Back in 2009, we reported on a bizarre breastfeeding baby doll, Bebe’ Gloton, which we believed added to the unwarranted taboo that surrounds nursing in the American culture — read our opinions here. Re-named ‘The Breastmilk Baby,’ this interactive toy, which makes sucking noises to mimic what a real infant sounds like when breastfeeding, is now available in the States. Promoted with taglines the “magic of motherhood,” (although we all know the art of breastfeeding is hardly a magical undertaking, but a learned skill for both mother and child) and “a lesson for life,” this doll enables pre-pubescent girls to strap on pasties to denote nipples (referred to as a “fashionable halter top”) and pretend to nurse a baby, “just like mommy.”
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Apparently, many American mothers have been long-awaiting The Breastmilk Baby’s stateside debut. Manufacturer Berjuan Toys U.S. representative Dennis Lewis offers, “The Breast Milk Baby has sold millions throughout Europe. It is a wonderful, high quality product that mimics one of the world’s most natural mothering abilities. We’ve been asked by millions of U.S. women to offer the doll here and we’ve been graciously embraced by dozens of advocacy groups that endorse the doll.”
Berjuan adds, “…acting just like ‘mommy,’ girls can learn another natural nurturing skill about taking care of a baby. Just like changing, bathing, swaddling, singing, rocking to sleep, and cuddling for a healthy baby.”
How could this possibly fall under over-sexualization of young girls?! Teaching them what breasts are meant for instead of just portraying them as sex objects?!
Hey Beth-
Personally I’m not a fan of plastic baby dolls, but if girls are going to have dolls – and we know they imitate their moms – then I think this is a good thing. Certainly better than baby dolls who suck from bottles and then pee (I had one of these when I was a kid). Since we know there is a market for these kinds of ‘real life’ dolls, shouldn’t we at least encourage ones that encourage breastfeeding over bottle feeding?
Of course, kids will imitate moms nursing – I certainly did as a child – and all that is really needed is their favorite teddy bear instead of an elaborate doll and strange halter tops.
How are young girls being over-sexualized by this? This is a toy that teaches young girls about the *actual purpose* of breasts, instead of myriad other toys and media that simply portray breasts as sex objects! This concept is on entirely the right track, referring to is as over-sexualization seems like an incorrect expression in support of seeing breastfeeding as taboo.
Another thing to add here – I don’t think that breastfeeding ‘sexualizes’ girls and to conflate breastfeeding and sexuality I think is the exact issue of why so many people in this country are so weird and prudish about breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is not sexual – it is a normal human activity of feeding your child, and something that I thing young girls (and even boys if they want to) should emulate.
I don’t see how this is over-sexualizing girls. Breastfeeding proponents, myself included, emphasize how breastfeeding is not a sexual thing. It’s a natural way for a mother to nourish her child. If that is the case, how is this doll over-sexualizing girls?
I have absolutely nothing against this, as breastfeeding is so natural. BUT i must admit, if i had a daughter ( i have boys ) I would find it a little awkward to see her breastfeeding her dolly :S but hey i’d probably find it awkward to see her doing it when shes an adult with a real child, its hard to let our children grow up so fast <3
I think that teaching children about breastfeeding is a wonderful thing, I just don’t think they need to purchase a doll and pasties in order to learn about it. Jill, in our first post about this doll, there’s a picture of you ‘nursing’ your teddy bear. This is what my daughter did organically with one of her baby dolls every time I nursed her brother. I encouraged this and educated her as to why breastfeeding is best for babies. I never felt compelled to put her in a halter top and buy a special doll that makes sucking noises to share this beautiful experience with her. Yes, of course it’s a great thing to have dolls that promote nursing, over bottles, but why can’t this doll just be sold without the fake nipples? Our daughters already have a pair.
A fair argument, but what about the other side of the coin… Maybe a doll that goes this far toward emulating the physical aspect of nursing a baby will actually help add to the “realness” of it. Wouldn’t a baby doll that you play with and dress up and do all the fun things with but don’t breastfeed make having a baby seem more cool and fairytale-like than one that you do?