SO are my daughters the only ones who want to wear bras all the time?

[TravelingChris]

I did not instill this in them. While they do not need to cover up like in a burka since they have no problems wearing swim suits, shorts, athletic tank tops, etc, they are much more modest than I was at their age. My older one is so bad that I think she will have to find a sedation gynecologist when it comes time for pap smears. Actually, that is another question I have. At what age do non tea involved women go to a gynecologist for an exam? I know I had to go before since I had a yeast infection in the days before over the counter medications. Now we have that so when do I tell her she needs to go?

[PiCO]

I did not instill this in them. While they do not need to cover up like in a burka since they have no problems wearing swim suits, shorts, athletic tank tops, etc, they are much more modest than I was at their age. My older one is so bad that I think she will have to find a sedation gynecologist when it comes time for pap smears. Actually, that is another question I have. At what age do non tea involved women go to a gynecologist for an exam? I know I had to go before since I had a yeast infection in the days before over the counter medications. Now we have that so when do I tell her she needs to go?

 

My daughter wanted to wear a bra under her swimsuit for diving. (Coach said no- just get a tighter swimsuit.)

 

LOL at a sedation gynecologist! I want one of those too.

 

Dd's pediatrician said some doctors in her practice do "lite" gyn exams for first-timers. I don't know what that means. She suggested 16-17 yrs old for a first exam (I think.)

[Mrs Mungo]

Chris-I have no advice, I'm right there with you.

[Wheres Toto]

My oldest dd wears two bras at a time for dance - a regular, underwire type bra and a sports bra. She often wears a bra and a tank top under a shirt to school (although the tank is more a layered look thing since it shows.) She definitely didn't get this from me since I hardly ever wear bras. I am trying to discourage her from wearing them to bed.

 

It's definitely not modesty - she wears bathing suits, leotards, shorts, skirts, etc. so I'm not sure what it is.

 

My gyn recommends a first visit around 15-16. I'm planning to make dd an appointment when I go next. DD isn't worried about it at all. Not that she's looking forward to it but it doesn't scare her. I've been told the first exam is not an internal exam (unless they are sexually active) and will include a lot of discussion about health and safety.

[Hathersage]

I read on WebMD that they've recently changed recommendation for starting the Pap smear. It is now 21 for first exams. Unless your active, in the case with 3 years of becoming active.

[hsbeth]

My older two girls (almost 14 and 12) wear theirs day and night also. Perhaps it's a generational thing? It seems much more common than when I was younger. I suggest that it's not necessary, but allow them to wear them.

 

Regarding the gyn. I thought the rule was 18 or when active.

[stripe]

It's been changed to a recommendation of 21 or when active.

 

I had friends in college who were shocked when I expressed surprised that they wore bras at night! They thought I was weird not to. Maybe it's a size thing?

[Pamela H in Texas]

My daughter wears a bra day and night.

 

I think my daughter will have to be put under for a gyn exam. I'm sure of it. UGH at the very thought of trying to convince her.

[Kalypso]

My 2 wear theirs all the time, too.

[Guest]

Mine fought getting one for years, sobbed that I was trying to kill her when I bought the softest cotton one I could find; now wears underwire one all the time and will not consider anything else.

[RoughCollie]

My DD is modest and she always wears a bra.

[Janasjots]

Don't know what all you're getting for your daughters to wear at night but you might want to move them towards a nighttime lightweight cotton bra. The studies coming out are showing more and more that the more time spent in a bra, the higher the risks of breast cancer due to the constriction that stops the lymphatic flush.

It's so funny to hear all this because my mom insisted that wearing a bra day and night stopped sagging. After 5 kids, I can attest to the fact it didn't make a spit of difference! And now I'm hearing ya'll can't get your daughters out of them. Interesting.

[Margo out of lurking]

My dd just stopped wearing bras to bed. Now she'll wear jackets over her t-shirt/pj tops instead when she's out of her room. It's not like she's huge or anything, she just feels that she's "out there" and wants to cover up.

 

I have read that a gyn exam is unnecessary for teens unless there is a specific need for it. Whatever the case, I'll encourage my dd to go before she gets married--although I can see that might cause some women to stay single forever. ;)

[TracyR]

I can't even get my 12 yr old to wear a bra. Not even a sports bra even though I've bought her some. I'm not sure what her adversion to bras are. I have to wear one.

