When Did Your Daughter Start Wearing a Training Bra?

My older daughter developed a lot earlier than my younger one, so I got the older one some when she was 9, and the younger one was 11 when she got hers. I didn't worry so much about how old they were but rather by how developed and self-conscious they were about it. Both of them came to me and said they'd like to get some, so that's when we bought them.

I think we were in 4th grade when my friends & I all got
training bras. They were the pull over kind. They kind of look like sports
bras w/thinner straps.

My friends' daughters, also, started their kids w/these training bras at the
age of 8 though. So I would just take her shopping & get one of those.
Make it a "big girl shopping" experience w/you then go out to lunch to
celebrate. Plus this will make her feel better about her changing body.

I asked this same question about 9 months ago about my daughter who was 9. I got the "training bras" from Walmart & Target. Some days she wears them, some not if the shirts aren't too clingy. Now that warm weather is here, I've had to remind her a couple of times to put one on when wearing a more fitted shirt. She loved them at first, but has come to realize, they aren't the most comfortable things in the world. She even said to me, "mommy I understand why you take yours off after dinner". haha

Good luck!

Justice has those cami's with the lining. I know my niece wore those for training. And they are super cute for layering. My little one wants to wear them!!

I think about 8 is pretty much on target.

My daughter did not like undershirts. She wore tight trainer top bra. At the time, I think I got them at Kohl's because they had a selection of some cute trainer bras and I let her pick out what she wanted.

If you think she needs one, get one. SD was 10 and I was 11. Mine were more sports bra like and SD's were more real-bra-like (but that was her mom's call). You have a family history of developing early so you might need to put her in a bra or something at a younger age.

You might also look into camisoles. Some have extra layers for a "built in bra" effect without being a bra.

10. she's 11 now and still hates them.
I opted for the tanktops with the lining in them. Those are what her 15 yr old cousin wears and it works out for her.
She will wear the tanktops under her shirts with no problem.

When she started showing too much through her clothes -- at about 9. I needed a bra in 3rd and was also in a C cup very early. It was absolutely humiliating and uncomfortable, and my mother was tremendously insensitive on that issue. I think you're taking the right approach.

Tank tops with lining. No bra. Does not sound like she really needs one.

The pencil test seemed to govern in my day. If your boobies were big enough to hold up a pencil underneath them, you needed a bra. If not, then, no need.

That test is a bit antiquated though. Let her know what her options are, and let her make a decision.

good luck to you and yours,
F. B.

My daughter started wearing a sports bra last year when she turned 10. Prior to that, she wore undershirts starting in 3rd grade. She is still wearing sports bras as they're comfortable to her. As soon as she needs more support, we will switch to a regular bra.

My daughter is 9 and I just recently found camisole tops at Kohl's that have a shelf bra in them. She loves them! I was surprised that they weren't over with the underwear, though. They were on one of those shelf units - one side had regular tank tops and the other had these camisoles. At any rate, the shelf bra doesn't provide much support, but certainly adds two more layers of fabric under her shirt so outlines don't show through. I feel her modesty is protected and she feels grown up. Win-win.

Yep 8yrs old. Had some little buds and the materiel on her tops irritated her..
She also liked under shirts

My daughter has been wearing them since she turned 9 or so. She's 10.5 now and wearing a 32A, so we are buying her "real" bras as well as sports bras. Pink (Victoria's Secret) carries a training bra/sports bra that is great for the stage you are describing. They are still my daughter's favorite. I saw the other day that Justice for Girls carries some cute training bras too.

My DD wears lined camisoles from Justice under everything. Or Victoria secret sells cotton sports bras in the pink line. They are modest cute colors they have a little dog stitched on the side and my DD likes those too.
L

Holy cow! 9 years old and wearing a training bra?! Nooooooooo! I need my little girl for a few more years!

The simple answer is when something puffy/raised is showing through her clothes, it's time for some coverage. My DD developed early as I did and we just incorporated thin sports bras into her clothes routine and moved up to things with more coverage as needed. Age has nothing to do with it. If you don't make it a big deal, it won't be a big deal. Good luck with all the other "girl" things that will be coming your way in the near future. It's a wild and wonderful ride - enjoy!

When my SD was 6, her mother would buy her those little kid bras and she wanted to wear them ALL THE TIME. No reason to really, but she wanted to be grown up. I tried to talk her out of them because they usually bunched up under her shirts and she'd be constantly pulling on them because she didn't really need them.

Then at about age 8 she stopped wearing them because they rode up and annoyed her too much.

About age 9 her breast buds started and she was self-conscious about them so I suggested she wear those little cami bras but she DIDN'T WANT TO.

Then at age 10 she really needed a bra or her buds poked out and you could see her nipples through her tee shirts. I bought her some sports bras and some regular bras with a tiny bit of padding to hide the nipples. She didn't want to wear a bra, so she wore baggy tee shirts.

Now she won't go anywhere without a bra, but would DIE if anyone saw her wearing one.

So in a nutshell, she wanted to wear one when she didn't need to, didn't want to wear one when she needed to, and now wears one but doesn't want anyone to know. *sigh*

That's pretty much what I did with my daughter. She didn't need them at 8, she was a little older... like 9, 9 1/2 maybe? (she's almost 12 now, so it is hard to remember exactly)...

We have a friend (with a daughter a few years older) who gives us hand-me-downs from time to time. Some training bras were in some of the clothes around that time. And I bought her a few bralette cami type things. I just told her if she wanted to wear them, she could. Sometimes she did, sometimes she didn't... really kind of depending on what she was wearing elsewise.

Now she wears an actual bra (not a bralette) but I am having a difficult time with what to buy. If I look for an "actual bra" they are too formed. If I go with the not-quite-a bra, they aren't thick enough to keep her unembarrassed. I managed to find a handful that fit the bill, but now she needs a bigger band (34, not 32 anymore) and I can't find ANY. :(

I would buy a few various types of bralettes in different styles, and let her decide if/when she wants to wear them.

J.:

My daughter was 9 when she got her first bra and it wasn't a training bra. It was a sports bra. I like that you are thinking sports bras!

Like you - I was in the 4th grade when got my first bra - it's like my breasts grew overnight. No kidding. One day - flat - the next day - WHAM!! I was an "A" cup and by the 5th grade a "C" cup. All through high school I was a D to DD and still am.

There are also the camisole shirts that have the "bras" lined in them. If she's a "Girly-Girly" and likes to wear camisoles, look for those as well!

You go, Mom!!!