Breasts & Bras / Question
Published: September 14, 2000
Dear TeenHealthFX,
Hi. I am 11 years old. My mother bought me 1 bra and told me to try it on, but at that time I didn't. Now, I think I need to wear 1, so I tried it on. I don't know if it is my size, how could I know? About how many bras should I have at home? I can't ask my mom since it is too hard to talk about the topic together. I just can't open my mouth and ask her, it is so embarrassing.
Signed: Anonymous About Bras
Dear Anonymous About Bras,
A good time to start wearing a bra for support is when your breasts begin to develop. Sizing of a bra is important because one that is too big or to small does not offer any support to your growing breasts. TeenHealthFX recommends that you take a look at the question "Bra Size and Info" for more information on choosing and fitting a bra correctly.
As far as how many bras you need right now... You should wear a bra each day and you need to wash them regularly so 2-3 bras will probably be good for you.
In order to get more bras, you probably need to discuss this with your mother. From your question, we can tell that this is going to be difficult for you to do and understandably so. Talking to your mom about such a personal issue can be embarrassing and hard, but something you definitely need to do. Try to get over this fear, by practicing what you will say beforehand. Try to talk to her when it is just the two of you so that there is no outside interference or embarrassment of talking in front of someone else like a sibling. Also, keep in mind that your mother is a woman who has gone through many of these same issues when she was growing up. She probably will understand your embarrassment and may feel a little shy about this stuff too. In time, talking about this kind of personal stuff will get easier. It is better for you to ask her questions now and get some practice at it, so you can ask her more difficult questions later on, like about your period. This is all part of growing up and gaining your independence.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
Persons aged 15-24, who represent only 14% of the 
