For a non-competitive 12 year old, have her wear a leotard (with sports bra is fine, even if it pokes out) and form-fitting shorts over the leotard. Go to a gym and look at the older girls on the team, and that's mostly what they will be wearing - she can wear that too. You can get special underwear for under leotards, but I'd just not bother, unless she's more comfortable with it (and with the shorts, no one will be able to tell).

Anonymous wrote:If OP's daughter is 12 and just starting gymnastics, isn't unlikely that she'll be competing?

OP here. I was thinking the same thing. She's not competitive by nature. She just wants to learn how to do it.

Anonymous wrote:Not to divert but DD is 4. I would feel weird having her be underwear free but as a result her little pantie sometimes show around the edges of her leotard. What did you all do when you were really little?

Underwear is fine at 4 but it's also fine without.

When my DD was around 5 older gymnasts told her not to wear underwear. She was embarrassed and no longer wears them.

If OP's daughter is 12 and just starting gymnastics, isn't unlikely that she'll be competing?

Not to divert but DD is 4. I would feel weird having her be underwear free but as a result her little pantie sometimes show around the edges of her leotard. What did you all do when you were really little?

Anonymous wrote:How old is your daughter?

12

For competition, little girls don't wear anything under the leotards.

Later they should have trunks that match the color and cut of the leotard, and any bra should also follow the line of the leotard. Some gyms/gymnasts favor a liner camisole, which is an all-in-one undergarment.

For practice shorts are fine.

How old is your daughter?

My daughter is a C cup. I guess girls do it all the time, but I'd hate to run with no bra.

I have a boy, but we have to sit through all of the meetings and read all of the e-mails where attire is discussed. Here is what I know. Underwear is fine for practice, but no underwear under leos during competition. There is thing stuff called Butt Glue. As far as bras, whatever your DD is comfortable with is fine during practice. No bras during competition. FWIW, while high back leos might have been common in the past, the new normal is open backs in competitive leos and a bra would definitely show. As far as her period, she will definitely need to use tampons. Good luck to your daughter.

We're not to the competing level and probably won't be for a long time.

Thanks for the advice! Very helpful!

Former competitive gymnast:

Sports bra is fine for practice. For meets, we had leotards with high backs. Nothing was allowed to be sticking out. We also sometimes had leotards with built in support. That worked well but l was like an AA...

Wore tampons. I guess you could do a pad with shorts. But certainly not for competition

My daughter recently started gymnastics. I've never done gymnastics and have a couple of stupid questions that I can't ask some random woman at the gym.

What is worn underneath a leotard? She has racerback sports bras. The straps show. Should I get another type?

She's worried about classes during her period and not willing to try tampons yet. Just go with her usual protection and a pair of shorts over the leotard?

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.