Earlier today, I happened upon and interesting discussion started by Shellie at Blog4Mom, Breastfeeding Baby Dolls. At first thought, I can’t help but feel perplexed by the lack of support regarding a toy that has the potential to normalize the act of breastfeeding with early education and demonstration. But truthfully, it’s not their fault. American women hav
e been raised for generations with the notion that bottle feeding is the “decent” choice of nurturing babies. Baby dolls for decades have come equipped with bottles, bibs and spoons, teaching generations of women that it’s the proper way to feed your children.
Then along comes the European marketed Bebe Gloton Breastfeeding Baby Doll. An innocent, children’s toy that is designed to be a lifelike baby (just as most other dolls are) EXCEPT this one comes with no bottle or artificial nipples. Instead it’s packaged with a nursing smock for your child and a pacifier for the baby.
Watch a 55 second video demonstration of how the Bebe Gloton doll works.
In three minutes of your time, I weigh in on my thoughts regarding the sale of the Bebe Gloton doll.
Maybe I’m not quite the prude I once believed myself to be.
About Cat Davis
Go Cat! I totally agree! I think it can be used as a fabulous tool to teach your older child just what mommy is doing with the newborn. Kids do this anyway, if they’ve been around a breastfeeding mom. My son would bf his Curious George doll when I was bfing Leah. Great vlog and post!
I don’t have a problem with a breastfeeding doll, but I do have a problem with the paties thingys that comes with the doll to represent boobs. I don’t think that is natural, and is teaching something a little different. But as for a breastfeeding doll in general, I think it is a fine idea.
oops, I meant pastie thingys, not paties thingys.
This is interesting!
I totally agree Kat! Thanks for making this known.
THANK YOU!!! I really love what you had to say Cat! As for Trishas response..I think the flowers are a bit odd too but imagine if they had fake nipples on the shirt THAT would be a ..well, it wouldnt happen. LOL
Great blog Cat!! =)
I really enjoyed your argument for this and appreciate you showing how the doll worked. I actually agree except I believe any doll is a breastfeeding doll if you just throw away the bottle. lol Thanks for this excellent post!
I think it’s a great way to explain it to kids whose moms are nursing. I really don’t like the little pastie things and halter. I would be much more comfortable with it if it didn’t have those and would suckle without them. I completely 100% agree that breastfeeding is normal, healthy and ok! I do think girls need to know that it’s healthy and normal growing up. I really just can’t get over the pasties. lol
I agree. Not really thrilled with the top thing, but I would buy the baby. My daughter mimics me BFing my son by lifting her top and putting her baby to her breast to BF. Not something I “taught” her…but somethings she sees as natural because mommy does it. She sits in her little rocker and nurses her stuffed animals and life-like dolls.
If someone is uncomfortable with the doll..don’t buy it.
I would buy that doll for my daughter, it’s a baby doll and it’s normal.
Growing up in Europe we were thought that breastfeeding is the only way. Formula was given to babies that had to stay in the hospitals in the incubators and without Mommy always there (hope you know what I mean), so for me it was natural to breastfeed, and it has never been an issue to see a Mom breastfeed in public. My Hubby is from Europe too and I have never heard him say that it’s wrong to breastfeed in public.
You’re right it’s all how we are thought. I remember our baby dolls only came with a pacifiers and change of clothing!
totally love the dool not the bra pastie thingy… thats kinda strange
I think the doll is a good idea, but I agree with some others that said the top/smock is a little odd. Like others have said, little kids mimic BF’ing their dolls anyway! : )
P.S. Your hair looks really nice!! : )
YOu can be crowned spokes person for that Dolly
At 1st I was kinda like a shirt for what?? I don’t understand the whole shirt thingy I think the breastfeeding doll is ok I think that the child most likely would try to put it to the breast and that would be ok too.
Great VLOG 2 thumbs up!
u look pretty natural behind that camera the more u do the better and more comfortable u lookj
Wonderful idea! Another “tool” we can all use to help breastfeeding our babies become more easily accepted in our culture. With my girls, I would “hide” the bottles that came with any doll before they played with it. Being around other breastfeeding mothers is another great way to teach our children that breastfeeding is the normal and natural way to feed babies. So, once my oldest knew the difference, she didn’t want to use the bottle for her baby doll, rather, she *wanted* to breastfeed her doll.
Not sure I would consider this the “one” thing that can help our American society be more accepting of breastfeeding, though, as the video suggests. Also, I’m not quite sure about the little plastic “bra” that the little girl puts on… Why wouldn’t she be able to just lift her shirt?
Just last week Kaila was caught trying to breastfeed her sister. I absolutely love the idea of the doll.
But why the extra padding or whatever? Last I remembered girls who play with dolls usually have great imaginations. I like Carla’s comment, even just lifting a shirt is still taboo. They created something to put on over their clothes.
I don’t know this for sure but my guess is inside the flower petals of the cover is a sensor that activates the suckling from the baby doll, thus the need for the cover. I’m more of a fan of the “idea” behind the doll and with some careful adjustments could be a great toy to market in America.
where can i buy one.
BEBE GLOTON ( THE BREASTFEEDING DOLL ) IS AVAILABLE ON EBAY, AMAZON OR http://www.bebegloton.us . the distributor speaks Spanish and English.
Cat, love this! You did a awesome job stating this and everything you said is true! I think this doll is a great idea !
By the way , I just love your hair !
After some thought i even like the idea for the top. it dosent look to me like its padded (if it was i would see a big problem with it) just like the flowers are sensors for the dolls and a refrence for natural feeding you guys are right children girls and boys will mimic a breastfeeding mother but i think the top is a good idea for all the kids who dont have breastfeed siblings. if your child had the doll and some friends came to play they might not understand what your child was doing with the doll the top gives a simple kind of refrance for children and i think promotes it for children who wont be allowed to have this doll and if they see your child playing with it and decide to breastfeed their dolls at home the will be able to tell their parents what they r doing to avoid confusion, so that when their parent asked what they r doing their responce is not “i dont know i saw katie doing it with her doll”
Bebe Gloton is available on eBay or you can order from http://www.bebegloton.us
this doll concept is new to me. i don’t believe that i would buy it for my daughter.