What is a light vs mid vs heavy period, because I put my pad on at 5:44 and there’s a big bit of blood in the middle I think it’s light but idk

Okay, so when people talk about light, medium, or heavy periods, they're usually talking about how much blood comes out and how often you have to change your pad or tampon.

What it means

• Light flow is when you have just a little bit of spotting or light bleeding. You might only need to change your pad a couple of times a day, or maybe even just wear a pantyliner.
• Medium flow is probably what most people experience. You'll have enough blood to need to change your pad every few hours, but it's not like totally soaking through a pad really fast.
• Heavy flow means you're bleeding a lot and probably have to change your pad or tampon every hour or two because it's getting soaked. Sometimes you even pass clots that are bigger than a quarter.

If you put your pad on at 5:44 and there's a "big bit of blood" in the middle, it could still be a light or medium flow, especially if it's your first period or your flow is just starting to pick up! Sometimes the first gush can seem like a lot, but then it slows down. Keep an eye on how quickly your pad fills up over the next few hours. That's the best way to tell.

It's super normal for your period flow to change from day to day and even cycle to cycle, especially when you're just starting out. Doctors say it can take a year or two for your period to get into a regular rhythm. If you're soaking through more than one pad or tampon every hour for several hours, or if you're feeling really dizzy, that's a good time to tell a grown-up just to be safe. Also, if you use the Soso app, you can log your flow and see how it changes throughout your cycle, which is kind of cool!