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Original poster

breastfeeding baby doll. Would you buy one

56 replies

VoldemortsNipple · 04/08/2011 08:42

Daybreak today showed a doll that's causing quite a storm in the US.

The child places a bra type thing on and then pretends to breastfeed the doll which begins to suckle. I have older children so I wouldnt be buying dolls of any type. But I am fighting with myself if the doll is morally right or wrong.

Mumsnet jury. What's your verdict.

Sorry can't link, I'm on my phone.

OP posts:
Catslikehats · 04/08/2011 09:40

It sexualises children if you see the primary function of breasts as sexual. If you accept that actual breasts are first and foremost a means of feeding a child then there isn't an issue is there?

And Christime Blakely is a twat. I am glad that I disagree with her so vehemently.

thebody · 04/08/2011 09:57

christine is a twit , goes without saying.. but this makes me go eeewww.. unnecessary but suppose some 'look how trendy we are' types will get them. probably for their boys.. not needed and yucky.... and i bf all my 4 kids for a year each...

northernrock · 04/08/2011 10:18

I watched the daybreak thing about this doll, and was shouting at the telly!

A lot of the Vox Pops said things like " isn't it better to preserve children's innocence?" and " it's creepy that they are pretending to have breasts. Why do they need to know about this sort of thing"
HELLO!!??
We live in a world where we are literally surrounded by images of tits. Tits tits tits tits cleavage bikini tits. And then more tits.
And all the images are sexualised, but apparently, according to "the man on the street" it's ok for little girls to grow up knowing that tits are sexy, but not what they are ACTUALLY FOR!!

Why is pretending to BF a frikkin doll doing anything to children's innocence? What the hell is not innocent about breast feeding?
This country is bizarre.
Apparently they have this doll in Spain and France, and they couldn't give a toss.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 04/08/2011 10:27

Apparently they have this doll in Spain and France, and they couldn't give a toss.

That's the difference. I'd say there are a lot of people in the UK who couldn't care less either, but for some people they just have to talk about it and have something to be angry about. It doesn't make this country bizarre; you're making that assumption from a tiny sample of people who can be bothered to comment on it.

I think the doll is pointless and I'm not at all interested, other people have other views...

howabout · 04/08/2011 10:36

Northernrock I couldn't have put it better myself and may have to quote you in future.

Grin at firstmrsdevere and her boys' interest in their various assets.

Catslikehats · 04/08/2011 10:37

exactly northern

I am sick of the attitude that BF is something that should be done in private and that children shouldn't be aware of what breasts are for yet I can go into virtually any newsagents or supermarket and seen tits dressed up for men.

That I can walk down the high st and see "hello boys" type ads with more tit on display than I have ever shown whilst BF or that no one bats an eye at my revealing bikini on the beach but a flash of nursing bra and I am in someway inappropriate.

No one gives a second thought about children becoming aware of every other part of their body, but teach them that breasts feed babies and suddenly we're sexualising them.

I know this argument has been done to death but it actually really pisses me off.

lazylula · 04/08/2011 10:48

Dd is only 3 months at the moment, but I do not think I would get her this doll as I do not see the need for yet another 'gadget', we are taking away children's imagination and 'pretend' play, many children have 'pretended' to breastfeed with out the need of a bib with flowers on as they already have the necessary there, ok no sucking noise but so what! I would actually prefer a standard doll that does nothing and let dd decide what noises it makes ect.

lisianthus · 04/08/2011 10:53

Spot on northern

For all those wondering about the vest top that comes with it, the idea is that when the doll is positioned near the breast area, it does a sort of suckling action. Fine with me. It reminds me of the Baby Alive doll, which i thought was AMAZING as a kid.

Catslikehats · 04/08/2011 11:09

As a total aside DD1 has watched me BF two babies.

The first when she was was 14mths she would copy by shoving a toy in the general doir direction of her chest.

She is now 6 and when playing mummys and daddys she wears her bikini top stuffed with two apples complete with playdough nipples Grin

Zummerzetzider · 04/08/2011 11:22

Demostración Bebé Glotón
http://www.youtube.com/

Sorry I don't know how to do links.

I've bf 3 babies and think the suckling sound is quite unrealistic Grin

thefirstMrsDeVere · 04/08/2011 11:26

When DD was little and I was about to have DS1 I bought a pregnant barbie type doll.

It was brilliant. It didnt teach her much about actual birth though as generic barbie stll didnt have genitals.

She enjoyed removing the her stomach etc and taking baby out though.

I noticed at the time that generic Barbie had a very prominent wedding ring
Grin

TheBigJessie · 04/08/2011 11:36

Not pregnant Barbie. Pregnant Midge. Geddit right!

I know too much about Barbie's social life...

TheBigJessie · 04/08/2011 11:37

Midge's wikipedia entry

thefirstMrsDeVere · 04/08/2011 11:45

I DID say it was a barbie type doll bigjessie and referred to her as generic!

This was nearly twenty years ago Grin

You are right - you know faaaaar too much....

WidowWadman · 04/08/2011 12:24

VoldemortsNipple

I didn't make assumptions - I just wondered in what context a breastfeeding doll would pose a moral dilemma. Personally I don't give a fig how anyone feeds their babies, as long as they get fed.

TheBigJessie · 04/08/2011 14:39

Midge is very offended that you forgot her name.

She says, "I'm always seen as Barbie's accessory. I'm a person in my own right!"

StrandedBear · 04/08/2011 15:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

magnolia74 · 04/08/2011 15:18

I don't have a problem with them as such and breastfed for 1 year and then 2 years.

I wouldn't but one though and also wouldn't buy the doll's that wee, eat, poo etc....

I just don't see why a child needs to be breastfeeding, changing wet/pooey nappies or feeding real baby food to a doll.

glitterkitten · 04/08/2011 15:25

not read the whole thread, so apologies if it's already been said.

I'm "on the fence with this one" as on the one hand, normalisation of BF is a good thing, on the other, isn't it sending out a suggestion that breasts are play things?! i was brought up to believe that my private bits are private bits and not for fun games and frippery (obv that doesn't last forever) and i'm a bit mmmmm as to if this doll just confuses boundaries.........

limitedperiodonly · 04/08/2011 15:26

magnolia74 beat me to it.

I was similarly unimpressed as a child when someone gave me a toy carpet sweeper.

TheBigJessie · 04/08/2011 15:35

Children like to copy what they see their parents doing. They learn how to do things, through play.They want to be like Mummy and Daddy [Heterocentric family used in this promotional blurb as examples. Other forms of family are available].

If they have younger siblings, then they will want to copy Mummy and Daddy caring for the baby.

Recently, my two year old has wanted to copy me or take part in:

*cleaning the kitchen floor
*putting stuff in the bin
*breastfeeding his toys
*feeding me, himself and his brother (with model spoonfuls of peas)
*wheeling shopping trolleys/the pushchair around.

He didn't need to do any of those activities in particular, but he wanted to.

TheBigJessie · 04/08/2011 15:36

Oh, and he was pretending to vacuum the carpet this morning.

thefirstMrsDeVere · 04/08/2011 15:38

You know what Jessie I am not even sure it was Midge. I think it was a cheap norf london knock off from the market.

Pregnant Kelly

TheBigJessie · 04/08/2011 15:42
Squitten · 04/08/2011 15:43

Well, my almost 3yr old DS1 breast-feeds Thomas the Tank Engine his "DS1 milk" via his belly button so a doll is highly unnecessary here!