Is Your Daughter Ready for Her First Training Bra?

There are many different stages in a girl's life that she must go through to become a woman. One of those moments is the time in her life when she will need to start wearing a bra. For some girls the thought of wearing a bra is exciting and makes them feel as if they are mature. Others may struggle with it. As a mom you just want to do your best to make this experience a positive one. As a mom who is currently going through this stage with her own daughter I have some tips that I'd like to share.

How do I know if my daughter is ready to wear a bra?

This was one of the first questions I asked myself. I've come to find out that the answer won't be the same for each parent. However there are a few things to consider when determining whether or not she is ready for her first bra. Is she showing? Is it really noticeable? If so, is she comfortable with wearing one? Some girls may feel hesitant because they don't want to be one of the the only girls in their class who wears one. Others may be happy to find that they need one so that they can be like their peers who wear one. If your daughter is uncomfortable with wearing a bra because she will feel like an outcast you will want to talk about her fears with her and help her realize that every girl develops at their own pace. Another reason you may consider buying your daughter her first bra is that she may be having issues with sensitivity which a bra can help relieve.

How do I determine her bra size?

If your daughter is comfortable enough she can have them measured in store. If she doesn't feel comfortable with this you can always measure her at home. One way of determining proper bra size is to measure the area below her breasts. Take this number and add five inches to it. Round up to the nearest even number and this is the numeral portion of her bra size. Let's say that your daughter measures a 29. You would add five inches to make it a total of 34 inches. Since this is an even number you do not have to round up. If it were 35 inches you would round up to 36 inches. Next you will need to determine the size of her cup. To do this you simply measure the fullest part of her breast and subtract the first measurement. So say she measures out to be 33. You would subtract 29 inches from 33 inches and get the number 4. If the number is less than one inch she is a AA cup. If it is one inch she would need a A cup bra. For two inches she would need a B cup and for three inches a C cup. For every inch after you would go further into the alphabet to find her correct cup size.

How can I make purchasing her first bra a fun experience for my daughter?

There are many different ways you can make this experience fun for you and your daughter. Let her pick out a bra with a fun pattern and spring for the matching underwear. Fun patterns on bras can help make the transition fro bra-less to bra wearer more enjoyable for your daughter. If you have the money you can even let her pick out a new outfit to purchase as well. Taking your daughter out for ice cream or to her favorite fast food restaurant can help celebrate this new milestone. If shopping in public for a bra sounds intimidating to your daughter you can always shop online. Order a pizza and pop open a can of soda and you can throw a little party for her.