Breast feeding doll? Creepy or progressive?

[made_in_canada]

I work at a toy store and today we had a customer come in and asked us our opinion of this doll. On the one hand, I kind of think it's unnecessary because any kid that wants to pretend breast feed doesn't need a special doll to do it. And while it is sexualizing girls (in the truest sense of the word) I'm not convinced that having girls be aware of the capabilities of their adult bodies is really a bad thing. Barbies and Bratz bother me a whole lot more.

I was curious what other people thought from a variety of backgrounds.

[professordeb]

Just UGH! Stupid idea. If a little girl needs/wants to know about breast feeding, let her see the real thing.

[danceronice]

Creepy. But then I started getting weirded out when dolls starting actually 'eating' and...uh..voiding. And the robotic pets.

[PrincessLeppard]

Creepy.

From the website: "The Breast Milk Baby will revolutionize our nation’s attitudes to good infant health, while letting little girls share in the wonder and magic of motherhood. Shouldn’t they be ready for a healthy future?"

I just want to add "in the kitchen."

[my little pony]

the ad says "Little girls need to learn to breastfeed." i don't know that anyone young enough to want a doll should be learning to breastfeed unless she lives in a polygamous compound. then i would consider it vocational training.

[Norlite]

I'm more creeped out by the fact that the little girl looks remarkably like my granddaughter.

[Wyliefan]

the ad says "Little girls need to learn to breastfeed."

In the first place, as you say, little girls don't need any such thing. In the second place, haven't women been learning to do that for millennia without The Breast Milk Baby?

[shan]

the ad says "Little girls need to learn to breastfeed." i don't know that anyone young enough to want a doll should be learning to breastfeed unless she lives in a polygamous compound. then i would consider it vocational training.

Apparently that's the reason listed under "Why do Little Girls Need to Learn to Breastfeed?" That's such logical evidence and support!

[genevieve]

I find it revolting, but even when I was a child the idea of baby dolls produced an incredible rage in me. the mere suggestion that I should like playing with pretend babies (or real ones) was soooooooo insulting, even when I was 5 this doll doesn't even pretend there's anything going on other than indoctrinating the next generation of mommies

[TheGirlCanSkate]

I am anti any toy for very young children that has "bells and whistles". I usually removed the batteries from any toys (or let them die and not replace).

When my daughter pretended to breastfeed her dolls, she just held one to her chest and made drinking noises. I have no problem with breastfeeding or my daughter knowing about breastfeeding.

I managed to work full time and handled it just fine (with the aid of Medela). No commune involved.

[quartz]

I'm not sure I understand the actual application.....do little girls hold the doll up to their own chests to mimic breast feeding? Or does it come with some sort of fake boob as little girls don't have breasts?

[michiruwater]

How about we start running ads that encourage little boys to learn how to hold a doll and prepare them to be good fathers, too, instead of this unnecessary, weird stuff?

I had a Professor once comment on how the toys for little girls are mostly geared towards giving the impression that being a good mother might be the most important thing a girl will ever do, and how sad it was that none of the toys for little boys ever are designed to give the impression to boys that being a good father just might be equally as important in their lives. Two of the men in the class who had little boys went out and bought their boys dolls that night and sat and showed them how to hold the baby - together. That made me very happy.

[milanessa]

Just an advertising gimmick, IMO. Wouldn't be surprised to find out it's funded by the La Leche League. I doubt it will be popular.

[made_in_canada]

I am anti any toy for very young children that has "bells and whistles". I usually removed the batteries from any toys (or let them die and not replace).

When my daughter pretended to breastfeed her dolls, she just held one to her chest and made drinking noises. I have no problem with breastfeeding or my daughter knowing about breastfeeding.

I managed to work full time and handled it just fine (with the aid of Medela). No commune involved.

I'm anti bells and whistles too.

the ad says "Little girls need to learn to breastfeed." i don't know that anyone young enough to want a doll should be learning to breastfeed unless she lives in a polygamous compound. then i would consider it vocational training.

Creepy.

From the website: "The Breast Milk Baby will revolutionize our nation’s attitudes to good infant health, while letting little girls share in the wonder and magic of motherhood. Shouldn’t they be ready for a healthy future?"

I just want to add "in the kitchen."

Yeah, I was trying to overlook some of the language on the website. It's a little

[TheGirlCanSkate]

I went ahead and bought this: Hopefully she gets enough orders to go mainstream. THIS is a toy girls NEED.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...-toy-for-girls

[my little pony]

I'm not sure I understand the actual application.....do little girls hold the doll up to their own chests to mimic breast feeding? Or does it come with some sort of fake boob as little girls don't have breasts?

the doll comes with a "magic top" the little girl wears. there are flowers over the nipples. the baby sucks where the flowers are. not sure how it works.

[genevieve]

oh, that's even grosser than I thought

[Vash01]

Creepy. Disgusting.

[Japanfan]

In the first place, as you say, little girls don't need any such thing. In the second place, haven't women been learning to do that for millennia without The Breast Milk Baby?

Yeah. Although some women had wet nurses. And then in modern times some women chose not to breast feed. A breastfeeding doll is a great way to manipulate girls into thinking breastfeeding is the only way to go at a very way. Not that I have anything against breastfeeding. A lot of women choose to do it anyway - the majority. I just don't want to take the opportunity to make that choice away from girls.

[Twilight1]

I find this toy revolting.