RWN's Freak Out Over European Breastfeeding Doll

[one...two...tree 2,762]

A Spanish toy company is about to retail its "Breast Milk Baby"—a doll that comes with a harness and so that children can learn about breastfeeding—and predictably, conservatives are freaking out. Though the doll is already popular in Europe, and the company insists it is meant to encourage nurturing behavior in young children, it has already received protest thanks to coverage by Fox and ABC. Forbes reports:

Back in March, Berjuan Toys caused a stir when it first offered the dolls online. Outlets such as

Fox News

and

ABC

got wind of it, and suggested that the doll was perverted and would force girls to grow up too quickly. To outraged critics who think the doll potentially teaches kids about baby-making too early, Lewis maintained that breastfeeding has absolutely nothing to do with sex.

“By learning about a healthy, natural way to feed a baby, boys and girls are not being sexualized in any manner… As an American, I find it hard to believe that we are letting a silly misconception about something as wholesome as breastfeeding be turned into a taboo subject,” [berjuan Toys spokesperson Dennis Lewis] argued, adding that decades ago, our grandmothers would have laughed at all this controversy. “Until a few multinational companies started selling artificial milk, the ‘normal’ way to feed a baby was by breastfeeding.”

The harness essentially looks like suspenders with two little nibbed flowers attached so the baby doll's suckling mouth can latch on. The company says they are trying to normalize the act of breastfeeding—clearly not so controversial in Europe, where they've already made over $2 million on the doll. Said Lewis, "What could possibly be wrong about a child learning this from an early age?"

Read the full piece at Forbes.

[Jenn! 918]

I've never thought of the whole breastfeeding debate as a liberal vs conservative thing. In fact, I think there are as many liberals who are as uncomfortable with breastfeeding as conservatives.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I've never thought of the whole breastfeeding debate as a liberal vs conservative thing. In fact, I think there are as many liberals who are as uncomfortable with breastfeeding as conservatives.

Really? I think you are more likely to see a woman with a hemp purse and sandals, nursing her baby in a park than a soccer mom.

[Jenn! 918]

I'd say there are more liberal women who are soccer moms than who wear hemp. There's liberal and then there's granola.

[nane1104 146]

So, I am german, I breastfed my son for almost 2 years and I have mentored other moms who wanted and did breastfeed. I guess you can say I am a total fan of nursing your baby, it's very natural to me and often don't understand the discussions about breastfeeding in public,..

However, this doll, or the "nursing top" that comes with it, freaks me out a little. If I had a daughter, I'd def. not buy it.

I just think it's not neccessary to have those "fake nipples" on that top. What happened to pretend play? Kids learn from things they see, so if it was more accepted for women to nurse in public, kids would pick that up and it would become an option for them just like they know, that you can bottle feed babies. As they get older, you add the education of the benefits of nursing.

I appreciate the attention this doll brings on breastfeeding though.

[dalegg 143]

This is a bit crazy. It's not going to take too long before before she turns one of her playmates into a "baby", and not too long after that before she realizes she doesn't need the fake nipples to play the game.

No sir, I don't like it.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

So, I am german, I breastfed my son for almost 2 years and I have mentored other moms who wanted and did breastfeed. I guess you can say I am a total fan of nursing your baby, it's very natural to me and often don't understand the discussions about breastfeeding in public,..

However, this doll, or the "nursing top" that comes with it, freaks me out a little. If I had a daughter, I'd def. not buy it.

I just think it's not neccessary to have those "fake nipples" on that top. What happened to pretend play? Kids learn from things they see, so if it was more accepted for women to nurse in public, kids would pick that up and it would become an option for them just like they know, that you can bottle feed babies. As they get older, you add the education of the benefits of nursing.

I appreciate the attention this doll brings on breastfeeding though.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I'd say there are more liberal women who are soccer moms than who wear hemp. There's liberal and then there's granola.

[Fandango 1,439]

This is making little girls grow up too quickly. What next? Play tampons? Hey, it's just as natural

[Golden Gate 530]

This is a bit crazy. It's not going to take too long before before she turns one of her playmates into a "baby", and not too long after that before she realizes she doesn't need the fake nipples to play the game.

