Early periods link to bottle-feeding and BPA? No evidence, just wondering...

[issynoko]

HI, DD is 9 next week and has budding breasts so I guess her first period isn't too far off - a year or two? I was 12 when I started and it looks as if she'll be earlier. I wasn't able to BF her and she had milk in bottles with BPA before we all found out it was bad and a potential hormone disrupter. I know BPA is present in other items, linings of cans etc. But am awash with sadness and guilt all over again because am wondering if early puberty might be caused by the way she was fed as a newborn. We are open about puberty and have talked about it - she has books and I have a kit of stuff ready for her but still, she is very young and hate to think of all the palaver of periods starting when she's still into climbing trees and teddy bears. Anyway - BF mums - have your children started early too - is it related to bottle-feeding, do yo think? OR to ether nutrition overall? Or environmental factors other than baby feeding. Any thoughts?

[dlady]

My eldest started developing at 9, she didn't start her periods until a few days before her 13th birthday. She was also formula fed. I also started around 13.

[Willowisp]

My DD's both breast fed, but I feel my Dd1 (9) is getting hormonal, hence me reading these threads...

Apparently, not sure how true, but body weight is indicated at 7 1/2st. Also higher levels of body fat, I have no idea what, also prompts periods.

I've found some info, from googling, from a US site where mums were cutting out parabens from shampoos, soaps, shower gels & finding it making a difference.

[Hopeforever]

Was told that it is related to the girls BMI, that her periods start when she reaches a certain BMI.

DD is 10, has buds big enough to need a bra, not just a crop top. She was BF for years, no solids till she was 1 (her choice) so she shows its not just FF Giles who develop early.

Don't beat yourself up about her early life, give her a cuddle and remind her she will always be your baby girl

[vodkaanddietirnbru]

I was breastfed and started periods at 11. DD was bottle fed and showing no signs of puberty yet at age 9. Early puberty is counted as starting before the age of 8 so your lo isnt starting that young.

[Beanbagz]

I'd also heard it was linked to BMI so am not too worried about my almost 11 year old (bottlefed) DD who is on the 2nd centile for weight.

She's been developing breast buds for around 6 months so far and the mood swings are pretty terrible sometimes but no body hair and i've read that periods was the last thing in the list of development.

[issynoko]

All interesting thoughts - thanks very much. She is slim and tall for her age - low BMI. As is her Dad - lucky sods. No further development. I was breast then bottle fed - but glass bottles - and I was 12. Maybe she's got some time to be little yet! And yes - she will always be young enough for cuddles on my part!

[ItsRainingOutside]

I spent a lot of time with medical professionals when my dd showed signs of precocious puberty at a very young age (3). Thank God she didn't start her periods until she was 11 but had all the other signs very young. People are always surprised to learn that the average age for a girl to start her periods is 9 in Europe and 8 in the US. Most women believe 13 is the average age but it has reduced significantly over the past few decades.

[Abra1d]

Are you sure it is 9!?

[ItsRainingOutside]

Abra1d - Yes, absolutely.

[ItsRainingOutside]

LeoniDelt - I think you have been misinformed. Over half the girls in my dds class in Year 5 had started their periods. Some of them are so tiny and not at all showing physical signs of development. I'm amazed. Must be something they put in the water down here!! In fact, my dd is one of the later ones and she is 5'7" and weighs 9 stone.

[Abra1d]

My daughter is 14 and two months and hasn't started her periods. All the medical sites I have looked at (because I was slightly worried) say that 13 is the mean average age (in the UK)

[MyCatsRule]

I am not sure about the 7.5 stone thing either. I was definitely the biggest/tallest at school and didn't start until I was 11, nearly 12. I was easily over 7.5 stone by then and 5'8"! My 2 friends were tiny and both started at primary school - no way were they 7.5 stone!