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Breast Milk Baby Doll Teaches Kids to Breast-Feed
Filed under: In The News, Weird But True, Toys
Are you one of these people who find yourself ever-so creeped out by the sight of a woman breast-feeding her baby in public?
Oh, you ain't see nothing yet.
Picture a 7-year-old girl -- or boy, for that matter -- strapping on little flowered falsies so a baby doll can suckle the imaginary breasts -- complete with slurping and gurgling sounds.
A lot of adults could do without that particular image.
However, the folks at Berjuan Toys in Spain think their new Breast Milk Baby is a dandy way to teach children how to breast-feed an infant. After all, you don't want to start second grade without mastering that skill.
"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," company executives write on their website. "The Breast Milk Baby lets young girls express their love and affection in the most natural way possible, just like Mommy!"
For $99, kids get a very hungry doll and an apron-like top with painted flowers in lieu of nipples.
Not everyone likes this concept.
"Only a morally corrupt so-called parent would condone/justify this doll being sold and marketed for young girls who have yet to reach puberty and menstruation age," posts one reader in response to a story in the New York Daily News.
But one father tells "Good Morning America" he thinks the doll is a good idea.
"We've got another baby due in June, and I think it's going to be a really neat way for our daughter Grace to identify and connect with Mom," J.C. Renners tells the news program. "It's an interesting concept."
Dennis Lewis, the U.S. spokesman for Berjuan Toys, tells the San Francisco Chronicle some people have even filed complaints on behalf of God. But he's not convinced God is all that miffed.
"About 20 percent of the messages have been hateful and mean," he tells the Chronicle. "We're being called perverts and pedophiles for promoting feeding our babies the way God intended? Churches all over the world are filled with images of Mary nursing baby Jesus, and yet we can't imagine letting our daughters learn how important breast-feeding is for our society?"
America clearly has a problem with breasts, he adds.
"As Americans we've been duped into believing there's something shameful and taboo about breast-feeding, but the truth is that this idea was created to sell more baby formula," he tells the Chronicle. "The Breast Milk Baby is a serious product, created by a small family-owned Christian toy manufacturer who strongly believes in the benefits of feeding babies the natural God-given way. Our dolls are beautiful and well made, and we're proud of them."
"We stand by our statement: Little girls need to learn to breast-feed."
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ReaderComments (Page 2 of 12)
3-30-2011 @ 4:52PM
Mary said...So you have an issue with ALL dolls, or just a breast feeding one? Because that makes no sense. Are you saying that playing pretend with a baby doll steals a child's innocence? That is ridiculous! Breasts were designed to feed babies. I am sure you have issues with breast feeding in general as many people seem to have, unfortunately.
3-30-2011 @ 4:56PM
Sandy said...I disagree. Little girls DO NOT need to learn to breast-feed. Adult mothers need to learn to breast-feed.
Reply
3-30-2011 @ 8:21PM
DrSmith said...So Sandy, did you breastfeed? How would you explain what you are doing to your older children? Don't look! Its for adults! Naughty!!?
3-31-2011 @ 9:33AM
Freedom said...Actually, if you want an intelligent, self-reliant, adult, then they have to start learning about these things as early as possible.
Let me guess, you let your kids eat with their hands until they were teenagers?
Didn't teach them how to change their own clothes until they were teenagers or adults?
Didn't let them start learning how to read until they moved out?
Your ridiculous attitude is wrapped up in your sexualizing mammary glands.
Last I checked there are no holes in breasts to insert a penis into, and there is no sexual function to breasts any further then the astectic.
You have a serious problem with coddleing children and sexualizeing things that aren't sexual.
You more then likely need some serious counceling to straighten you out.
3-31-2011 @ 11:41AM
Sandy said...Okay! I was wrong to use the term “adult mothers.” What I meant was, there is a difference between LEARNING ABOUT breast-feeding and LEARNING HOW to breast-feed.
You, yourself, used the term “learning about” in your response to me: “Actually, if you want an intelligent, self-reliant, adult, then they have to start learning about these things as early as possible.”
Dennis Lewis is quoted, “We stand by our statement: Little girls need to learn to breast-feed.”
There is nothing wrong with children knowing about breast-feeding. It is a natural part of the whole motherhood-nurturing/nourishing baby process. Children should be taught there is nothing embarrassing or sexual about it.
BUT teaching a little girl HOW TO breast-feed is what I have an issue with. It’s like teaching a little girl how to use a tampon because one day she will have her period.
I hope I have made myself clear!
3-30-2011 @ 2:36PM
Joe said...Look, I am a father of boys and maybe my opinion should not count as much as if I were a father of girls, but isn't that what breasts are for?
