these hormones work on their ovaries (where all the eggs that they might ever use have been stored since before they were born), as well as on their adrenal glands, so that they make more of the female sex hormones such as oestrogen (say east-row-jen) and progesterone (pro-jest-ter-own).

Both boys and girls have some of all of these hormones but boys have more androgens and girls have more oestrogens, and the different levels of these hormones make the differences in their bodies. It is the action of these hormones getting your body ready for adult life that we call Puberty.

Puberty is the time when a girl’s body grows into a woman’s body. The physical changes are necessary for a girl to reproduce (have babies) later in life. There is also the emotional part of puberty when a young person becomes an adult.

Puberty may begin as early as 7 or 8 years old or as late as 14 years old. The first thing you will notice will be growth of your breasts. At first, the gland just below the nipple starts to get bigger. This is called breast budding. This change means that the estrogen has started to work and the process of puberty has begun. It may take 4 or 5 years for your breasts to fully develop. You may want to start wearing a bra once your breasts start growing.

Girls go through many physical and psychological changes during puberty. These changes include body composition, fat distribution, menstruation, growth spurts, body and facial hair growth, body odor and skin changes. Girls’ changes :

• Bodies become curvier and hip bones widen.
• There is weight gain, particularly on the hips. This does not mean you have to start a diet to lose weight. In fact you would be unhealthy if you did not put on some weight. It just means that you are getting a womanly shape. Just continue to eat healthy foods and get regular exercise.
• Muscles get bigger and stronger, but they do not show up as much as boys’ muscles.
• Breasts start to develop. First they get a small swelling under the nipples, and then the whole breast area starts to get bigger.
• Menstruation (periods) starts.
• You may get some whitish jelly from your vagina before or in between periods. (Don’t worry it’s just your body’s way of cleaning itself.)

Everyone knows the teen years can be difficult — for both teens and parents. All those physical changes during puberty can make adolescents feel awkward and unsure of themselves. This is particularly true for girls when it comes to menstruation. For a girl, getting her first period is a physical milestone and a sign of becoming a woman. But it can also be confusing and scary, particularly if she encounters certain problems like irregular periods or premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Some girls and women have PMS (Pre-Menstrual Syndrome – sometimes called PMT or Pre-Menstrual Tension) which could mean that they feel:

• a bit tired or tense,
• a bit weepy, irritable or easily upset
• headachey, maybe a migraine headache
• bloated and full in their tummy  (like it’s full of air)

for a few days before and at the start of a period.

Not everyone has all these symptoms, and some girls do not have any. Sometimes girls find they have a lot more energy just before their period starts. These feelings usually do not last for more than a day or so, but if they are bothering you, have a talk to your mother or your doctor, because there are some things you can do which can make a difference to how you feel. (Ask mum to look up “Periods” in the Parenting section of the Child and Youth Health web-site for some more information).

PMS includes both physical and emotional symptoms that many females get right before their periods, such as:

• acne
• bloating
• fatigue
• backaches
• sore breasts
• headaches
• constipation
• diarrhea
• food cravings
• depression or feeling blue
• irritability
• difficulty concentrating
• difficulty handling stress

Different girls may have some or all of these symptoms in varying combinations. PMS is usually at its worst during the 7 days before the period starts and disappears soon after it begins. But girls usually don’t develop symptoms associated with PMS until several years after menstruation starts — if ever.