OT: Age for first bra?

[jeepgirl30]

My DD8 is starting to show slight signs of being ready for a bra. DH thinks i'm nuts and that she is way too young. He asked me when i got mine but i am not sure! It was a horriblely embarassing situation and I blocked it out. My mom took me into a department store, grabbed a male clerk and said "help her find a bra" and left me! She didn't mean to do it like that but my mom was always in a hurry, never actually accomplished anything just always rushing around. I think it was starting 5th grade but I was a lot smaller than DD. I was the smallest kid in my class from Kgarten through 12th!

DD is around 75% for weight. Around 50 for height. There are only a few shirts I've noticed she may be showing a bit in.

I don't want to embarass her in anyway. I don't want her to be the first to wear one but I also don't want her to be made fun of if she needs one and isn't wearing it.

I asked her if she'd like to go shopping for one. She said yes but later asked if the other kids would be able to see it, like the straps. She said she wanted to wait for her one friend to wear it but I have a feeling that little girl will be a later bloomer, she is very slight frame and very athletic.

How the heck do I know when its time?

I plan to make an afternoon of it with the shopping and lunch. Where do I take her? macys or like Justice?

 

[phins_jazy]

My daughter is 9 and last year started to show signs. Honestly, she's happy with tank tops from old navy with the built in bras. No one can tell the difference and it's not like she needs a ton of support right now. LOL. If we wouldn't have gone the tank top with built in route we would have just done a sports bra. Good luck to you!

 

[puffkin]

I don't remember either!

I would suggest going the camisole/tank route (with the built in bra/lining) for a little while. My very petite niece (she is 11) has been wearing those for about a year now. She just now is transitioning into the more traditional training bras. I think the cami's are a safe bet and shouldn't prompt any teasing!

 

[leagirl12]

My dd started wearing one last spring...she was 9.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

There is no age, they all develop so differently. But, like PPs said, start slowly with the tanks and work into a full one when ready. My DD14 needed one around 9 (and was mortified by that), my DD9 doesn't need one (and wishes she did!) Kids are so different bith physically and mentally. good luck, it the first of a few steps but you will make it!!!

 

[mjkacmom]

Girls this age tend to wear cami's with a built in shelf bra, not actual bras. My dd12 was an early bloomer (and she's always been 75th% height, 50th% weight), and started with the cami in 5th (just buds), and is now a B cup.

 

[tzolkin]

My DD has several "bras" that she has been wearing with t-shirts and tank tops that anything was noticable through for about 2 years (she'll be 10 this week). We just bought the little cotton ones that they have in Target. They're not like an actual bra, but they just make it so you can't see through her shirt. I don't know that any of her friends wear them and she hasn't said anything so I don't think she minds. She feels more comfortable (less self-conscious) with them on.

I wouldn't worry too much about her being embarrassed. No one has noticed my DD's bras, but she would also rather them see the bra strap than noticing that she's developing and not wearing one.

I got my first bra in second grade and had to wear them regularly by third grade. I got my period in 5th grade (a few months before turning 11) and wore a c-cup. I did get teased a lot (mostly by the boys in 5th/6th grade), but I think that was due to the size, not the fact that I was wearing a bra.

Isn't it weird to realize that your "baby" needs a bra?

 

[Goofy'slady]

Last summer my daughter turned 10 and it seemed like overnight she started to develope. After discussing it with my best friend whom is more like my kids aunt we both thought it was a good time to get her a training bra. I did mention it to my husband and I remember him saying something like "really, you think she's ready?".

I think on one of our shopping trips to Walmart we picked her up some that were really more like sports bra types things rather than bras with cups and all. It must have been a little strange to on lookers to see an entire family of 4 over by the girls underware department trying to decide on style, color and size. I'm just glad my daughter wasn't too embarrassed to have her daddy help pick something like her first bra out with her; to her it was like buying socks something she knew she needed. This past holiday I purchased her a different style more like a bra I would wear but still didn't really have defined cups but not totally like a sports bra; so now she has a choice when she gets dressed in the morning.

I can't wait to see if our youngest will follow in her sister's early footsteps.

T.

 

[RMulieri]

I was 9 when I needed to start wearing one.My niece was 8 and my neighbors daughter is also 9 and now wearing one.

