Can girls start their periods when they only weigh 5 stone?

[Lottielou7]

My 12.5 year old dd texted me to say shed started her periods when she was away with her dad (typical). When she got home she told me she had 3 days of brown discharge with a bit of blood in it. The thing is that she under 5ft and only has breast buds at the moment. Although she has needed to wear deodorant for about 2 years at least. She doesn't really look like a child though and she has grown up noticeably in the last year.

My other daughter is 14 and hasn't started yet, despite having lots of pubic hair, well developed breasts and she's a good height. I also didn't start til I was 14. I hear everywhere that girls don't generally start until they weigh 7 stone. So is this a myth?

I was 10 when I started and I weighed about 5.5 stone then.

My dd was 31 kg which is just under 5 stone. She started at 10 & a half, (but then so did I).

Her feet had stopped growing a few months before & she'd just had a growth spurt - I've heard that that can be a signal too.

Yes myth.

I got pregnant at 5' and just over 6 stone (despite using contraceptives!) you start when your body is capable of maintaining a pregnancy and the hormones are "right"

DD started age 11 and 9 months

She was 4 st 10. And in her first week at high school. Like she did not have enough to contend with! Luckily I had sent her to school since year 5 with an emergency pack just in case.

First one was a bit like you describe, then nothing in the October, then settled into a 28 day cycle after that

It's more about body fat levels than actual weight

Myth

My mums best friends daughter (she was like a cousin to me) started her periods at 8, she was tiny, her mum is only 4ft 11 and she is 5ft 1. I didn't start mine until I went on the pill for mood swings at 17.

Every one is different

DD was 10y and under 7 stone. I was under 7 stone too.
It may be a rough guidelines perhaps but often not the case.

Maybe it's actually the case that grown women whose weight suddenly drops below 7stone may find that their period stops. But a young girl starting won't necessarily be 7 stone. I just always assumed her older sister would start first.

Googling suggests 17% body fat to start menstruating

Yep, myth!

Yes she can I am an adult a teeny one I am just under 5ft and weigh 5 1/2 to 6 stone despite 2 kids and eating like a horse and I started mine at age 11

DD was approx 6 stone when she started and been fairly regular since. Her first one was a brown discharge as well. Not sure what she weighs now (two years later) but it can't be more than 6st 7lbs.