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There's a new doll on the market that has many parents up in arms. It cries, it makes sounds when it eats, it burps when patted. Sounds reasonable so far, right? So what's the big issue with this doll? Apparently the fact that instead of coming with a bottle to feed it, this baby doll comes with a nursing bra-like halter top and is, indeed, meant to be "breast-fed" by children.
Spanish toy maker Berjuan has created Bebé Glotón (which, despite the literal translation of "Baby Glutton," is actually a term of endearment in Spanish culture), a doll specifically designed for young children to breastfeed. The doll, which is not yet available in the United States, makes suckling sounds and motions when placed on the pasty-like flowers on the halter top that represent nipples. You can see a Bebé Glotón demonstration here.
Bebé Glotón by Berjuan Credit: Berjuan.com
There have been a mix of reactions to this doll by bloggers across the 'net. Some see it as a positive thing, helping to normalize breastfeeding and combat the ubiquitous inclusion of bottles with dolls, while others think the doll is stifling creativity and simply not necessary. Still others think a breastfeeding doll is exposing young children to too much, too soon.
Cate, a self-professed lactivist who writes at Eco Child's Play, says she doesn't believe that "setting aside creative, imaginative free play for an instructional doll is the best for kids. The silly doll is simply encouraging parents to buy more 'stuff,' and plastic stuff at that. Let your kid put her own favorite baby doll up her shirt and 'breastfeed.'"
On the other hand, Catherine from Their Bad Mother believes, "marketing dolls as nursing dolls is necessary, I would argue, because it counters the dominance of dollies-with-bottles. Children can pretend to breastfeed any old doll, but they don't, and they don't, arguably, because pretty much all of those dolls come with what are more or less express instructions to bottle feed this baby, dammit."
Beth at The Natural Mommy said when she first heard about the breastfeeding doll, she thought, "Finally!," but the more she learned the more she thought Bebé Glotón "was a bit much."
It includes a vest that the girl has to wear with appropriately placed flowers for the baby to nurse on. But wait a minute? Isn't the biggest convenience of breastfeeding the lack of required materials? I mean, really, all you need is a baby that roots around and sucks on whatever you place near his mouth as soon as you hold him in a horizontal position. That's pretty darn realistic, if you ask me. I just don't think we're clearing up any confusion by having little girls put on special vests to breastfeed.
Plus, without the vest, you get rid of all critics raising an eyebrow at the 'appropriately placed flowers.'
But then the same people will be telling little girls to please use a nursing blanket or go the restroom to feed their baby dolls.
And then the baby doll nurse-ins will begin.
Touché.
Julia at Parent Dish believes there is a benefit to the doll. "Anything that encourages breast-feeding and empowers young girls to embrace the natural side of womanhood is a good thing."
Melissa at Rock and Drool, however, is adamantly against the doll stating there is "no way in HELL" she would ever buy this doll for her daughters and goes so far as to call it "ridiculous," "stupid," and "moronic." Melissa, who points out that she breastfed her three children, said, "Are you freaking kidding me? A DOLL to promote breastfeeding? In children? WHY??? I fail to see the notion of how a doll is going to promote something like breastfeeding. And I don’t understand why it’s necessary! Quite frankly, I can’t even voice why this doll disturbs me on so many levels. It does. It’s just…WRONG."
Julie from Julie's Health Club on the Chicago Tribune asks, "if it's OK for children to mimic bottle feeding a baby, why shouldn't they be encouraged to breastfeed a baby?
But in the U.S., breastfeeding is often seen as a sexual act, rather than vital nourishment. And despite the popularity of those tarty Bratz dolls, many parents are concerned that a breastfeeding doll is too much too soon. What's next? Playing house and pretending to make the baby?"
A commenter on Julie's Health Club reacted strongly by saying, "This is a sad,
