Cupcakes

Puberty is an interesting experience for every girl. We watch our bodies develop and we pay attention to the changes. As young girls, we are curious what our bodies are about to become, some nervous, others excited. But with puberty comes breast development, and a whole new world is in sight as we are welcomed with open arms to the world of bra shopping.

With bra shopping, comes cup sizes and the new mentality of what breasts and femininity mean. But this is where we get mixed up. Breast size does not equal femininity or sexiness. Your cup size does not determine what kind of woman you are.

Girls that develop later have a hard time feeling secure. I remember feeling envious of the girls around me with blossoming chests while my breasts stayed stagnant in my training bra. I was excited to go shopping for real bras and feel and look like a woman. But I wish I had realized there is more to womanhood than when your breasts develop and their size.

But the girls that develop earlier do not have it any easier. Quicker and younger developing girls are nervous with their new bodies. They are not used to wearing real bras and feel uncomfortable having larger chests while at a young age. Boys may look at them differently, and they might feel self-conscious about their chest size.

It seems as though there is no happy medium when it comes to breast development during puberty. Either way, we’re confused or upset. Anxious or agitated. But I believe there is hope. I believe there is a way to teach girls and have them feel neither way while developing. Maybe it’s how we teach sex education in elementary school, or the conversations mothers have with their daughters. But I think it is possible to go through puberty without consciously staring at your breasts in the mirror.

I believe it is also necessary to teach girls at a young age the reality of breast sizes. How a DD really is not THAT large, and what your band size means in relation to cup size. Without this knowledge, girls will continue through puberty believing their breasts are smaller than they really are, rejecting the idea that they might need to go up a cup size. The first step in this process is taking your daughter, sister, or niece and getting them measured. Walk into a Victoria’s Secret, Aerie, or another bra fitting store and have them properly measured.

This process can help her in the future, because she will continue to get fitted whenever she outgrows her bras, and will continue to get measured about every six months even after she is fully developed.

Women’s breasts fluctuate in size due to hormones, weight gain, and weight loss. The addition of puberty and breast development just makes this process more complicated and potentially more stressful. I see girls come into Victoria’s Secret every few months because they are outgrowing their new bras. They are frustrated because they want to have one size and stick with it, but they are also learning and growing.

If younger girls take this bra journey, they are on the right path to understanding breast development and cup sizes. They can learn more about their bodies and themselves, feeling more confident and comfortable with their own developing chests. Puberty is a fun experience, enjoy it! Try on fun bras, watch yourself grow, and love your changing body. Don’t let the stress of your new body get the better of you. You’re flourishing, celebrate your new body! Because there is in fact a sweet side of breast development.