CONFIDENTLY
GO & GROW
you are free to grow at your own pace
Welcome to go & grow confidently, a website for individuals going through early puberty! While the content on this website is geared toward kids with female anatomy who are experiencing puberty earlier than expected, anybody can come on here to learn about the changes that occur during puberty, and ask questions on the ask anonymously page. I have done my best to make this an inclusive experience for all. If you come across content that makes you feel unsafe or left out, I would love to work with you to include your experience in the presentation of information.
Here are some handy definitions to help get you started on your journey to understanding early puberty:
PUBERTY
this is a period of time during which adolescents reach sexual maturity and become capable of reproduction. it includes lots of changes in your body and brain. the whole process starts when your pituitary glands release hormones that send signals to your ovaries telling them to start making more estrogen (another hormone!).
EARLY PUBERTY
early puberty is just a way of describing kids that become adolescents earlier than most other kids. for kids with female reproductive organs, this means developing breasts or beginning menstruation before the age of 11, or just before one's peer group. it can also include having a big growth spurt and developing body hair. early puberty can even feel isolating, because it tricks you into thinking you're the only kid going through it. however, you are not alone!
MENSTRUATION
this is another word for period. it is normal bleeding that occurs as part of a monthly cycle when your body is preparing itself for pregnancy. when no pregnancy occurs, the uterus (the body part where a baby would grow) sheds its lining - that's the blood you see. menstruation can cause cramping - a painful sensation in your lower abdomen. this, too, is totally normal.
BREAST BUDS
these are the beginnings of breasts. usually, they develop one at a time, and you can feel them under your nipples. it's totally normal for your breasts at this stage to differ in size. this is one of the ways your body is signaling to you that estrogen is starting to make its way around your body. your breasts might develop quickly, but it's also normal for them to keep growing until you're about 18.
Many kids with female body parts feel anxious, scared, confused, and hesitant about starting puberty early, or before their peers. One reason for that is that nobody really prepares young people for puberty. It can feel truly horrible to begin puberty before you begin any health education classes. One of the reasons for this is that you don't have the right knowledge or expectations for puberty. A way to prevent these feelings, though, is to know about and prepare for what's going to happen. This website will give you some crucial facts about puberty in females and let you know a little about the causes and effects of early puberty. The intention of this sit is to reduce and/or alleviate feelings of low self-esteem, lowered confidence, and ~~~~~~~~
symptoms of depression so that you can go & grow confidently.
read up on early puberty:
"Going through puberty as a young girl is so confusing. This monster invades your body, changes things and makes things grow, and no one tells you what's going on."
Katharine Isabelle