Reply
3-30-2011 @ 6:07PM
nicolehernandez said...I am a Catholic mother who breasts feeds and bottle feeds her son and a biologist. I don't see anything wrong the image of woman breast feeding her child or bottle feeding her child. After all the function of a females breast is to produce milk! It is more "unatural" to see a baby being fed from a bottle. I have also lived in many other countries and we seem to be one of the few who is bothered by this. Probably because so many people are easily influenced by what they are being fed by media and marketers. Lets start looking out side of our small boxes.
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3-30-2011 @ 2:26PM
Gary said...I see that a father of the church rings in on the greatness of this product. Is it the oral fixation thing, We know how some priest, bishops or cardinals will use this product...Yes it is sick that they want 9 years old and younger to have breast feeding knowledge.
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3-30-2011 @ 5:23PM
Mary said...Yes, we should do our best to hide the knowledge away that breasts have a useful purpose other than being eye candy to sell magazines. Don't be ridiculous.
3-30-2011 @ 2:27PM
Kathleen said...Disgusting - God help us. Also, just need to add - both my grown children were fed formula, they were extremely healthy, no nasty colds, and neither suffered from any ear infections. Today both are M.D.'s in NY and will most definitely use a bottle of Similac to feed their babies.
Reply
3-30-2011 @ 5:23PM
Mary said...In other words, they will be ignoring WHO and AAP advice to provide the best nutrition and immunity for their infants because they had a mother who instilled in them that breasts, when used for their biological purpose, are "disgusting". You must be so proud!
3-30-2011 @ 2:28PM
hockeygirl said...I can think of no reason that a child needs to know how to/experience breast feeding.
Per the company: "The Breast Milk Baby lets young girls express their love and affection in the most natural way possible, just like Mommy!"
Gee, Mommy also has sex with Daddy to express her love and affection in the most natural way, too.
Why the need to have children grow up so quickly?
Reply
3-30-2011 @ 8:13PM
Frankie said...Because everything has to relate back to sex in america.
That was sarcasm, by the way, if my text didn't relay it properly to your closed mind.
3-31-2011 @ 11:38AM
hockeygirl said...Frankie, the point I was attempting to make is just because something is natural doesn't mean a child needs to experience it. Let a child be a child. They grow up too fast as it is.
Re me being "close minded" - the definition of close minded is one who is intolerant of another's beliefs or opinions. Or "stubbornly" opposed to new ideas.
I don't believe I am being stubborn; I just don't agree. You, on the other hand....
- you appear to be intolerant of other's opinions.
3-30-2011 @ 2:29PM
Lindsay said...I have a 6 month old infant whom i currently breastfreed and a curious 4 year old daughter. My daughter often imitates me and tries to nurse her baby dolls. I think its perfectly normal, this country has become so blinded and uptight about something that is healthy and completely normal. If you go buy a baby doll at the store they often come with bottles, so whats the difference here? Its pretty interesting that THIS is what causes an uproar,when we toys such as "Bratz" dolls that are basically little dolls that look like sluts.
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3-30-2011 @ 3:18PM
Jessica said...Amen Lindsay. People relating nursing an infant to copulation is what's truly disgusting. I know mothers that have had no choice but to formula feed because they didn't make milk. Back in the days of no synthetic formula, other nursing Moms would have been the only way for the infant to survive. I can only imagine what those individuals would have to say about that. The sexualization of women's breasts is the real problem here, IMHO. Breasts are there to feed babies, PERIOD. If you don't like that idea, take it up with God Almighty. I'm sorry, but there is nothing natural about feeding a newborn baby a bottle. It goes against every grain in my body, but to each their own, I suppose.
3-30-2011 @ 9:30PM
kathy said...Breastfeeding is not sexual it is nurturing. My daughter also pretended to breastfeed her dolls. Nothing sexual about it. I'm with you on the brat dolls, they are gross. Tons of makeup and tatoos on them along with sexy clothes.
3-30-2011 @ 6:55PM
Unknown said...I agree with you Lindsay. This may be good if used by a mom who is breast feeding and whose daughter is curious. And as far as pedophiles, etc. go. Well where are the little girls going to be using these? Hello, in their homes.
3-30-2011 @ 7:30PM
Chantelle said...I find it interesting that people are condeming the fact there is a breastfeeding doll rather than being outraged that we are raising a generation of kids who believe that bottlefeeding is the 'normal' way to feed a baby. We should be annoyed that dolls come with bottles....this is not normal and is sending unconscious messages to them. As they become adults they don't know why breastfeeding seems unnatural to them. It is the adults that are sexualising the breasts not the children. Look at Scandanavian and African countries where breastfeeding rates are almost 100%....the children there seem to grow up to be normal people. Breastfeeding rates dropped significantly in western countries when formula was introduced...people thought it was better because babies were chubbier and believed them to be healthier. Where has that logic now gotten us??? A society of incredibly overweight people.
3-30-2011 @ 7:36PM
ms.r said...yes linsay now lets take this little boy whom we breast feed an put him on a womans nipple 21 yrs latter with the caption mm got milk! what do we have