The foundation of self-care is observing your own body. It is through paying attention to the signals it sends us that we can react in time. One of the things we most often forget about is the appearance of our menstrual blood.
And its color can tell us a lot. As your period Besties, we took a close look at this topic and, in collaboration with experts (@sekscytacja and @ginekeo.pl), created the ebook "Bloody Palette of Colors".
- Color – depends, among other things, on how long it has been in the uterus, the day of the period, stress, illnesses, physical exertion, and diet. From the ebook, you will learn what bright red, dark red, brown, black-red, gray-red, and pink colors may indicate.
- Smell – usually slightly metallic due to the iron contained in the blood. You may also detect a fishy, rotten, or sweet smell.
- Flow – during menstruation, we lose on average 30-80 ml of blood. Bleeding over 80 ml is classified as heavy menstruation.
- Clots – check if they appear in the blood, how many there are, and their size; they can also be a symptom of illness.
You can observe blood in several ways. However, it will be easiest if you use a menstrual disc or cup. In the disc, blood collects in its "natural form," not mixing with other substances that may be present in pads and tampons. This way, you can clearly see its color and clots. You can also easily assess the amount and notice if any changes occur between cycles. The cup works almost as well. It is harder to assess the blood's consistency because it collects in a smaller diameter.
On pads and menstrual underwear, you can check the shade of the blood as well as the intensity of the bleeding. You will also detect the smell. Some blood will be absorbed, so observation will not be as precise as with a disc or cup.
However, you can observe how often you change pads. Heavy bleeding means you need to change pads every 1-2 hours.
You will also notice clots on pads and menstrual underwear.
Tampons are the least helpful because they absorb the blood, and you cannot see its appearance. However, you can detect the smell. You will also observe the flow by paying attention to how often you need to change tampons.
Want to find out what the different blood colors mean and when it’s worth consulting a gynecologist? Check out the ebook!
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