Age for onset of menarche - Page 3

[eroslovesagape]

I was 14, my mother was 16, my sis 13. All slim/average. I barely had breast buds. I think hair came later.

When I became a teacher I discovered, to my utter shock, that girls as young as 8-10 were menstruating. It made me want to cry; it seemed such an early end to the total innocence of childhood. It also seems unnatural to me; biologically speaking their bodies proclaim readiness to procreate but they're still absolutely children.

We ate tons of dairy and meat growing up, and since the women on both sides of my family were later bloomers, it seems there is a genetic component. I can't ignore environmental factors though. My parents emigrated from Germany (hormone-free upbringings) so my sibs and I are first-generation Americans. I would be interested to see research on the age on onset of menarche and any connection to how many generations were exposed to hormones in animal products, pesticides and herbicides in food (the residues of many have estrogen-like effects). My DD is raised on organic food, her papa and I were both late bloomers, so we'll see.

Though I will rejoice and honor her transition when she starts, I fervently hope she starts later rather than sooner. I want her to enjoy her childhood as long as possible. Especially as I always had excrutiatingly painful menses (no longer since I stopped dairy and most meats - something my mother recently told me her doctor told her to do in the late 70's!)

[Evelyn'sMom]

I was pretty thin (although at the time I didn't think so) and didn't start until I was 14 and in high school. I think every girl I knew already had theirs... and I couldn't wait to start my period! What was I thinking!?! I soon realized that I wasn't missing out on anything!

[ayden's mommy]

I started at 15 1/2 years old. I was very active, tall and of athletic build. I consumed at least 1/2 pound of grass-fed, no hormone beef from my uncle's farm, 1/2 gallon of 2% milk, and probably 10 ounces of cheese ON A DAILY BASIS!

I did have a girlfriend that lived two hours away who started developing at age nine, and the farm that supplied their local grocery store was busted for hormone doping of all their beef. In her area, girls as young as SIX were starting their periods.

personally, I think the added hormones in the dairy and meat industries are playing a huge role in the early menarche of these little girls.

[DavinaT]

Originally Posted by mammal_mama

I was 12, closer to 13, and slender. I was thrilled! At almost 43, I'm still thrilled at signs of my continued fertility. Menarche, puberty, pregnancy -- they're all cause for celebration, not fretting.

It makes me sad when moms talk about menstruation/puberty as if it's a negative thing. This seems to go hand-in-hand with our society's negative attitude toward all things pertaining to womanhood.

I certainly want to provide healthy foods for my children, and ample opportunities for exercise and activity.

But I won't say, "I hope dd waits until such-and-such age to begin puberty." Whenever it happens, it's a cause for celebration.

Becoming a young woman is a beautiful thing.

:

I was large - big-boned and muscular (still am), fairly athletic but not overweight and got mine about 4 months after my 10th birhtday, which was early for here at the time. Average then was about 11 and a half. This was in the early 80's.
I remember being so excited when I got them first and then dissapointed that it was the school holidays and I couldn't tell my school friends. Such events (periods, first bra, waxing for the fist time etc) were Big news to us girls then.
I wasn't a great milk drinker, ate, chicken, fish and some pork but would not eat beef or lamb (still wont eat lamb - just a personal preference) and as it turned out the beef industry was under serious investigation some years later for artificial hormones being added to the meat!
Now only eat fully traceable, free range meats (beef under 30 months).

My school friend was small and pudgy, but she was 13 when she had her first period (or 'little friend' as her monther called it).

Here it is regarded that any girl who hasn't had her first period by 15, merits medical investigation.

I was always fairly regular tho'- 31 - 35 days cycle til I went on the pill. After that it was on the 24th day like CLOCKWORK I mean between 2.30 and 4pm!
Since switching to the iud, I generally only get spotting every month (which is perfectly normal with the IUD i know) and to be honest I miss my period.

On the genetic side of things, I have no sisters, nor had my Dad. Tho' his Mum started at 14 and her sister started at 17!! Which it turnd out was indicative of problems as she has premature menopause at 35!
My mum started hers at 13, my aunts around 12/13 and their mother at 12.

I don't see how periods would end the total innocence of childhood tho'. I mean, I knew where babies came from when I was 6 or 7 and my Mum told me about periods when I was nine, but I still had all the chilish wonder at simple things in life - the first snow in winter, getting up when it as still dark on Christmas morning, being amazed at how far dandelion seeds could travel in the wind.
At 10 or even 12, biologically speaking bodies proclaim readiness to procreate but even then they're still absolutely children.
Having my period never stopped me from enjoying my childhood or my teens tho'. I always had the philosophy that it was a normal event and that pain - during periods, passing water, eating or other functions is a sign that there is something wrong, which should always be investigated.

[KaraBoo]

Originally Posted by eroslovesagape

I would be interested to see research on the age on onset of menarche and any connection to how many generations were exposed to hormones in animal products, pesticides and herbicides in food (the residues of many have estrogen-like effects).

I'd be curious about this too. My 8yr old dd eats a lot of dairy, as I posted earlier, but our meats are not pumped full of hormones...so I'm wondering what effect this will have on when she starts her period.

[talk de jour]

I was 11.5 and thin, rarely ate dairy, and ate a usual amount of meat.

