Are tender lumps on my daughter the beginnings of breasts forming?

Last updated on October 26, 2020

Question:

My 11-year-old daughter has quarter-sized bumps under her nipples. These bumps are only tender if pushed. I assume these lumps are breast buds. Do breast buds come and go as the breast is forming? How long does the tender lump usually stay?

Answer:

Breast tissue does change size depending on the amount of water and fat being stored in the body at the moment. The changes are not greatly noticed in adults, but when the breasts are first forming, small changes are noticeable because the breast buds are small.

Yes, the lumps are the breast buds, the first stage in the development of breasts. They are tender to the touch and will go through a phase when they ache without even being touched because of growth. The lump is actually the beginnings of the milk-producing glands, which will take about four years to fully develop. The tenderness will come and go since it is a symptom of growth and growth in any part of the body is not constant or continuous.

Response:

Thank you!