This is back in the news so I thought I’d repost it to see what everyone thinks 4 month later!
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A top story on my local newscast this evening was a story about a European doll, manufactured since 2009, hitting US Shelves. Why is it attracting attention?
Because it features an apron with flowers for nipples and a baby who makes sucking noises and cried to be nursed. The child puts the apron on and “nurses” her baby doll.
Bebe Gloton – or the “Breast Milk Baby”, is being released this spring on US Shelves.
I do not know how I feel about this baby doll. This toy that my children will no undoubtedly see on shelves of retailers in our area. And most likely ask for.
Would I buy it? Would I entertain the idea of buying it?
I don’t know.
When Megan was born, I had an almost 3 year old and an almost 2 year old. They certainly took notice of my breastfeeding and even asked if they could feed sometimes. I thought it was cute, even told them that they could, and laughed as they ran off – acting like silly girls. And I do remember Sarah sitting next to me with her baby “nursing” her as well.
But, in general, their baby dolls are bottle fed. It is how they came out of the package and I see no reason to encourage anything different.
I try to imagine my little girls, in their rooms, with a “nursing” coat on with flowers where nipples should be, “nursing” a toy that makes sucking noises while it does. And I have a hard time doing so without getting an icky kind of feeling.
But on the other hand, all three of my daughters were breastfed, and I see it as a natural occurrence in baby care. And it has never bothered me when moms have nursed in restaurants or stores or anywhere else.
So it would stand to reason that this doll would not bother me at all.
And yet it does.
Does that make me a hypocrite?
I don’t know.
So I turn to you – my trusty, amazing readers.
What are your thoughts on this controversial doll? Do you see it as a promotion of the lesson of human nutrition and education? Or do you think it feeds more fire to the dragon of making our children grow up too fat?
I really am interested in all sides and opinions!
ooooo i’m with you, I can’t quite get over the icky feeling either and can’t work out why! I breastfed all of my three…just stopped 3 days ago with my last boo hoo, but even so I dont think i like the idea at all!
Its just… weird?! You know?
I feel the same way!! I like the other doll though the one that comes with a Mom doll and a Baby doll and the Mom doll has a button and the baby doll has a snap and they connect so it looks like the Mom is breast feeding her baby. I think the whole idea of a child that young mimicking the act of breast feeding is what bothers me. I have seen many people breast feed their children and it does not bother me at all. Never mind the creepy sucking sound that doll makes!!
I have never seen that doll Rachel!! I’ll have to look it up! To me, simulation teaches nothing withstanding so why do it?
I think it’s the same thing as the peeing dolls. Everybody does it, but I don’t want my kids playing with a doll that does it though. I agree with Rachel too. It’s not the action or pretending that’s the problem. It’s HOW they do it. Pretending your doll pees or breastfeeds is fine. Having your doll actually have fluid leave it’s body or a baby doll “suck” another doll’s nipple is just icky.
AGREED!!! Maybe if it were just a silent doll… but the sounds kinda make me cringe!!
I just think it’s unnecessary.
It’s not like having/’nursing’ their doll will encourage them to breastfeed their kids in the future
I too feel uncomfortable thinking about it
Yes…. it just seems so wrong!!! Thank you for coming by!!
I heard about this a little while ago, and it really really grossed me out then. I feel the same way about it now. Does your child need to practice breastfeeding a baby when she, hopefully, will not need to worry about doing that for a good…15 to 20 years? While I breastfed and believe it is a natural and good thing, training a five year old to do it grosses me right out. That goes under the “You’ll tackle that when you get to it” category. Besides…a five year old breastfeeding is not in any way natural. ::shudder::
I agree!!! A 5 year old nursing is NOT nature!!! I wonder how long this doll will last here!
I bf all three of my kids, but I just don’t really see a need for this doll. I was able to explain it w/o a doll. I don’t know why this doesn’t sit right with me, but it doesn’t.
I agree Shell! It does not sit right with me either. I am still fighting the image of one of my daughters doing it!
I see I’m in the minority, but it doesn’t really bother me. Abbey breastfeeds her dolls all the time; Dylan never really took a bottle, so for her feeding a baby implies breastfeeding, even though we have bottles, too.
The sucking sound kinds of icks me out a little, but I know in my house the doll and the apron would be in the same room for about a day, and then the apron would be at the bottom of a stuffed animal bin somewhere and wouldn’t get used.
I don’t know if you are so much in the minority or just more right there in the middle. The concept may not bother you but the sounds and the graphic nature of it might? And yes, this doll would blend into the rest of the toys. But at $119, maybe not… LOL
I find this a bit creepy. Not that I have a problem with breastfeeding ( I did it) but I think this would cause confusion for little ones. Yes, it is natural and the best for baby but with our “oversexed” world this could potentially create more problems than good…. I see this as a decision or act that should be made by an adult, not copied by a child. (Just my opinion)
And a fair and good opinion as well! I wonder too if letting little girls do all that mommies do, we are asking them to grow too fast. I know it is a doll, a toy, and can be spun to the positive. Does it have to be so graphic too?
I saw this on a tv show & was instantly grossed out. I mean, I think breast feeding should be encouraged, but it’s so creepy to think of little girls who don’t even have breasts using this…
And therein lies my issue… the ick factor is high on this one. I am not opposed to BFing, or even my kids pretending to BF… but to have a doll making sucking noises? Ick!
I have to say I’m not categorically opposed to the doll. I try to keep an open mind to the extent possible, but I do wonder why anyone would think it’s necessary. Let kids use their imagination for a few things. Little girls who have seen mommies nursing babies have always pretended to nurse their own babies. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s their own creativity and imagination that makes it real. The idea of a doll and apron for play nursing is icky because some adult thought it was necessary to make one. No thank you.
A good point as well. Especially from the “imagination” viewpoint. If the kids toys do everything, when do their brains kick in?
I wonder why nursing tends to end up in the category of ‘controversial’? Anything to break that stigma is great. Nursing doll has my vote if it makes people get over their unrealistic fear of the nursing topic.
Hmm -that is an interesting point. Will this “doll” – introduced as a toy lead us to a conversation that makes nursing less “taboo” and “something to be done in a locked room”? I hope so, I feel so bad when mothers have to get up with their baby, their bag, and leave their friends and family just to feed their baby.
I think a breastfeeding doll is a great concept. Why do we have to teach our children that bottle feeding is the norm? Breastfeeding should be the norm. I am still breastfeeding my 2 year old. My 4 almost 5 year old boy witnesses it all the time and I am very open about it. He used to “breastfeed” his stuffed duck when he was 3. LOL I don’t think it is at all the same thing as a peeing doll. I hate that breastfeeding always gets compared to urinating. Not the same thing at all!
I agree – not at all the same thing!!! I BF’d all of mine and am fine with the imitation aspect of it. It is the fact that a doll makes sucking noises while playing that is my ick factor! I don’t know why I can not get past that!