 

[dementia412]

I got my dd one a few months ago. She doesn't wear it all the time yet, but by the beginning of next school year I'm sure she will need one full time. She's 9 and bigger than average weight but not fat. Bigger girls tend to need one earlier.

 

[rcpae]

I have three DD's who are 15, 12 & 11. It seems like the girls who might need to start wearing a bra and aren't are the ones that draw more attention. Today girls are layering their clothes so much that really wearing something under even a tshirt doesn't draw extra attention. At least this has been our experience. Good Luck!

 

[NotUrsula]

Just don't let Daddy's issues get in the way of getting her into one when she needs it, or wants it because of modesty issues. NOT letting her wear one is more likely to cause problems for her.

If she's worried about it showing under clothes, go with a beige camisole to start. Once she gets used to it she'll probably want to experiment with colors, but don't go white. White shows the most through other clothing, ESPECIALLY white clothing (if she wears a white uniform blouse.)

 

[deedeed]

My daughter is 10 and she has been wearing one for a couple of months. She wears the sports type bra, not a real bra like I have. She is a gymnast and it shows with her leos a lot but not one person has notice or said anything. As for my husband, he also said she needed on and was supportive.
Each child will go through this at a different age. They can get as early as 8 or as late as 14 (any ages around there also) It just depends on each girls body.

 

[mjkacmom]

Another reason to wait on getting a "real" bra is that today, they come with ****s! Seriously, they are so padded, that an A cup looks big!

 

[aanderson5]

Girls are maturing fast these days!! I got my first bra just before starting grade 8 so I was twelve, turning thirteen. I think I was pretty average if memory serves me.

 

[AwaitingMagic]

My daughter started wearing the 'half undershirts' at around that age. My thought on it was that I'd rather her not need one and have it on than need one and not be wearing one, kwim? We just got them at Target and Kohl's. She is just now getting to the point where she needs more of a 'real' one and we just talked last night about going this weekend.

 

[zoemurr]

My DD also started around 9. She wasn't thrilled with it, but needed it with thin clothing. I asked her one day if she'd noticed anyone wearing them when they changed for gym and she listed off quite a few girls. She also knew what she wanted (thin starter bras with cute characters on them) from what she saw the other girls wear. She prefers these to camis, but wears those too.

Did you ask your DD? She might have an idea of what is "in". Do be careful of the padded bras. I can't believe they have these in the children's section. We get cute ones at Target, just a thin layer of material so you can't see through. Justice has them too.. but they are much more $$. She is in the middle of 5th grade and it seems all the girls have them, even if it's just to fit in.

 

[sashagiselle]

Interesting that you post this, just this past weekend my DD's friend who will be 6 next month spent the night. When they were changing into pajamas the friend proudly showed us her bra and said that she had received it for XMAS. She in no way needs a bra, she's 5! It was thin material and had the matching panties, the brand was Disney. I am now expecting my 6 year old to ask for one too.

 

[pixiepower1971]

Really? Girls not wanting to wear them? My girls have been wearing sports bras from a young age! It has never been a big deal. Same with their friends.

DD10(5th grade) is a 32C!!! Not overweight in the slightest..she is a swimmer and a dancer. She is almost 5'2".

IMO girls should have them before they need them. Its actually worse when they are just "budding".Limited Too has great sports bras that are thicker then the cheap ones at Target. Well worth the money.

DD10 and 12 wear bras that show under dance and gymnastics leotards...none of the girls care...they all do the same!

No flames intended...just truly shocked!

 

[jeepgirl30]

Interesting that you post this, just this past weekend my DD's friend who will be 6 next month spent the night. When they were changing into pajamas the friend proudly showed us her bra and said that she had received it for XMAS. She in no way needs a bra, she's 5! It was thin material and had the matching panties, the brand was Disney. I am now expecting my 6 year old to ask for one too.

Oh that is funny, DD mentioned wanting a Tinkerbelle one! Guess my lil girl isn't growing up all that fast afterall.

A few comments were made about DH not wanting her to have one, that wasn't what I meant to imply. He was just shocked his little girl was ready for that milestone. What Dad wants to see his little baby girl grow up?!

Thanks for all the replies. I'll talk to her again and maybe take her to a few places and show her options. It sounds like the cami idea or the character matching set is the way to go.