Puberty is starting earlier

Of course it is a lie, a massive one, a dangerous one, I have years behind me which means I know this. I just wonder how I'd have felt as a young teen, reading that it could all be easily stopped.

feminists so frequently seem to detest their bodies and anything connected to their functions.
Kimi yet again, only talking about how I feel, not keen on sweeping statements. It is my feelings

Except its a lie isn't it. You cant identify out of your biology. And medicating only delays the inevitable. The only people who benefit are those selling the meds and those pushing the idea that you can identify out of it or medicate out of it to validate adults who didn't do any of those things.

The only thing that might be of use is perhaps the contraceptive pill. But much of that would depend on parents being prepared to take their daughters to the doctor and being prepared to accept its not an instant fix because it may take several different brands to find the one that works.

You're splitting hairs. Periods are not "disgusting" and that's a terrible attitude , but feminists so frequently seem to detest their bodies and anything connected to their functions.

Unlike you, I was careful to say my periods, which I find disgusting. Not shameful but I can fully understand why girls would jump at the chance to identify (and medicate)out of them.

Period pants/moon Cup are the first innovation for a long time. The driving force behind them was the environment not woman's comfort.

Bovine lactation that is designed by nature to turn a calf into a cow in a short space of time?

No way could that be an issue for humans!

Please don't assume you are the only poster who has experienced heavy periods.

I'm not going to apologise for quibbling your use of "disgusting". Periods can and do cause all sorts of problems but they are not "disgusting". It's extremely retrogressive and unhelpful to young girls to say so.

I started just a couple of months after my tenth birthday, in 1976. I was short, and not overweight 🤷‍♀️

Its not a completely new phenomenon

My mother had her first period at 11 over 70 years ago, I had mine at 13 years two months, My SIL at 10 and my MIL at 13. I'm not sure about DD she will be 10 in September and in the last few weeks one nipple has been a bit swollen. We've talked about it just in case but her brother who is 11 has no symptoms. He is intrigued about periods and so we've discussed them a fair bit.

Please don't decide the words I can use about my periods, or decide that because you had heavy periods and were fine it was ok for all women.
Leaking bloody clots, with no control of when they occur, covering the toilet and my hands in blood, breaching my san Pro and leaking onto my clothes, whilst crippling me through pain. Limiting as I couldn't swim unless I wanted to insert something, worried about leaking when I ran, or changing at school.
No I don't think this is some marvellous passing of the season, I don't think uncontrolled leakage is a very good design.

Yes a pill as a teen would have seemed like the answer.

I was also the skinniest, smallest girl in class. I started aged 11, a couple of years before my overweight older sister.

I started puberty at 9 and was always super skinny as a child. It was usually the bigger/chubbier girls who started earlier though. But quite rare almost 20 years ago regardless of size.

I thought it was pretty well accepted now that early puberty is linked to endocrine disruptors in a swathe of chemical products like BPAs (and their alternatives), phalates in plastics (particularly softened plastics such as those used in medical and food production environments), artificial perfumes, fire retardants, waterproofing, pesticides etc.? It affects men and women differently of course but is linked to reproductive issues in both sexes (see the book Countdown for the link between phthalates and male fertility, other studies linking to endometriosis in women) as well as other issues like the recent studies linking to obesity and metabolism disruption. I'm not a medical person so just repeating anecdotes from multiple sources without references so would be interested if anyone more qualified can comment!

The article mentioned stress as a possible trigger, which I hadn't heard before.

Sounds a bit hippy, but it feels like marking the passing seasons of the body

I'm about the least hippy-dippy person you'll find , but yes, I know what you mean.

Seems related to height to me. My son's started at 11/12 (shortest) and 9/10 (tallest) so has to be something to do with nutrition or hormones in the water supply surely. They're still little boys in feelings and outlook though until at least 16.

It's a shame that anyone finds their periods/bodily processes so difficult.

I understand when I had painful periods some of the issues, but as I've got older it's got easier, and I actually enjoy the process now.

Sounds a bit hippy, but it feels like marking the passing seasons of the body.

Curious why anyone would find it 'disgusting' in any way.

DDs school were great when DD and another girl started their periods in Year 6. Their classroom was top floor and fairly isolated anyway, with one separate toilet with its own basin, within easy access. The school set it up for the girls to use, stocked it up with pads and liners, wipes etc. It also prompted a grown up discussion on periods within the class, and what were they like, and how did they feel, and the girls were very much involved in this discussion, controlled by the teacher, so it was all very supportive and informative. It normalised it. The girls were also just able to leave lessons and pop to the toilet when they needed to without asking.

However, big caveat, this was a very small independent girls school, so they had the bandwidth and the environment to be able to do this.

Can we stop with the early period shaming? It's their diet, it's because they're over weight - it's all their mothers fault for not ensuring they're exercising enough and spending too much time on screens.

These are general societal shifts that affect most people.

Even if you do everything right there is no guarantee that your DD won't start early.

Studies seem to link increased weight and a lack of exercise with earlier puberty. Girls who participate in sport especially quite seriously with a good few hours of training a week tend to go through puberty in mid teenage years much as we used to.

I started at 15. Tall, very slim. Daughter has exactly the same build, 14 now and still no period. Both of us grew up with extremely low levels of processed food, I would say similar levels of physical activity.

I feel incredibly sad for very young girls who have to deal with periods before they are ready and yes they are many health problems associated with early menarche. I’ve read that menopause is a lot easier on those who begin menstruating later, too.

My eldest started puberty at 9yo and by 10yo had started her periods. She is now 13, and very tall. Not at all overweight.

My 11yo son is nowhere near puberty.

My 9yo daughter has started to develop breast buds but nothing further from what we can tell.

It is interesting how young they start now. I dont really recall girls having full on boobs in primary school like they do now.

Disgusting?

"Unpredictable" Ok, fair enough

"Painful" yes, but it can be dealt with.

"Limiting" - not sure what you're suggesting here. I had heavy and painful periods- I didn't find them limiting.

"Disgusting" ? There's nothing disgusting about periods. I hope you aren't passing that message on to your daughters and sons.

Stress stimulates hormone production which has a knock-on effect on other body hormones and responses.

It's my inexpert view that the "stress" experienced by so many children today is in fact plain OVERSTIMULATION. Far too many screens, too much TV, too much chirping noise, flashing lights, high speed images, electronic games, rushing from one organised activity to the next. An all-day consumption of processed food, junk and snacks stuffed with chemicals and additives. The social demands of phones, games, constant communications , comparisons, consumerism, organised playdates , the modern substitute for unsupervised play or doing nothing at all.

man

I was a member if a face book group who on more than one occasion has discussed drugging 9 year olds and lengthy chats about how awful.it is and woman hood etc

I often wondered how much of that panic would be passed down onto the girl in question.

I'm not saying that kids wouldn't ever find it hard or ever have trouble. But if it bothers parebts enough to consider drugging them, and the inability to see that a 9 year old with periods and a bra is still the same child as the day before, how.much of this will the kid pick up on. And surely that will not help them at all.

All the issues I had at 16 i would have had at 10. Because it was down to not being properly equipped and a complete lack of information from my parents.

@Whatwouldscullydo
I was 13 when I started. My best friend who I virtually lived with was one of six sisters, four older so the whole period thing held no mystery for me. It was part of life and something you knew you would just have to crack on with. Having said that, I don't think I would have been so able to cope so easily if I was 11 or younger.