Puberty in girl age 9

[TheBrightBear]

My daughter looks like she's starting some breast development and getting a few spots.
The pharmacist said it's early but normal range and no need to go to the GP about it. She gave her a gentle face wash for acne.
She said she could start her period in a few months but then again she might not and that there's nothing I can do about it.
Wondering what other people's experiences of when their daughters periods started after first showing signs of puberty.
What causes it to start early? She's a bit picky but eats fruit and veg and three meals a day and isn't overweight.
It seems so young.
I was 14 when I got my period.
Thanks!

Girls are starting earlier. Chat to her so she knows what to expect, have some protection in the bathroom or her room if she needs it.
My DD started right at the end of year 6. I got her some period pants and it was pretty fuss free.

Hi OP,

I was early getting my period (3 days before 11th birthday), but had breasts early at 9. It looks like my daughter is the same, and has breasts at 9 but no period yet at 10 years and 2 months, so will probably get this closer to 11. It doesn’t always come hand in hand.

I gave her a book on puberty, so she doesn’t think she is dying when she has her first period. This happened to me when I freaked out the first time, and had to get my mum to tell her I was gravely sick 😂.

9 isn't early. Lots pf dd's friends were starting puberty at 9. Sounds normal.

I was 9 when I started my period so yeah it's within normal

DD started developing boobs at 8 and started her periods at 10.5.

NHS advice is:
Typically, you'll start your periods about 2 years after your breasts start growing. The average girl will get her first period around 12 years old, but it varies from person to person.

My DD started developing pretty much bang on her 9th birthday. Periods started at 10 3/4.

I started early, maybe 10 years old? I was fourth year juniors, many many many moons ago. I was prepared and remember feeling oh okay, that's fine... but it was no big deal. I did start at school too. Can't remember when I got boobs though - which is funny as they clearly didn't appear overnight, but if you saw them, you think I'd remember!

I don't think that's very early for the start of puberty. I had my first period at 11 and dd who is also 9 is starting g puberty. I got her a really good book from the library, aimed at girls 8-11ish and it was really informative but encouraging, very much explaining how normal everything is. Can't for the life of me remember what it was called!

Thanks so much which book did you get?

Thi is what I came here to post. I read it when DD startes developing, and it turned out to be pretty spot on. Our Paediatric consultant recently said that girls are typically starting periods earlier due to fat levels. (Not saying that your DD is fat, and neither is mine, but we have slightly higher levels of fat / far less very skinny and malnourished kids than we did decades ago)

Thanks this is interesting.
She's not anywhere near overweight and usually clocks over the 10k steps on the Fitbit but very different childhood to mine....exercise is at sports activities where she has to be driven to. As a child I was just outside in fields etc, no activities but I reckon far more physical activity

An interesting article on this in the Guardian recently -

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/may/29/us-girls-first-periods-earlier.

Same for me, and also my DD. It is a very different childhood. I always say that we were free range kids. (I was also 14 when I started)

She would have been at the younger end of normal thirty years ago. I remember being told 9-15 is normal for girls' puberty now normal includes age 8. She has 50% of her genes from her father's side so it may be the women in his family started earlier or there may just be no pattern. I don't think it's the difference in yours and hers activity rates making any difference on an individual level. We got DD age 9 (but not started puberty, but girls in her class have) an Usborne book and another similar one aimed at younger girls and we have Milli Hill's period book on the shelf for when she's a bit older. I think my breaststroke developed a couple of years before my period started.

I bought this book for my girls and I found it worked for us, but just be warned it does cover quite a lot (including sex on a basic level). Worth reading the Amazon reviews to get an idea….

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0746069952/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My period started when I was 10 and my mum said hers started when she was 14 and seemed alarmed and blamed it on my weight. I felt like a freak and blamed myself! So please be more tactful than my mum! 😀My sis was slim and had hers at 14.
My DD is slim and her period started at 10 after needing to wear a bra from about 9.

I recommend panty liners and keeping spare knickers with a couple of pads, some wipes and a little plastic bag in a small toiletry or pencil case type bag on her in case her period comes when she is at school or out. Wearing a daily panty liner is a good idea i think and deodorant with daily shower or bath and soap and flannel. It's easier to talk to her about upgrading her hygiene routine before she actually gets smelly and has comments and feels self conscious.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/may/29/us-girls-first-periods-earlier

Sorry - put extra full stop in so link posted didn’t work.

posting again…

There's usually the beginnings of discharge first so you might notice it when doing the washing, that's around a year before

Thanks these are great tips!
No I'd never say anything to her just I was feeling bad myself in case I was doing something wrong regarding diet/exercise. She does love cheese and ham sandwiches. But looks slim although not skinny

My DD started her periods at 9, a month before her 10th bday.

Within the normal range apparently.

If already had many chats with her, she had Everything she needed and was ready.

But it hasn't been anything regular at all.

Thanks so much!

Is she quite tall?
As my eldest started at 11. And at that point was.already 5'2. Its unclear if she will end up short from starting early. The friends her height also started.

My youngest is very tall and now at 9 is developing.

I started at 9. It’s normal