How do I tell the difference between light, medium and heavy bleeding?
Menstrual flows vary from woman to woman, but the following is a general guideline:
Light Bleeding: Bleeding is often thin and can be red/brown in colour. A low absorbency pad or tampon provides adequate protection and you could last several hours between changes (for purposes of health and hygiene however, sanitary protection should be changed at least every 4 hours during the day).
Medium Bleeding: Bleeding is typically bright red in colour and a regular pad or tampon needs to be changed every 2 – 3 hours.
Heavy Bleeding: Bleeding is thick and bright red. A high absorbency pad or tampon is needed every 1 – 2 hours.