# puberty?



## ~Mom2thhts~ (May 18, 2006)

When does puberty begin? My dd just turned 10. This year her face has started breaking out a little. She showed me tonight that she is starting to grow hair in her armpits. What is next?? I'm trying not to freak out, but i thought we had another 2-3 years before puberty started. Is there anyway to put this off a couple of years, such as cutting back on drinking milk?

But, seriously, what is next and when?


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## tri31 (Jan 30, 2007)

Most likley it will be in baby steps. Sounds like my dd a few years ago, she is 13 now. I'm counting my blessings, a few months ago, my sisters son suddenly grew 7 inches and was unrecognisible for a few weeks until we all got used to it.

It is beautiful.


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## nolonger (Jan 18, 2006)

It actually began some time ago in her mind and emotions long before it began affecting her body.

Everybody is different. dd developed a curvy bottom and what she pragmatically describes as "childbearing hips" when she was ten, but was still a 4 foot something, hairless, flat chested little girl for many years after.

I'm not sure whether cutting back on the milk or drinking BGH-free milk will help, but it certainly couldn't hurt. Anecdotally, my dd and myself both got our first periods at 12 1/2, which was a comfortable age for us, and we are both veg, although I did dairy back in the days the dinosaurs roamed the earth and there was no BGH. My sis started at 10 and wasn't ready at all and she was a fairly major meat eater back then.


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## lolar2 (Nov 8, 2005)

Your DD sounds about average.


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## bigeyes (Apr 5, 2007)

as a vegetarian you might want to limit soy if you are worried about early puberty. My dd has been so pumped full of that stuff it blows my mind. Early puberty ran in her birth family anyway, then she ingests all kinds of growth hormones and other garbage via her diet. argh!

She's 9 now, and has had pubic hair for over 2 years! Her bra is bigger than the one I wore at 12. I swear for the past 2 years she's had nonstop PMS.

Unfortunately a doc will tell me this is 'normal.' I totally disagree, it is a mutation brought about by our environment. Unfortunately nobody is going to take notice until we start growing horns. :/

/end rant


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## terrordactyl (Jul 19, 2006)

i gotta agree with you bigeyes. its our environment.


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## Gabbi (Jan 27, 2005)

Puberty seems to be setting in anymore earlier and earlier it appears...HOWEVER I started my period at 9..YEP 9! Simply robbed of childhood.
I doubt there is much you can do to stop it and everyone develops at their own rate. Hang in there.
There is an awesome book called "The Care and Keeping of Me".


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## mwherbs (Oct 24, 2004)

I think that it can be hereditary as well as environmental influences-- in the area I grew up in I started a bit late -- breasts at 11-12 and no period till I was 14 if I remember right-- and that was 40 years ago-- my mother had her period a bit earlier than that probably 12 but my father's mother also started about when I did-
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but my oldest daughter had her period at 11- probably started developing breasts and changing in other ways at 9 --- and my DH's mother also started at the same time.
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a friend of mine who was 16 years older than I am started her period at 9 as did her mother and her grandmother and her own 2 daughters. ( I don't think it was environmental I do think that there was a family pattern) she was very strongly affected by the change because there were family (tribal) taboos about how she could interact with men including her father- no more sitting on his lap or playing...


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## mommajb (Mar 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bigeyes* 
as a vegetarian you might want to limit soy if you are worried about early puberty. My dd has been so pumped full of that stuff it blows my mind. Early puberty ran in her birth family anyway, then she ingests all kinds of growth hormones and other garbage via her diet. argh!

She's 9 now, and has had pubic hair for over 2 years! Her bra is bigger than the one I wore at 12. I swear for the past 2 years she's had nonstop PMS.

Unfortunately a doc will tell me this is 'normal.' I totally disagree, it is a mutation brought about by our environment. Unfortunately nobody is going to take notice until we start growing horns. :/

/end rant










My 8.5 year old has had pms since the new year. It is the only thing we can think of to explain the moodiness. Is it really not too early to think this?


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## pranamama (Nov 6, 2002)

my 7 yr old seems to need antiperspirant







:


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## bigeyes (Apr 5, 2007)

While it's true they can stop it, all of my research has shown me that docs are reluctant to do so. Our pediatrician said it was normal, while I still think it's a mutation. Because it's hitting so early 8 and 9 year olds are like moody 13 year olds. For the past 2 years I have been trying to figure out why my daughter is so concerned with boyfriends, whether or not boys are paying attention to her, etc. When I was 8 or 9, boys were icky! I also sold children's clothing when my son was a baby, and at holiday time I was shocked to see what we had to offer for preteen girls. Everything 'dress up' was slinky, quasi-sexy, and just plain inappropriate. And don't get me started on the shorts with writing on the butt so everyone is looking at pre teen girl's rear ends!

