We first posted this story back in June 2009 when Bebé Glotón was just released in Spain.
However, as the doll entered the North American market this fall, and sales skyrocketed (20,000 sold in the U.S. in September alone), Bebé Glotón was wiped off the shelves and is virtually impossible to find. The last shipment into the States happened in November. They are long gone. And the manufacture (Berjuan in Spain) says more dolls will not be available till February due to the lengthy process of constructing the sucking mechanism. Unless you get lucky on eBay - where the dolls are selling for $100+ - the little ones in your house are going to have to suffice with nursing their other teddy bears and dolls and Costco receipts till 2010 rolls around.
There exist many mixed feelings on this doll. Some great. Some not-so-great. We'd love to hear what you think and welcome a report from lactivist parent whose child actually has this doll as well.
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 common deterrent to a healthy breastfeeding relationship and milk supply, especially in the early months). Some 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, others 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?
~~~~
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. It would be wonderful if they already see Mom nursing (not to mention aunts, relatives, strangers at the park, etc.) but maybe this 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:
I'm not so into the little halter top the kids are supposed to where to feed the baby. My daughter already pretends to breastfeed her dolls without a creepy little top! BUT I do think it is much better than the dolls that come with bottles. I would rather get this for her than throw out all the bottles that comes with her dolls now.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Toni. I think it's far better than the babies that come with bottles. I always end up throwing those away when my family inevitably buys them for my kids. I actually wish we had found one of these to buy! Not a huge fan of plastic dolls, but I like the message they send.
ReplyDeleteI'm also not a fan of the halter top, nor the pacifiers, but the concept is fantastic!
ReplyDeleteAfter this buzz (and sales!) of this doll, perhaps the following breastfeeding dolls will have better features - like a sensor that when baby is tummy-to-tummy the suckling happens. Flowers for breasts/nipples just gives me the willies.
I would also grow very tired of helping her put on her nursing halter, I think toys like these shouldn't require parent help that much.
Would I buy this doll? Nope. I support what it is trying to do, but I'd rather buy a homemade doll, or a gender neutral doll (hate the pink and blue options) and remove any bottles or pacifiers that come with it.
I'm glad this doll came out though and got people talking!!
The idea is awesome. I'm unsure about the actual doll but it's gotta be better than the ones with bottles. My boys have never (or almost never)had a bottle and they still try to feed their babies and mine with plastic bottles (At other people's houses, my house has no babies with bottles)It infuriates me since they only seen me nursing never with bottles, but I guess the pervading culture is stronger than mommy. :(
ReplyDeleteMy 2.5yr old would love it. She already nurses all of her dolls, something my husband blushes at-haha! But I'm still nursing her little sister at 14mo so its a normal thing in our house. However to be honest DD wouldn't like that that you have to put the baby to the shirt, she actually lifts her shirt and puts the baby under there because that is the way momma does it. So while it has ups it also has some downs. I probably wouldn't buy the doll as it is now. Maybe after they did some upgrading like others have suggested. As for now her "regular" baby dolls work just fine.
ReplyDeleteI am a breastfeeding mom and a true advocate for the emotional and physical benefits of breastfeeding.. however this doll is just plain creepy!!!
ReplyDeleteCrystal - maybe it's not so much the pervading culture as it is they know they're boys? After all, they've probably never seen their daddy nurse a baby... (I'm guessing). I'm sure you're doing a wonderful job normalizing breastfeeding by women for them.
ReplyDeleteI think it's super cute and the "chup chup" sound cracks me up! I just don't like that it's name is "piggy baby" or "baby glutton!" what the hell??
ReplyDeleteIt's cute and harmless but also helpful to the cause of normalizing breastfeeding and making the idea of nestle profiting off the sale of formula look much less normal (how much ya wanna bet nestle is lobbying to keep that doll from being sold? If i see some sort of indecency campaign against it I'll definitely know who will be funding it behind the scenes.)
meh, don't care about a doll coming with a pacifier or a bottle. My babies had paci's and never had any issues breastfeeding they are 4 and 2 years of age and still nursing when they ask. it isn't the paci it's the way you use it; if people don't like pacifiers or bottles just throw them out before you give them to the child. It's a mountain out of a mole hill and if people don't really want to breastfeed they're likely to use any excuse they can such as "my milk dried up" or "they got nipple confusion"
ReplyDeleteThe doll itself is cute but over the top. kids can nurse any doll if they choose but this is probably a better idea for the "babies" that teenagers get to take home and look after over the weekend, can you imagine the teens in the childcare class wearing those bras and nursing the simulated baby? I can, it would be better than teaching them how to prepare a bottle. How about teaching them the correct latch instead? :-)