The average menstrual cycle is about 28 days.

There are also 28 days in the average month of February, which is handy enough considering we've decided to dedicate an entire month to all things periods.  And despite learning it off by heart for Leaving Cert biology, so many of us are still mildly confused as to what actually happens on each day of the menstrual cycle. Questions like 'when do I actually start ovulating?' and 'how long does it take the lining of the womb to build up?' are specific to each person and the length of their individual cycle, but once you've got an idea as to the order in which these things happen, keeping track of your cycle can actually end up being really easy. As we all know, no two menstrual cycles are going to be exactly the same. So while the length of the average cycle is about 28 days, and the things that happens inside of the body are probably going to be similar enough to the below, some people have longer cycles and some people have significantly shorter ones. The order of things that happen, however, is going to be very much the same irrespective of the how long or short your cycle is. So, buckle up, brace yourself, work out what day you're on in your cycle - and get ready to know exactly what's going on in your uterus right now. It's good to track these things, y'know? Day 1: The lining in your uterus starts breaking down and leaving the body. This is the first day of your period and your flow is probably going to be pretty heavy.

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For the month of February, Her will be #OnTheRag.  We'll be chatting all things periods, products, and pain as we delve deep inside the uterus to figure out why we bleed and - more importantly - how we cope. We'll also be talking to the experts about some of the period related conditions you have heard of - and all of the ones that you haven't.  You can follow the rest of the #OnTheRag series here or follow our Instagram account for more period related content.  Want to get in touch? Email us at jade@her.ie.