Bebe’ Gloton, a new breastfeeding baby doll made by Spanish toymaker Berjuan, is meant to encourage and educate young girls with regard to nursing. But we wonder if some strange design choices for Bebe’ Gloton (literally Glutton Baby) backfire in terms of normalizing breastfeeding and actually have the opposite effect: reinforcing the nursing taboo. The Glutton baby doll is packaged alongside a halter top equipped with red flower shaped pasties meant to portray nipples. Girls ‘breastfeed’ this baby doll by donning the halter top and holding Bebe’ Gloton to their ‘chest’ while the doll makes loud sucking noises followed by a big belch.
No, this is not a joke post, although it would make a good one. Watch the video above to see Bebe’ Gloton in action.
We have no idea why, in this day and age, the act and topic of breastfeeding is so taboo. Pictures of mothers breastfeeding their children are considered “obscene images” by some, and while laws about nursing in public are currently being made more favorable for moms, breastfeeding while out and about is still far from a comfortable endeavor for most. The media buzz over Bebe’ Gloton isn’t helping matters. This doll has been met with harsh criticism across the board, and justifiably so.
There are so many things wrong with Bebe’ Gloton, that it’s hard to know where to begin. Breastfeeding aside, in a world (albeit perhaps slightly varying by cultures) where breasts are so intently regarded as sexual symbols, and girls spend way too much time worrying about their development and sex appeal, especially with regard to their breast size, do we really need to give them a halter top which allows them to slip on breasts at a prepubescent age?
Teaching a young girl about breastfeeding, especially when she has a younger sibling who is nursing, is a wonderful idea… but having her partake in the act herself, by strapping on fake boobs is grossly inappropriate. Senior Editor of Inhabitots, Abigail Doan remarks, “Bebe’ Gloton is so bizarre, and it honestly reminds me, in some odd way, of little girls having to play adult too soon. Sort of like young girls who are dressed up and made up for beauty pageants. This doll exemplifies the mysteries which persist with regard to breasts — still not being properly taught to women coming of age.” In the image shown above, founder of Inhabitots, Jill Fehrenbacher, at age 3, is nursing her teddy bear. She asserts that children are curious about breastfeeding, but can be taught about the act in more natural ways, that don’t include a sucking baby doll and pasties.
We’re fans of this birthing and nursing doll, which demonstrates the act of giving birth and breastfeeding in and of itself. Children may play and interact with the doll, and it may be used as a great teaching tool. These Mini Mama dolls are another option which may teach children about nursing without them having to grow up long before their time.
What do you think? Is Bebe’ Gloton a useful tool in encouraging breastfeeding, or a distasteful doll that only adds to the breastfeeding taboo?
via Thingamababy
I just can’t watch the video. It seems to be making a mockery of breast feeding, not promoting it. Besides, kids are real good at playing pretend and they don’t need a special doll for pretending to breast feed! I’m afraid of what they might come up with next!
Gosh, I don’t get all the fuss and negativity about this doll? Don’t get me wrong. I don’t advocate electronic toys, especially in dolls which should be soft and cuddly and not plastic. I prefer simple wholesome more natural battery-free toys for my young child. Toys which engage the imagination — like the other two Waldorf dolls in the post. But being that there are electronic dolls that cry, crawl, eat, drink bottles, poop and a large consumer audience for such dolls well then a breastfeeding doll makes sense for them. That audience could use a doll that promotes breasfeeding over bottles. I remember feeding bottles to my baby dolls but i never pretended to breastfeed because i never had that modeled to me or even presented as an option. I think there’s nothing wrong with a young girl pretending to be a mother and to nurture her baby as nature intended. I think the flat halter top with pasties is amusing frankly and a creative way to get around girls lifting their tops and exposing themselves which i’m sure would really cause an uproar with some people in a breastfeeding-unfriendly culture. Does it look too much like pasties to the rest of us and make it unsettling? Maybe! I’ll grant that a girl walking around in public with such a halter top is not a good idea but in the context of playing mother at home (not stripper!) I don’t see how it contributes to early sexualization as breastfeeding is not sexual. Yes, they could come up with a better idea than this halter top. But I don’t see how it contributes to early sexualization as breastfeeding is not a sexual act. If anything it could do the opposite by presenting the idea that breasts actually have a natural purpose like feeding babies. Barbies and Bratz dolls are another story altogether. What do they say about breasts?! From some of the hoopla you’d think girls were strapping on prosthetic breasts. Get a grip everyone. Breastfeeding is a beautiful thing.
O.K. it might be ‘growing up too soon’ but if the child’s mother is breastfeeding, it could be very appropriate. The only ‘bizarre’ thing I saw were the doll’s very weird eyelashes!
BEBE GLOTON ( The breastfeeding doll) is available in the USA . check ebay , amazon or buy from the distributor at http://www.bebegloton.us
My 3 year old, since age 1, has played with dolls and “nursed” them by yanking up her shirt and placing them appropriately. What’s inappropriate about a doll which makes noises when she does it? Yeah the play “nipples” are kind of weird….on the other hand, if your freaking out about play nipples, I guess you would triple freak out at seeing OMG bare chested toddlers! So I guess the fake nipples are for people like this reviewer who freak out at the idea breastfeeding.
@garyamort What a sad day and age, when because someone has a differing opinion, you feel the need to insult them. I have breastfed both of my children, and still am breastfeeding my 11 month old. I do so regularly in public, without going under cover, as I feel it’s my duty to make the general population more comfortable with the natural, healthy act, done in plain sight. I am not “freaking out” about anything, simply stating my opinion. And what does a bare chested toddler have to do with play nipples, which you yourself said were “kind of weird.”