Some people like the idea - a baby doll who eats as normal human babies eat - at the breast. And yet, it comes with a pacifier?! (A long-known deterrent to a healthy breastfeeding relationship, especially in the early months). Many La Leche League leaders are not too sure it is such a good thing. After all, we can just give our sons and daughters 'regular' dolls and they can nurse them any way they wish. Do we really need the "glurp glurp" sound effects and the pretty petaled bra? Yet, some also feel it is a fun way to imagine you are nursing a real baby. And this encouragement - this life-like imitation of Mom - may just serve to normalize human milk for human babies. Something that could put a small crack in our hardcore nipplephobic state in North America.
So, what do you think?
Bye-Bye Bottles: The Breastfeeding Dolls are Here!
Bebé Glotón is a baby doll made by Berjuan, a toy maker in Spain, for the express purpose of promoting breastfeeding. The idea is to impress upon youngsters that breastfeeding is the natural, normal way to feed a human baby. I would hope they already see Mom nursing (not to mention aunts, relatives, strangers at the park, etc) but maybe my wishful thinking of a ubiquitously breastfeeding-friendly world is not yet reality.
Children can wear the colorful bra-like top adorned with small flowers over their chest. When the doll is placed at the flowers, s/he makes a nursing motion and suckling sound.
The doll is available as either a girl or boy infant (both intact of course).
Bebé Glotón (which translates as 'Baby Glutton' or, in more common American English slang, the little 'Piggy Baby') sells for 44 Euro or about $65 U.S. dollars. Although you will be hard pressed to find one here at this time, unless you are ready to search online and pay international shipping fees.
See Bebé Glotón in action:
Click here for more video news on the release of Bebé Glotón in Spain.
My friends has 2 children with 15 months between them and breastfed them both. Unfortunately the older one weened himself when she got pregnant at 7 months. One day while sitting having a coffee while our kids played in the lounge we saw her eldest (obout 20 months at the time) take a doll into the other lounge room by himself, we thought mmm wonder what he's up to... only to find him with his top up and dolly feeding on his chest, it was the most adorable thing to watch and when we asked him what he was doing he said "me feed baby" as if we were stupid or something, what else would he be doing :) No breast feeding doll required here just plain old imitation play...
ReplyDeleteWonderful doll. Genius. :)
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