Then we have the influence of MTV and advertising. When I was 8 or 9 I had never heard of 'ED' or tampons, for example. Now kids are inundated with sexual images and innuendo. I even have songs on my IPOD that I only play when the kids aren't around because of the words and phrases they use. The hardest thing for me is trying to explain stuff to my dd about menstruation and such, and she says 'ewwwww, gross' or 'I don't understand.' I know she doesn't understand, but she has to because it's happening! ARGH!

SIgh

I remember when little girls played with jacks and dolls and wore OSH Kosh and mary janes.


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## mommajb (Mar 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bigeyes* 
I remember when little girls played with jacks and dolls and wore OSH Kosh and mary janes.










Can we please go back to this time?? The clothes - don't get me started. I have a very tall 8yo (just a couple inches shy of 5') and most of the choices are disgusting.







:







: What will it be like in 10 years for her sisters and other little girls?


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## bigeyes (Apr 5, 2007)

and don't you just love being the 'uncool' mom who won't let her daughter dress like she's a pole dancer? ARGH! Both of my kids know _that_ term, btw. I can't imagine being an 8 or 9 year old kid and _knowing that women dance around poles!_

Yeah, thanks Britney Spears, MTV, and even the Disney network for all those shows with the smart alecky kids and 'sexy' pre teens.

ugh


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## AMagicalWishxoxo (Jan 24, 2007)

I started my period at 11 years old. i however lacked the hair growth under the arm pits. I was in 8th grade and everyone shaved their arm pits so i decided that i wanted to "fit in" big mistake LOL

Your daughter is growing up, you cant really cut back on anything. She's just starting early but not too early.

You usually take after around when your mother got started.

Most girls start puberty from 9-13.
<33 Italy


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## boobybunny (Jun 28, 2005)

My daughter started just a couple of months shy of her 8th birthday. A light, two - three day period with lots of cramps, every 28-30 days. Perfectly normal according to her crunchy ped. (early but normal)

I started mine at age 9 1/2.


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## Arduinna (May 30, 2002)

my mom is in her 60's and started menses at 9 it's not anything new

studies have shown that menses is related to weight, generally you need to be around 100 lbs from what I remember, but I haven't read anything about it in quite awhile so I could be off.


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## UnschoolnMa (Jun 14, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Arduinna* 
my mom is in her 60's and started menses at 9 it's not anything new

studies have shown that menses is related to weight, generally you need to be around 100 lbs from what I remember, but I haven't read anything about it in quite awhile so I could be off.

Yea my mom started her cycle around the age of 9 as well and that would have been in the mid 1950's.

The weight thing sounds right/familiar. Hormone influence and etc, right? I started around 10, and Dd started at 11 and we were both hovering around the 100 lb range then.


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## boobybunny (Jun 28, 2005)

Well, then the weight thing is wrong for us... my daughter weighs in at 67lbs.


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## kennedy444 (Aug 2, 2002)

What's early for some is norm for others. While foods and other outside influences seem to have something to do with it, I think mostly daughter's follow mother's. Have you (OP) checked with your ped?

My dd will be 13 (on Friday the 13th!) and while she is developing breasts and has hair, she hasn't started her period.


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## coolmom2 (Sep 10, 2006)

I doubt that 100 lbs thing is true..

DD got it at age 12, 85 lbs or so.


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## Ersbett (Apr 7, 2007)

DSD got her period at 11 but...
She began developing breasts and armpit and pubic hair at age 9.
She's short when she was 9 she was 4'4 with an 34 A cup bra, DH was terrified, and also I don't think the 100lbs thing is true, DSD got her period at 11, and she was around 65 lbs and 4'7, she've never been 100lbs, the more she have been is 88lbs(she's a dancer, that's why she's so thin) and when I got my period at 12 I was around 80lbs.


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## MidgeMommy (Mar 22, 2007)

I got my period when I was eleven, and had stopped growing before that. I feel that this robbed me of childhood, made my breasts grow larger than they should have (or than I need!), stunted my growth, and that it is entirely preventable.

