Is a breast feeding dolly taking things a little too far?

It's National Breast Feeding Week this week and at Indybel we always strive to support organisations that highlight issues for women. I found it amusing however when browsing the weeks news stories when I came across this rather bizarre article ... as the dolly in question was actually made in Spain it's certainly worth a mention here!

Bebe Gloton, Breastfeeding Doll from Spain, Causes a Stir

Rob Kuznia--HispanicBusiness.com

We've heard of dolls that eat, drink and sleep, but breast-feed? That's the concept behind a controversial new doll, available only in Spain. Called Bebe Gloton ,which translates loosely into "greedy baby", the toy is meant to promote the idea of breast feeding to young future mothers.

Made by Spanish toy manufacturer Berjuan, the doll's mouth latches on to the flower-shaped nipples affixed to a strap-on halter-top.The doll cries when its hungry and makes sucking noises when it is feeding. After the meal, it can be burped.

Some parents have criticized the doll, saying it promotes teen pregnancy. "That's not cool," Lori Reynolds, of El Paso, Texas said. "No, I would never get that for my child."The doll has created quite a stir in the blogosphere, prompting praise and criticism alike

"It is rather refreshing to see a doll that doesn't come with bottles and that shows breasts and nipples (or, eh, nipple blossoms) in a non-sexual situation," writes Alex Alvarez of Guanabee.com. Dad-blogger Eric Ruhalter was less amused, scoffing incredulously at that the toy-maker's claim that the doll is the first of its kind."If I invented the combination Baby-Changing Table/Table Saw it would be the 'first-ever,'" he wrote. "But that doesn't make it a good idea."

The entire teapot tempest calls to mind a similar uproar earlier this year over a doll, called Baby Wee Wee, that soils itself.

Hmm ... well it's certainly an interesting one and I can see both sides to the debate. Having just come back from a trip to the UK with my two and half year old to meet her new baby cousin, we were amused by how fascinated she was by breast feeding. After a few days of watching her aunt feed the new baby she took to taking her dolly along and lifting her top and feeding her dolly whenever her baby cousin was being fed. Actually she eventually tired of the feeding and hasn't mentioned it since returning to Spain, but rather than being worried we felt this was an entirely normal 'play' idea. Afterall last night she spent hours putting her dolly to bed and telling dolly off because she wouldn't go to sleep exactly as I do ... so again she's simply playing at being mummy which is both her favourite game and in my opinion one of the most harmless and healthiest games.

Of course at two and a half she's not really going to remember all this, but surely promoting the idea of breast feeeding as normal and healthy to a small child is a good thing. My objection to Bebe Gloton ( apart from the fact that surely a baby who is hungry for milk shouldn't be labelled as greedy!? ) is the rather breast feeding top that comes with it and the non sensical flowery nipples, which are creating an odd false reality and yet still drawing young girls attention to the idea that they need to reveal themselves in public to breastfeed.

I'm not sure I believe that Bebe Gloton would necessarily promote teen pregnancy, I'm sure most teen's are far to interested in other things such as pop music and Hannah Montana to want to breast feed a doll and those younger girls like my daughter will get tired pretty quickly of the demands of Bebe Gloton

Other than that I feel Bebe Gloton is a bit of a fad and would be surprised if she catches on ...

Still milk for thought? What do you think, let us know!