[aniT]

Originally Posted by scrappingmom

I certainly think that all teh chemicals and hormones in our foods and such do lend a hand to this progression, genetics as well. I am alergic to milk and quit drinking it when i was 8 and only did by force before that so PERSONALLY i cant blame teh milk anyway....I do think it lends a HUGE hand in teh general populace though. I mean, Cows are purposely breed often to produce cows who can be breed sooner to produce milk sooner.. so it kinda goes to assume that the hormones(natural ones included) making them mature sooner would be present in milk and meat, much more so the milk though as beef critters dont have much difference, then going into our body. Veggies though are also designed into many hybrids to also grow bigger faster, matureing sooner.. so we cant totally blame dairy and meat... its there in smaller doses in vegies as well.... the need to produce more faster no matter what just goes to further reflect our societies thinking of I want it now, bigger better and faster then the other person..... no matter WHAT we're dealing with. Personally i think anythign that grows....shouldnt be forced to do it faster than originally designed.

hows that for an OTish rant?! ..lol sorry

Depending on your age, you probably can't blame the milk anyway. They didn't start putting growth hormone in dairy cows until around '94 ish.

I started days after my 11th birthday I was a bit chubby. My daughter started around 12.5 ish and is thin.

My 8 year old is starting to get the pre-puberty chunk so we will talk about what to expect here soon. I finally dug up my older daughter's puberty book the other day.

[kristenburgess]

this is an interesting thread. I was just wondering about it yesterday, thinking of when my little girl may start.

I was 14, slender, and very atheletic. I'm not sure how much I weighed, though, I never paid attention to my weight.

I also drank commerical milk every single day of my life (huge milk fan). I don't give my children commerical milk products unless they are organic from grass-fed cows, and no actual milk right now at all (can't afford farm milk right now).

I do hope it is later when she starts, as I feel there is clearly a time when she is a child and doesn't need her body stating otherwise.

[widdlelou]

Originally Posted by scrappingmom

I certainly think that all teh chemicals and hormones in our foods and such do lend a hand to this progression, genetics as well. I am alergic to milk and quit drinking it when i was 8 and only did by force before that so PERSONALLY i cant blame teh milk anyway....I do think it lends a HUGE hand in teh general populace though. I mean, Cows are purposely breed often to produce cows who can be breed sooner to produce milk sooner.. so it kinda goes to assume that the hormones(natural ones included) making them mature sooner would be present in milk and meat, much more so the milk though as beef critters dont have much difference, then going into our body.

I hate to butt in, I lurk here often to see what ahead for me But my family are cattle ranchers (kind of small time rancher) and for some reason my father's cows seem to be always pregnant, but we do not use any horomones at all to induce maturity. Maybe some big time ranchers do, but no one I know around these parts.

And to add I was 14, just turned 14 and my mother was 16 and my sister was 12. We were all average built.

[sargasso]

I was 13, skinny, and had been vegetarian for 4ish years.

[LisainCalifornia]

I was 11 and chubby. My daughter is thin and just started her period a few months ago at 10.

[CMcC]

Just saw this post and wanted to add my two cents.

Wow, I'm really amazed so many of you started so early!!! I always thought the average age was suppose to be around 12. I seem to be the oddity on this poll, I didn't start till I was 16 1/2. I do wonder if it was because of the food we ate. I'm terriably lactose intollerant, so I didn't drink milk. And as for meat, when we had it, it was straight off my grandfather's farm (never gave any livestock hormones). Most of our vegetables also came straight off his farm as well. So maybe our food supply really does affect our bodies by starting cycles early....

[Aliviasmom]

I started PUBERTY at age 8 (growing pubic hair, etc.). I didn't really get boobs until around 14? But I started my period the month before my 12th birthday. And they were like clockwork right away.

[readytobedone]

i started 6 days after my 12th birthday. i was 5'2" and probably about 115? so fairly average weight. incidentally, i am still 5'2" but weigh a lot more (of course i am 40 weeks pg!)

[bluegrassgirl]

I was a little overweigh and started my period at 10 years old (my mom started when she was 11). My sister, who is stick thin, started when she was 16.

I've read that you have to have a certain amount of body fat to start mensturation. Plus, I've also read that if you are overweight or have spina bifida, you can start much earlier than other girls.

Jessie
(single mommy to Emma, 3 years and Angela, 2 years and Daisy, our 7 year old cat)

[kandace]

I was 16.

I definitely did not weigh a lot until that point...I believe I was around 13 or 14 when the doctor told me that I would need to gain about 6-8 pounds before I would start. I had to increase my caloric intake with milkshakes and other things at the time but it still didn't happen until I was 16. My sister got hers at 13 or 14, I believe (quite problematic for me at the time, since I am older and did not like that one bit!) Anyway, body fat is important as well and there are specific trends over different ethnicities as well.

[addictedtocloth!]

I started at 12. I was overweight and big boned. I am suprised I didnt start earlier.

[CarsonBookworm]

I was 11....5'5, 110 pounds..... a real beanstalk!

[frontierpsych]

I was 11, 5' and maybe 115. My mom was small and thin and didn't tart till 16. My grandma (mom's mom) started at 9. My sister (heavier than me) started at 13.

[Marcee]

I was "almost" 12 and average.