Breast feeding doll - what do you think?

[CowWatcher]

So the article in the Guardian seems pretty negative, but don't lots of children who regularly see breastfeeding play at this anyway? My nephew has. My daughter has. Question is, do they really need the fool, or is a teddy up a jumper just as good?

I think it's part of the twin tendencies to (a) make breastfeeding more complicated in the interests of selling more Stuff (I even saw "breast sterilising wipes" the other day) and (b) shower children with single-purpose toys rather than encourage imaginative play.

Small children can play breastfeeding with their dolls/toys. They always have. They always will. DD1 has done it with a range of toys including some that aren't even doll-shaped. I find it sad that toy designers can have such a low opinion of the scope of children's imagination. But then their job is to sell toys. And I suppose, given the way in which breastfeeding mothers are being targeted by "want to breastfeed? Then you'll need our range of products (as opposed to just, y'know, breasts)" marketing messages, it does at least reflect the adult world.

Indeed. But then I think I prefer the commercialisatio of breast feeding, rather that the extant commercialisation of bottle feeding. Still, I think plenty of children do this anyway, but probably only in homes where they are already exposed to bf. Seems unlikely that a bottle feeding household would buy this anyway.