No sir, I don't like it.

What about girls in the tribes of say, Africa, who see their mom's breastfeeding all the time. Do they want to start playing these games? We played doctor when I was a kid. No harm came of it. Kids are curious, but it doesn't mean they start having sexual thoughts at that young of an age. At least not the same sexual thoughts they might start having at puberty. I think people like to turn lots of things into something sexual or some type of sexual taboo here in the U.S. That's my take on it. Jeesh, you see nude women on tv commercials in France. Does that mean that young girls are going out and having sex there?

Edited July 19, 2011 by Golden Gate

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

What about girls in the tribes of say, Africa, who see their mom's breastfeeding all the time. Do they want to start playing these games? We played doctor when I was a kid. No harm came of it. Kids are curious, but it doesn't mean they start having sexual thoughts at that young of an age. At least not the same sexual thoughts they might start having at puberty. I think people like to turn lots of things into something sexual or some type of sexual taboo here in the U.S. That's my take on it. Jeesh, you see nude women on tv commercials in France. Does that mean that young girls are going out and having sex there?

Were talking about a toy for a little kid. This isn't Africa, and a TV commercial is not the same as that doll.

[dalegg 143]

What about girls in the tribes of say, Africa, who see their mom's breastfeeding all the time. Do they want to start playing these games? We played doctor when I was a kid. No harm came of it. Kids are curious, but it doesn't mean they start having sexual thoughts at that young of an age. At least not the same sexual thoughts they might start having at puberty. I think people like to turn lots of things into something sexual or some type of sexual taboo here in the U.S. That's my take on it. Jeesh, you see nude women on tv commercials in France. Does that mean that young girls are going out and having sex there?

Seeing a nude woman on TV and jumping to sex are two different things. You'd first have to teach them how to have sex. This is the lesson with this doll. You are teaching a girl how to breast feed, and teaching her that she can breast feed. It's not a leap to think she could move on to a real life example too long after that.

How would you like to walk in to your 5 year old daughter's bedroom and see her "breastfeeding" her 3 year old brother? No way.

[dalegg 143]

“Children learn by playing, and if they learn that the best way to feed a baby is by breastfeeding, it will be an easy, natural choice for them when they grow up. What could possibly be wrong about a child learning this from an early age?”

Seriously, why does a child need to learn about breastfeeding at all? They act as if this is some valuable learning experience that will somehow enhance the child and make them better prepared to deal with the situation later on in life.... Because the subject of breastfeeding is never going to come up again between the age of 5 and when you get pregnant I guess.

A girl could grow up in the woods raised by wolves and if she somehow became pregnant she would figure out how to breastfeed.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

"Children learn by playing, and if they learn that the best way to feed a baby is by breastfeeding, it will be an easy, natural choice for them when they grow up. What could possibly be wrong about a child learning this from an early age?"

Seriously, why does a child need to learn about breastfeeding at all? They act as if this is some valuable learning experience that will somehow enhance the child and make them better prepared to deal with the situation later on in life.... Because the subject of breastfeeding is never going to come up again between the age of 5 and when you get pregnant I guess.

A girl could grow up in the woods raised by wolves and if she somehow became pregnant she would figure out how to breastfeed.

Yeah, I see your point on that - that little girls aren't going to really learn about breast feeding that way, but I don't think the doll is anything to freak out about and it's not going to lead a girl to breastfeed her little brother.

[Golden Gate 530]

Seeing a nude woman on TV and jumping to sex are two different things. You'd first have to teach them how to have sex. This is the lesson with this doll. You are teaching a girl how to breast feed, and teaching her that she can breast feed. It's not a leap to think she could move on to a real life example too long after that.

How would you like to walk in to your 5 year old daughter's bedroom and see her "breastfeeding" her 3 year old brother? No way.

Ha ha. If that happened, you just tell them it is not the appropriate thing to do. But, I don't think that will happen. I breastfed my two children until they were two, and when they were younger, I even did it discreetly in public. My daughter for some reason never felt the inclination to start breastfeeding her brother. When you carry on a dialogue with your children about how life goes, they somehow pick it up. If they stray, you nip it in the bud. I just don't think it is such a big deal, that's all.