Does this new doll suck? (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)
In case you haven’t heard, Spanish toymaker Berjuan has designed a breastfeeding doll known as Bebe Gloton (which roughly translates into “Gluttonous Baby).
Here’s how it works: The child playing with the doll puts on a halter top (with flowers placed over the nipple area) and when the child holds the doll’s mouth near the flower the doll makes a sucking sound.
The purpose of Bebe Gloton is to promote breastfeeding and teach children early on that breastfeeding is natural, but as you can imagine, plenty of folks are flipping out over this new toy.
See:
(Did that congressman’s comment piss off anyone else, or is it just me?)
Honestly, I’m not sure how I feel about Bebe Gloton.
I do think that if you’re okay with giving your child a doll that cries, drinks from a bottle and actually makes a mess in its diaper, it’s hypocritical to say this doll goes to far because breastfeeding is just as natural as all of those other things.
I know that most people find the doll creepy because it acknowledges (gasp!) breasts. But that’s only a big deal because we’ve made it one.
I, however, have a problem with most baby dolls, because they can be used to (though usually unintentionally) foster stereotypes that child rearing is a female job and that motherhood should be a girl’s primary life goal. No, I’m not saying if you buy your daughter a doll you’re sexist, (yes, I had plenty when I was a little one) nor am I saying it’s wrong if a woman does make motherhood her focus.
But I do have a problem with doll culture in general and even though I’m a great supporter of breastfeeding, Bebe Gloton can’t change that.
What do you think of a breastfeeding baby doll?
I think the dolls aren’t going to sell all that well anyway. There are only two people who should be throwing up a fuss about these dolls: 1) The manufacturers: if you start throwin’ heat on your own product you will get buzz and 2) congressmen and women who are trying to take our attention off of healthcare.
And as a parent, I think if there aren’t going to be younger siblings in the future, it would be a good idea to get some hands on experience. But if your child is gonna be helping with a real baby, why bother with a doll that looks and behaves like a real one? I don’t think they are going to sell many dolls under the notion that they are educating little kids in parental care. If breastfeeding were as easy as the doll makes it out to be, its honestly deceiving them and they are in for a rude awakening once they have kids.
the doll is ridiculous! what next a doll that comes out of your vagina(i hope i can say that word on GeorgiaMae)!!
i just dont get the point of it. the doll isnt going to help the whole breast feeding issue. in my opinion its going to just make people more weird about the issue.
I really don’t have a reason for my opinion, but it just looks and feels wrong to me. I agree with the female on the video…other activities are natural, and we encourage children to mimic those. Little girls should not be thinking about what’s going on with or what they plan to do with their breasts. period.