“Here it comes,” my soccer coach said as he tossed the ball, underhand, my direction. I still remember the unexpected pang and then dull ache in my chest when the ball made contact. As I ran to the back of the line again, I noticed a few other girls making groaning sounds and grabbing their chests as they practiced their chest traps.
Ahh, breast buds! They had made their appearance.
Breast budding (also known as “thelarche” if you want to get technical) is the normal initial stage of breast development and usually one of the first signs of puberty for girls.
Like all aspects of “the puberty play” as I refer to it in my mom and daughter puberty course, the development of breast buds is driven by hormones, particularly the hormone estrogen. Estrogen is a hormone of growth and development, and it tells fat to start gathering in the breast. The milk-duct system also starts to grow. (Fun fact: beginnings of the duct system are already in place by the time a baby girl is born!).
Breasts will continue to grow and develop over the next few years and at a rate that is different for everyone. Girls often begin menstruating 2-3 years after the development of breast buds.
Let’s dive into some key facts to make sure your daughter knows so she can feel confident going into (or continuing) her breast development journey.
What Do Breast Buds Look and Feel Like?
Breast buds look like a small, rubbery lump about the size of a blueberry or marble underneath the areola. They may feel a bit achy, sore, or tender to the touch. A warm compress might feel good if they feel particularly sore.
At this stage of development, it can also be common for nipples to feel itchy or extra sensitive to fabric. Some girls may find that wearing something like a training bra or comfy tank top helps keep other fabric from rubbing their skin in uncomfortable ways. I like that these training bras are made with breathable cotton!
Breast buds also make the nipples stand out more, so some girls also find that wearing a bra smooths things out and makes them feel more comfortable. Of course, bras are *totally* optional and just a tool that can help us feel more supported if we choose.
When Do Breast Buds Appear?
Breast buds most often appear when girls are between 8-12 years old. While both breast buds may appear at the same time, often just one breast bud develops and the other takes another few weeks or months to show up. This is an important point to make sure your daughter knows! Puberty is full of experiences that can leave girls feeling weird or scared. Which brings us to our next point…
Breast Buds Are NOT Cancer
Let me repeat that one more time: breast buds are not cancer! Many of us have been encouraged to fear the idea of finding a small, hard lump in our breast tissue. So, when girls experience breast buds, it can understandably be a concerning experience.
In fact, I’ve had SO many women tell me that they were convinced as girls that they had breast cancer and were going to die. While this might sound dramatic, when we don’t know what is normal (especially in a period of rapid growth and body changes), it is super easy to make up scary stories about the things happening to us.
Other Important Talking Points
Some girls might also notice small bumps about the size of a pimple growing on the areola itself. These are called “Montgomery Glands” or “Areolar Glands” and they produce oil to keep the areola from getting dry. Even though they look like pimples, it’s important to tell your daughter to not to try to pop them! These glands are normal and are best left alone to do their job.
If you thought we were done talking about bumps and lumps, we aren’t! There’s one more bump I want to mention. Some girls (and adult women) also notice small bumps around the nipple that have coarse hair growing out of them. While not everyone experiences this, it still falls under the realm of normal!
As we’ve seen with just breast development, puberty is rife with physical changes that can seem really scary (or even just weird!) if you’ve never been taught that those changes are actually normal.
If you want to help your daughter feel prepared as she goes through these changes AND you want to learn a thing or two yourself, my mom & daughter puberty course is for you.
It’s a truly special course that not only covers topics like breast development, body hair and odors, the menstrual cycle, and how to care for the body during this important season of life, but it’s also designed to be a bonding experience for both of you.
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