A new controversy has been brought to the attention of parents everywhere because a doll maker in Spain has designed a doll which mimics breast feeding. Understand that this doll is being marketed and sold to young children in Spain and eventually in the future the company has plans to market it internationally. The controversy is that some people feel that a breast feeding doll is inappropriate while others feel that children are just role modeling nursing mothers.
The doll’s mouth has a sensor which is triggered by the chest harness that the child wears when the mouth of the baby doll nears the strategically placed daisies that represent a nursing nipple. This begins the doll’s mouth movements and noises which simulate a real babies nursing.
A news story mentioned the fact that one mother says that because her children were bottle fed that seeing a toy that mimics breast feeding could confuse them. Others say that it teaches children about the natural function of breasts. It is enough that adults are torn on the controversy of breast feeding or bottle feeding in their parenting approach…is it necessary to bring that discussion to the world of child play?
There are some who feel that even though nursing in real life is a natural and normal thing…role modeling it in a toy for young children is not healthy. Others say that young children will pretend with or without this specific doll. In child’s play, should dolls be bottle fed or breast fed? Does this child’s toy sexualize breastfeeding like some accuse? I wonder what other doll makers think of this idea. I know Marie Osmond is a doll designer…I would be curious about her opinion. After all, the breast was designed by God to feed babies and it is a natural function.
A child development specialist could be consulted if a parent had concerns about it being in the best interest of their particular child, of course; but, I believe parents know their child best. A parent would know their child’s level of maturity and ability to handle such toy.
I am interested in your opinion. Do you think this is ok for children and would you or would you not buy this for a young child and why?
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