Authors: Nancy and Elisabeth

Menstruation is a natural, healthy and biological process that every girl/woman (and that’s 50% of the population!) experiences, so here is a list of the basic period essentials every girl should know!

 

The Beginning and the End!

1. Menarche is a girl's first period. It usually happens somewhere between the ages of 11 and 15.  

2. A woman goes through the menopause and stops menstruating (having periods) between the ages of 45 and 55.

 

The (menstrual) Cycle itself

3. A period (the time she bleeds) can last for anything between 3 and 7 days each cycle.

4. A woman will have approximately 450 periods in her lifetime.

5. Every woman’s cycle is unique.  A cycle is the length of time from the first day of one period to the first day of the next.  A cycle can last anything between 21 and 40 days, the average being 28.

6. A woman bleeds between 2 teaspoons and half a cup during her period. 

 

The Products

7. On average a woman will use 11,000 single-use period products in her lifetime, that’s about 25 every month. So if you’re going to use single-use products (and the majority of women do), make sure they are good for you and for the planet!

8. There is a good selection of reusable period products on the market and many women choose to use these either on their own or in combination with single-use products.   See the picture below for the most popular reusable period products and the single-use products.

9. Whatever you do don’t flush anything down the loo except the three P's - pee, poo and paper!