Thursday, November 8, 2012

Breastfeeding Doll?

I just came across an article about a breastfeeding doll.  As many of you who have taken the time to read my blog, I am very pro-breastfeeding.  I have breastfed my older son until he was 22 months old and am currently breastfeeding my 3-month old.  I have no problem breastfeeding in front of my older child because I believe that breastfeeding is a completely natural thing.  If he has any questions about it, I am happy to tell him that I am feeding the baby and that is how the baby eats.

However, I have to admit that I have mixed feelings about a doll that breastfeeds.  I don't have a daughter so this is probably not going to be something that I will be asked to buy.  If I did have a daughter, I would have no problem letting her "play" with her doll by pretending to breastfeed it by holding it up to her chest.  I find it a little uncomfortable that in this particular instance, a little girl can strap on a halter top with sensors that allows the baby to "breastfeed" complete with suckling sounds.  "The dolls, eight in all with a variety of skin tones and facial features, look like many others, until children don the little top with petal appliques at the nipples. That's where the sensors are located, setting off the suckling noise when the doll's mouth makes contact. It also burps and cries, but those sounds don't require contact at the breast."

I don't know, I think a big part of me finds this a little creepy.  I think this is taking pretending to breastfeed a little too far.  I don't think she needs to have fake "breasts" to pretend to breastfeed.  What do you think?  Would you let your daughter play with a toy that will allow her to "breastfeed?"



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