How much luggage does your Aunt Flow bring when she visits?

[ParisApril]

I read this on an online MD site and was wondering if it's accurate.

The amount of blood and fluid lost during a period is usually between 4 and 12 teaspoons each cycle.

I have my period for 5-6 days.
Day 1-2 is dark and very heavy with lots of small clots and it is very thick.
Day 3-4 it is much lighter as it tapers off.
Day 5-6 it is pretty much gone but I still have to wear a little something.

On the heavy days I typically lose 1-2 Tablespoons every time I go to the bathroom + what goes into my pads. I'd guesstimate I'm losing 1/2 cup or more a cycle. Which is much higher than the "norm".

What is normal for you?

[thisismallory]

I'm not sure what I used to lose, because pre-1st kiddo I was a tampon girl. I couldn't tell how much I was losing then. But, my first PP period after 1st child (came when he was 17 months), I'd guess I lost around 3 ounces! I was using a Diva Cup, and could keep track thanks to the handy measurement lines on it. I really thought something was wrong with me, because I had such a heavy flow. But, I guess not sloughing any uterine lining off for a year and a half can do that!

[outlier]

4-12 tsp seems pretty low to me too. I used a diva cup pre-preg and over the course of my two heavy days, I could easily fill it 1 1/2 to 2 times (I don't remember how much it holds), not to mention passing clots and turning the toilet water bright red every time I pee.

[Ola_]

I've read that some of those estimates are inaccurate, but then I don't know how they would get them anyway. With devices like the DivaCup it's much easier to see. I could see 4-12 tablespoons for me, but not teaspoons.

[capretta]

I also think those numbers sound low. The capacity of my fleurcup is about 30ml. Light months it might add up to a total of 2 mostly full cups. So call it 50ml (= approx. 10 tsp). Heavy months 4+ mostly full cups (so 20 tsp or more).

According to this chart Diva Cup is also 30ml (~6 tsp).

[Poddi]

I use cups and estimate mine to be 4 - 5 oz each time. That would be like 24 to 30 tsp so by that definition so pretty heavy. It's pretty normal for me, though. And I'm not a large person at all. Remember that the fluid is not 100% blood and the menstrual cup usually start leaking before the full capacity.

[MoonStarFalling]

Wow I'm surprised.  I use the lunette cup and am sure I loose 3-4 tsp at most.  

[Katie T]

I have the diva cup and for my 2 heaviest days I empty it 3 times a day and it is at the 1/2oz  mark each time. Day 3 (sometimes day 4 on a bad month) is goes down to 1/4oz when I empty it and then it is just a tiny bit for the last day or 2.  I empty mine around 730 am, 4 pm and before bed. But on the first day of the heavy flow it is usually leaking and I put on a pad until I can comfortably empty it. If I am at home I empty it more often.

I love having the diva cup and have actually written down what time I empty and how much was in the cup. It is so neat to see how much comes out! lol