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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to be absolutely speechless...

61 replies

allsquareknickersnofurcoat · 31/03/2011 18:55

This is written on a friends facebook...

wtf, there is a breastfeeding doll out for kids. that is just sooo wrong!!
followed by many comments in agreement, and lots of let kids be kids

Said friends daughter is bridesmaid at a wedding I am attending this weekend. I've never felt uncomfortable feeding DS before, but this comment is now making me feel very awkward.
Plus I'm just in complete shock that I have a friend who thinks like this.

OP posts:

TorcherQueenie · 31/03/2011 18:57

I don't think she has a problem with breastfeeding just the idea of a doll for kids that breastfeeds. Don't feel awkward lots of people who fully support breastfeeding are a little off about the doll.

pranma · 31/03/2011 18:59

But she is not anti bf just anti there being a bf doll-which I think is a bit strange too-pregnant Barbie was bad enough but a bf doll-yuk!!
I am completely pro mothers bf whenever and wherever they want to.

Merlotmonster · 31/03/2011 18:59

i agree with Queenie..i think you may have taken the comment slightly wrong...

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 31/03/2011 18:59

Why, where do you see a correlation? I have no issues with BF but I don't like the doll either, I think it's horrid. We're all entitled to our opinions. Why such an opinion would send you into complete shock is what I find odd.

PrettyCandles · 31/03/2011 18:59

She's being an idiot. Ignore her and go ahead and bf your ds. Healthy attitudes like yours are crucial to counter ignorant attitudes like hers.

PinkIceQueen · 31/03/2011 19:00

A breastfeeding doll for kids? Really? That is wrong, I agree. I'm not against breastfeeding, I breastfed both of mine past 6 months. But come on, what's the average age of children that play with dolls?? Breastfeeding role play? Nah

thisisyesterday · 31/03/2011 19:03

why is it wrong?
children naturally copy their parents.

my 2 eldest boys both breastfeed their dolls ad teddies and dinosaurs

what's the problem with it?

PrettyCandles · 31/03/2011 19:04

People really think there's something wrong with a doll that breastfeeds?! What on earth is wrong with it? Do you also object to dolls that wee? To boy dolls?

Did none of your dc 'breastfeed' their teddies, or shove them up their jumpers and 'give birth' to them? Did you object to that sort of playing as well?

What's wrong with normalising something completely normal?

FourFortyFour · 31/03/2011 19:04

YABU.

She doesn't want kids to pretend to breast feed. She isn't saying she doesn't like breastfeeding. I think you are over reacting.

sickoftheholidays · 31/03/2011 19:06

my DD breastfeeds her dollies, but gets a bit mixed up, I heard her the other day chatting away to them and she said "just wait a minute while I make your milk nice and warm" then a minute later "there its ready now" and proceeded to lift her tee shirt up and feed them. I could have rolled about on the floor but I would have needed help to get back up again.

I do think the BF doll is a little wierd though, really, do you need a special doll to do it? I think its slightly OTT and just making a point. if you want a BF friendly doll, buy a normal one and just remove the bottle?

ButterpieandCheese · 31/03/2011 19:06

Hold on, I hope those of you that are objecting are objecting to bottles in packs with baby dolls too...

I second the question about pretending to give birth- me and my sisters would spend hours in "maternity wards".

I honestly don't see a problem with breastfeeding role play - can someone explain?

Psammead · 31/03/2011 19:07

Lots of girls breastfeed their dolls/teddies using their imagination. I would not pay extra money for a doll that makes swallowing noises. If people will give baby dolls to girls then I am not sure why nappy changing/breastfeeding/comforting/walking around with a pram comes as a suprise. Additional noises not needed!

I don't think she is funny about breastfeeding in general, based on her comment.

YABU btw as you are evidently not absolutely speechless . Have fun at the wedding!

Sassybeast · 31/03/2011 19:11

My kids pretend to BF their dolls bcause it's normal and natural for them. Nothing 'yuk' or wrong about it. as always, it's those who consider it to be anything other than natural who have the issue. Ignore her and don't let it put you off feeding your baby.