If you are up for hormones/doctors, Lupron will stave off puberty and make sure she keeps growing. They can also do bone growth charting, and sometimes you can argue that as a way to get the hormones that prevent your daughter's body from changing before it is truly matured. My brother got the benefit of these hormones, I didn't, and while I agree it is probably environmental, now that she's started changing and since there is no definitive cause, seems a bit late to trust to diet changes and such to stop it.

I really hope that whatever happens, she can be happy with the body she gets. I know that I blame a lot of my self-image issues on the too-rapid sexualization of a body that was still inhabited by a geeky and bookwormish little girl.


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## momof3angels (Feb 19, 2007)

My daughter is 10 and when she was about 8 1/2 I noticed she started getting little breast "buds" and she complained about sweating. So, I took her with me to pick out some little training bras and deoderant. I was worried that she would be embarassed, but she seemed pretty receptive to it. So far she doesn't have any hair that I'm aware of, but it seems like there isn't necessarily any specific order that things happen in.
I worry that she will start menstruating soon, and it seems too young , but I don't think there is anything you can do to delay it.
I have heard of cases where girls were very young (5 or 6) and they started puberty and a doctor was able to give some sort of medication to stop the process. But I think the normal age range now to begin puberty is between 8 and 12.


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## sunnysideup (Jan 9, 2005)

There are many different theories about why girls are entering puberty earlier. Some studies have shown possible causes or contributing factors to be stress, absentee fathers, hormones in milk, and possibly even TV (earlier and earlier exposure to sexual messages)...Interesting article: Why are girls reaching puberty so young? The culture and science of a sexualized childhood.
by Jeannine Ouellette


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## katsmonkeyhouse (May 31, 2006)

My DD turned 11 in Jan. She started growing hair under the arms already. Has a lil rash but I think its cause she doesnt wash her face correctly. There is no stopping it now. My doctor said there was still time lol.but that was a few months ago.
Watch out thought the mood swings are coming. My DD has such a attitude now its so hard on me. The doctor told me normal range is from 10-up now. Any sooner is to soon. So we are working on her issues and needs. But there is no stopping puberty just trying to cope with it lol...


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## Lemonade (Apr 14, 2007)

Frankly I don't remember when everything happened for me, except that I didn't get my period until I was almost 15.

My oldest is 11 and skinny as a rail. However she's starting to get breast buds. I recall reading somewhere that breast budding is usually one of the first signs of puberty.


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## ShaylaWilliams (9 mo ago)

~Mom2thhts~ said:


> When does puberty begin? My dd just turned 10. This year her face has started breaking out a little. She showed me tonight that she is starting to grow hair in her armpits. What is next?? I'm trying not to freak out, but i thought we had another 2-3 years before puberty started. Is there anyway to put this off a couple of years, such as cutting back on drinking milk?
> 
> But, seriously, what is next and when?


Omg im sooo many years late- but I just wanted to say I felt so much better reading this!!!! My daughter went through all u said at 7. Period at 8, c cup at 9. Thanks for making me feel better!


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## FeMom88 (9 mo ago)

I don‘t believe there is anything you can do to stop what is bound to happen. My daughter got her first visit from Aunt Flow when she was 11; I was 10 when my flow began. Of course, knowing that my daughter may start around the age that I did, I started preparing her before hand. I would start talking to her about Aunt Flow since she was about 8/9 years old; I didn’t want her to freak out like I did when I was young. No one prepared me so 10 year old me was so scared when I went to the bathroom at school and thought I was dying. My advice to mothers out there is talk to your daughters about what is to come…trust me they will appreciate it. My daughter was so chill when she got her Flow and I definitely believe I helped with that.


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## Patty Pagan (Feb 6, 2019)

FeMom88 said:


> I don‘t believe there is anything you can do to stop what is bound to happen. My daughter got her first visit from Aunt Flow when she was 11; I was 10 when my flow began. Of course, knowing that my daughter may start around the age that I did, I started preparing her before hand. I would start talking to her about Aunt Flow since she was about 8/9 years old; I didn’t want her to freak out like I did when I was young. No one prepared me so 10 year old me was so scared when I went to the bathroom at school and thought I was dying. My advice to mothers out there is talk to your daughters about what is to come…trust me they will appreciate it. My daughter was so chill when she got her Flow and I definitely believe I helped with that.


Yes! have lots of talks well before you need to. Take all the shame and secrecy out of it and treat it like the normal natural thing it is


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