Not sure about wearing the bra to bed, I could never do it , not even when I breastfed.

[KidsHappen]

I have a family dr. and he has said that non-active girls that are not planning on using BC have no need for a pap. Risks are extraordinarily low for these girls and as long as everything appears to be working as it should no need for a dr. to go poking around. My oldest did have her first until right before she got pregnant with gb at 23, 18 yr. old hasn't had one yet and 17 yr. old got one about two years ago because she went on BC for medical reasons.

[caitlinsmom]

I always wore mine day or night. I still wear it most of the time, although now its because I fall asleep at the drop of a hat and forget to even change! LOL Gotta love motherhood.

 

My reason for it when I was a teen was because I had poor circulation and I was cold ALL. THE. TIME. This led to some um embarassing situations. :D I was a very self concious kid so it was kind of a protection thing.

[Guest Katia]

I can't even get my 12 yr old to wear a bra. Not even a sports bra even though I've bought her some. I'm not sure what her adversion to bras are. I have to wear one.

Not sure about wearing the bra to bed, I could never do it , not even when I breastfed.

 

I was glad to read your post, as I was starting to wonder if I was the only one with teens that didn't want to wear bras, LOL. My girls HATE them, and that is probably an understatement. Oh, they will put them on whenever they go out in public, but at home.....nope. And never, ever, ever to bed! That would be torture!! :D They both feel that bras are bad for you (health-wise) and only wear them in public because it's socially acceptable and for modesty.

[Guest Katia]

I have a family dr. and he has said that non-active girls that are not planning on using BC have no need for a pap. Risks are extraordinarily low for these girls and as long as everything appears to be working as it should no need for a dr. to go poking around. My oldest did have her first until right before she got pregnant with gb at 23, 18 yr. old hasn't had one yet and 17 yr. old got one about two years ago because she went on BC for medical reasons.

 

Thank you for posting this as it affirms what I had been feeling/thinking all along. I have a 20yo that will be 21 soon, and she was asking me this very thing (not eagerly, I might add) over spring break. I think my 17yo would rather die. Literally. So, I'll share this bit of welcome news with them. Thanks!

[Paula in PA]

My dd insists on wearing hers all the time, day and night. She'd wear one under her swimsuit if she could! She says it makes her feel more comfortable. BTW, she will only wear sports bras at this point, though she could probably manage a (small) cup bra. I also wear a bra (supportive) regularly during the day and usually one (soft cotton) at night as well. I used to not wear one at night, but kept getting pains and my dr. suggested wearing one to see if that helped. It did.

[AngieW in Texas]

I asked my doctor about first gyn visit and she said not until 21yo unless sexually active or having issues like yeast infections.

 

My oldest wears her bras day and night. I don't understand how she could possibly sleep in a bra, but after wearing a Boston brace, nothing else can be difficult. She just recently switched from sports bras to lightly padded bras with hooks.

 

It took a long time to get my middle dd into a bra. She wore camis for a long time first. Now she has upgraded from regular sports bras to more supportive sports bras that are lightly padded (she was showing through).

 

My youngest took to bras without any issues, but the only bras she likes are the sports bras at Justice.

 

I had to sleep in a bra when I was pregnant with my oldest because I started leaking milk when I was 5mo pregnant with her. I kept waking up soaked. I finally started wearing nursing bras with pads all the time because I was soaking through. My OB had never had this happen with a first pregnancy before. The day my milk came in, I actually busted the seams in my bra. I had to leave work in a hurry to go buy a new bra. That didn't happen with my other pregnancies, only my first.

[Janasjots]

Don't know what all you're getting for your daughters to wear at night but you might want to move them towards a nighttime lightweight cotton bra. The studies coming out are showing more and more that the more time spent in a bra, the higher the risks of breast cancer due to the constriction that stops the lymphatic flush.

It's so funny to hear all this because my mom insisted that wearing a bra day and night stopped sagging. After 5 kids, I can attest to the fact it didn't make a spit of difference! And now I'm hearing ya'll can't get your daughters out of them. Interesting.

 

I've been thinking on this a little more this evening. I was sharing what I'd read in medical studies. However, the increase in breast cancer has undoubtedly got some other contributing factors here because we didn't see a sharp rise in breast cancer during the corset era, not did it go down sharply when we moved from corsets to bras. Just had to add that in case some poor mom is out there in a panic over that post.