How old were you when you started menstruating? Or, if the fellas wanna play, how old when you hit puberty?

Girls, not sure about boys, are hitting puberty at younger and younger ages and I'm wondering about how this correlates with our various challenges with weight, etc., as adults.

I was 9.

Jinx

9, Jinxy? Bless your heart! I was 13 or 14, I honestly don't remember for sure. Went from a grow-bra to a size C overnight!

Jen

I was pretty athletic and thinish and I was 15. A sophmore in High school...

My sister by contrast was 10

I was 13. Didn't SP mention that early menstruation sets you up for unbalanced hormones/weight gain problems later on? It was something I read recently that backs up your theory. Wish I could remember what it was. Maybe it'll come to me.

Wanda

i was 11 so in my case the unbalanced hormone/weight gain theory would be right.

I was 12 and a half.

Hey ladies,

I was 13 The summer right before High School.

My older sister was 18 when she got hers.
Interesting that I'm the shorter rounder one, while she is tall and VERY thin (106lbs at 5'7")

I was 9 and I was scared to death when it happened. I do have a lot of unbalanced hormones but my doctors all say no you just started early, it does not make an difference later in life HA!

Diane

Hiya Jinx

I was about 12 - and the twins were not shy either.

Eleven for me.

12 here.

--Cindy

I KNEW I WAS A FREEK! Having your period in 4th grade really bites, to say the least. Being a tomboy with a C cup wasn't too grand either! Going for my first gynocologist appt at that age was a nightmare. I will never forget the screaming and crying I did. Now that I think about it I was just like my dog is at the vet's office!

I wonder if there is some sort of support group for so many girls hitting puberty at such young ages. Doesn't seem like any more is known now...

I know, Diane, yeah everything is fine. SURE!

JInx

11 for me. My younger sister started at age 8.

My next door neighbor got hers at 7!!! Talk about being robbed of a childhood! I don't know if this is connected in any way, but she also had her first child as a teenager.

Were any of you breastfed?

I wasn't. Doc told my mother that he didn't want me to be sickly like her. BRILLIANT!

Is your neighbor black? black girls tend to develop earlier on average, hispanic girls are behind whites and blacks.

I think it's related to teenage pregnancy or at least promiscuity or having lots of young sex with one person. When you've been horny since such a young age, you can only hold out for so long! (speaking from personal experience here ) I mean, by age 14 I had already held out for 5 YEARS!