vaginal dryness, low libido, weight-gain and lack of energy (for example) this could point towards low estrogen symptoms.
On the other hand, if you’re experiencing very heavy and clotting periods, cramping, migraines, and anxiety … This could be a sign of estrogen dominance.
While it is all relative to YOUR body and your unique symptoms, these are all important health signs to take note of.
Remember – your menstrual cycle is your fifth vital sign of overall health!
Learning how to identify hormone imbalances by observing your cycle and fertility markers puts an incredible amount of power in your hands.
That is why I absolutely love the Fertility Awareness Method for identifying health and hormone imbalances within the cycle.
Not only can you use the method as a hormone-free and side-effect free birth control option (or to conceive!!) but it gives you critical information on the health of your cycle so you can get to the root of your symptoms.
To learn more – watch my free fertility awareness method class here!
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