Some girls can't wait for them to come and look forward to their arrival as they would their birthday, first kiss, or a soccer championship.

Other girls dread them as much as eating a big plate of Brussels sprouts or changing the kitty litter.

But most girls have mixed feelings and are not quite certain why they have them and what to do about them. Boys don't have them, but they're likely to be curious about them.

What's the mystery subject? We're talking about breasts. If you're a girl, look down and there they are — or will be soon. They are just two mounds of flesh, but they get a lot of attention. As a girl matures and goes through puberty, breasts tell the world that this girl is leaving girlhood and entering a new stage in her life.


Because large breasts get attention (just look at magazines, TV, or movies), some girls may worry if their breasts are small or if they mature more slowly. Girls with large breasts may be unhappy, too, because their shape attracts attention they don't want. The truth is that beauty doesn't come in just one bra size. There are all sorts of female shapes and sizes in the world, and all are beautiful.

But breasts do more than just look nice. Girls have them so they can do an important job later in life. Someday, if the girl grows up to have a baby, her breasts can provide the milk the baby needs. Breast milk is the very best food for babies and mom is the source. And it doesn't matter if those breasts are small, medium, or large. All sizes can produce enough milk to feed a baby.