Puberty in Girls - What to Expect When Girls Hit Puberty

For girls, the first outward sign of puberty is swelling around the nipples. Most, if not all, girls are thrilled at the appearance of "breast buds." But full breast development takes several years. At mid-puberty, the breasts are soft and shapeless; only later do they become firm and full. Pubic hair begins to appear shortly after breast buds. The growth spurt begins and ends earlier in girls than in boys. At 8, the average girl is about the same height as the average boy; at 12, she is 3 or 4 inches taller; by 15, when the growth spurt in boys is taking off, she has reached her full height. The growth spurt adds inches not only to a girl's height but also to her hips. Both sexes lose most of their "baby fat," and both gain muscle during puberty. But boys acquire relatively more muscle, especially in their chest, shoulders, and arms, and girls acquire relatively more fat, especially in their breasts, arms, but­tocks, and thighs. Filling out is a normal part of female develop­ment. But given our culture's emphasis on thinness, girls in this stage of puberty may fret that they are becoming "obese." Some girls may develop bad, or even dangerous, eating habits as they attempt to forestall the increase in body fat.

The onset of menstruation (called menarche) is a relatively late development, occurring several years after puberty has begun. The girl's internal sex organs (ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus) have been growing all along, but invisibly. Her first period is a developmental milestone, a sign that she may be beginning to ovulate and is capable of becoming pregnant. The other changes girls experience during puberty are gradual and progressive; the onset of menstruation is sudden and dramatic. If a girl is prepared, if you treat menstruation as a normal and nat­ural part of becoming a woman, and if you respect her desire for privacy, or celebration if that is what she wants, the chances are she will take menstruation in stride. Girls are much less likely to have negative attitudes toward menstruation today than they were twenty years ago. Even so, most have mixed emotions. There is no point denying to your daughter that menstruation is a nuisance; every woman knows it is.

In most girls, the vaginal opening is covered by a membrane called the hymen. This membrane is flexible and usually has an opening that is large enough for a finger or tampon to pass through. In most cases, the hymen remains intact until a girl has sexual intercourse, and its rupture may cause slight pain and bleeding the first time she has sex. But in some cases the mem­brane is very thin and ruptures spontaneously during such exer­cise as horseback or bike riding.

Other nuisances and embarrassments associated with puber­ty are oily skin, perspiration, arid odor. The glands work overtime in adolescence. Most girls do not develop acne, but many do break out from time to time. And nearly all stain the underarms of their clothes occasionally. Keeping clean is even more impor­tant now than it was in childhood. Frequent showers, washing the face several times a day, and using a mild antiperspirant/deodorant are all good ideas. Most adolescents do not need to be told this. Young people who acted as if they were allergic to soap in childhood monopolize the bathroom in adolescence.

Although few girls will need to have a gynecological exam during early adolescence, it's a good idea for parents to explain to daughters that having regular gynecological exams are a nor­mal part of being a "woman." Most gynecologists recommend that girls begin having them when they are, or are thinking of becoming, sexually active (sexually active means having sexual intercourse, even just once), when they have a gynecological problem, or when they have turned 18, whichever occurs first.