Breast Development During Puberty – Everything You Should Know!
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Do you feel awkward about broaching the topic of hormonal changes during puberty with your adolescent daughter? Are you planning to take her shopping to meet her new lingerie needs? Well, if you can relate to the above situations reading this post is a good idea!
While parenting a teen, you have to switch gears and metamorphose into a friend, philosopher, and guide. Sharing an open communication channel is critical at this stage as it can help you share her concerns, clear her doubts and win her trust for life! Are you clueless about educating her on breast development? Worry not! Check out this post to help your daughter step into womanhood with confidence!
What Does Puberty Imply?
Puberty is a stage when a child undergoes various hormonal changes that transform her body and make it capable of sexual reproduction. Puberty is another milestone in your daughter’s life, as it is her stepping stone to adulthood [1].
The average age for girls to attain puberty is 10-11 years. They might undergo the following physical changes:
- Development of breasts occurs
- Pubic hair appears
- The uterus and ovaries increase in size
- The mucosal surface of the vagina thickens and turns dull pink in color.
- Onset of the menstruation cycle occurs
- Changes take place in the body shape
[ Read: Puberty Headaches ]
Why Do Girls Have Breasts(Puberty Breast Development)?
Puberty is the time a girl evolves into a woman. Your teenager is now capable of giving birth. The breasts grow as they consist of fat and tissues that protect the milk ducts, blood vessels, and nerves [2]. The main function of breasts is to produce milk so that she can nurse her babies.
[ Read: Everything About Puberty ]
When Does Breast Development In Puberty Start?
Many of us believe that breast development starts during the teenage years, but that’s not the truth. Breast development took place when your child was in your womb. Hence, nipples, and the milk duct system are present in a baby girl’s body at the time of birth.
As she grows, developmental changes also take place in her breasts. It starts with the formation of lobes followed by the development of the mammary glands. These glands consist of 15- 24 lobes each. However, the hormonal changes at the time of puberty activate these glands [3].
What Are The Stages Of Breast Development?
Here are the different stages of breast development during puberty:
| Stages | Breast Changes |
|---|---|
| Stage 1 | An elevation of the nipples in teenagers |
| Stage 2 | Areola or the dark area of the breast widens and the buds appear. The breasts and nipples will become raised. |
| Stage 3 | Due to the presence of glandular breast tissue, the size of breasts increases |
| Stage 4 | Areola and nipple appear as a second mound on top of the rest of the breast tissue |
| Stage 5 | The breasts become round and only the nipples will remain raised. |
[ Read: Tips To Raise Your Teenage Girl ]
Why Do Breasts Appear Sore At Times?
Teenager girls often complain of soreness in their breasts. Your girl might suffer from soreness during a shower. She may experience the pain in her breasts while lying on her stomach and sleeping. You need to calm her down, explain to her that it’s a natural phenomenon and not a reason to hit the panic button. When breasts start developing, your little girl can feel a breast bud or a small lump under the nipple area. It is present in the bodies of all adolescent boys and girls. As the breast bud is tender, it may ache a little.
Your daughter may also have sore breasts at the beginning of her menstrual cycle. During menstruation, a girl’s body increases the production of the female hormones like estrogen and progesterone. It may cause water retention in the body and lead to temporary swelling and tenderness in her breasts.
As your little girl is undergoing a sea change, make sure you educate her about her body and how she needs to take care of it. It would help you bond better as she will learn to share her physical discomforts and doubts with you. You can help her become a confident teenager and accept these physical changes positively.
How did you educate your daughter about the various changes that accompany puberty breast development? Please share your words of wisdom with other moms here!
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