ButterpieandCheese · 31/03/2011 19:11

Isn't the bf doll that one where the doll is the "mummy" and it comes with a baby doll to feed?

Original poster

allsquareknickersnofurcoat · 31/03/2011 19:12

I am yet to utter a word aloud, its easier to type.

I hope her comment is about the doll only and I am reading stuff that isnt there, but still dont see whats weird about the idea (the doll itself is weird, have you seen the vest with the flower nipples?) and her comments seem to be aimed at breastfeeding dollies in general, nothing specific to that doll? IYSWIM?

OP posts:

spiderslegs · 31/03/2011 19:13

Mmm - can't decide - Y may be B slightly U.

She propably doesn't hate BF, just dolls that do which, if they actually suckle, is a little odd.

Although my DCs have BF all their dolls & teddies & frequently give birth to all manner of things sooooo..............

Shouldn't worry about her anti-BF stance, she probably doesn't have one, (& even if she does, her problem, not yours) feed away I say & shove your norks in her face if she looks uncomfortable.

Psammead · 31/03/2011 19:14

No. It comes with a bib which the child wears, with flowers where the nipples are located. When the child puts the baby's mouth to the flowers, the baby makes sucking and swallowing noises.

Like I said, it is unnecessary. Children can just use their imaginations with a normal doll.

Psammead · 31/03/2011 19:15

X-post, sorry.

Are you sure she isn't a mumsnetter? There was a thread about that very doll on here yesterday or the day before.

Original poster

allsquareknickersnofurcoat · 31/03/2011 19:17

Here you go, have a completely sane, unbiased link....

breastfeeding dolly

OP posts:

Original poster

allsquareknickersnofurcoat · 31/03/2011 19:18

Oo, I'll have a look for yesterdays thread...

Feel better just after having a little rant :)

OP posts:

ButterpieandCheese · 31/03/2011 19:18

It sounds about as daft as the doll I had that wee'd and pooed - it "chewed" it's food as well. The breastfeeding doll sounds daft as well, but it's not as odd as a child wanting to change dirty nappies- at least breastfeeding is actually nice to do in real life!

Honestly, that doll I had (it was called Baby Alive) was basically that doll off Withnail. Except it didn't poo for long, because I fed it stuff other than the food that came with it (which you had to buy sachets of at hugely inflated prices) and I fed it my baby sister's food instead, so it got jammed up.

pigletmania · 31/03/2011 19:19

She is being stupid, its these kinds of attitudes that do nothing to promote bf, what is wrong with a child bf a doll, so they would not see it wrong for a child to bottlefeed a doll then . This is the way to make bf the norm and to educate young children. I was ff btw and only bf my dd for 2 weeks before having to go to formula, so I am not a breastfeeding maton, just someone who finds attitudes like the one displayed by the person on fb Why is it so worng for children to learn how to feed their children from where nature intended.

Psammead · 31/03/2011 19:21

here is yesterday's thread

TorcherQueenie · 31/03/2011 19:35

Its probably about the scary flowery nipple doll as thats been all over the news. She'd probably be mortified if you told her that you thought she was against BF'ing. Might be best just to ask bring it up in a joky tone I really do doubt she meant anything by it, Just another case of foot in mouth. I suffer them regularly.

Lookandlearn · 31/03/2011 19:36

I just had a look at the link. I bf both mine til nearly two, both of mine have bf dolls (ds and dd) and I think the doll is a bit odd. Why do you need the bib thing? I can obviously understand why they wouldn't put nipples on it, but flowers seemed very odd. Dd has nipples, she would pretend to use those I guess, although she knows that there won't be real milk there til she has a baby. So I think it's confusing at best to have flowers. Just unnecessary. I don't think even your friend's fb page was suggesting that little children pretending to bf is wrong, rather that this doll is a bit weird and unnecessary.

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