6:23 pm - 11/08/2012
There's a sort of new doll trying to break on the scene again in the U.S. After being unsuccessful since its first attempt to enter the market last year. Apparently the company is hoping to be more successful this year, as AP released the details, including support and endorsements for the toy on November 8, 2012, just before holiday sales and shopping begin.
"The Breast Milk Baby," the world's first breastfeeding baby, is a product of Berjuan Toys, LLC. The doll comes in baby boy or girl, a variety of skin tones, names, and attire. Cameron, Jeremiah, Jessica, Lilyang, Savannah, and Tony each come with a unique accessory that has also been the major obstacle in getting these dolls on the shelves in the United States. Each doll comes with a flowered halter top that has a flower shaped mechanism built in to the breast area. When the doll is held near the mechanism the baby begins to make suckling, gurgling, and burping noises.
The doll is marketed for children ages 2 years and up. Berjuan Toys believe little girls need to learn to breastfeed. The company says that this engaging activity is healthy, natural, and allows girls to express love and affection just like mommy.
The doll was a hit in Europe, selling millions according to the company's U.S. representative Dennis Lewis. However, last year the doll sold just under 5,000 in the states. Lewis says that retailers like the doll and believe it is an innovative toy, yet are reluctant to put it on shelves, concerned about the controversy it may cause. Feedback in the U.S. last year was that the doll is too "sexualized" for children. According to Associated Press, Lewis' rebuttal to this is, the simulation of natural activity of breastfeeding is "very much less sexualized than Barbie dolls or the sassy Bratz pack."
Another major concern is the price of the doll. Retail Suggested Price for "The Breast Milk Baby" is $89. However, a 50% holiday season discount is available at thebreastmilkbaby.com.
Would you buy this doll for your daughter? Do you believe it is too "sexualized?" Do you believe it is a good fun aid for breastfeeding mothers whose daughters may imitate them anyway with regular dolls?
source
'The Breast Milk Baby' doll: Healthy, educational play or too much?
There's a sort of new doll trying to break on the scene again in the U.S. After being unsuccessful since its first attempt to enter the market last year. Apparently the company is hoping to be more successful this year, as AP released the details, including support and endorsements for the toy on November 8, 2012, just before holiday sales and shopping begin.
"The Breast Milk Baby," the world's first breastfeeding baby, is a product of Berjuan Toys, LLC. The doll comes in baby boy or girl, a variety of skin tones, names, and attire. Cameron, Jeremiah, Jessica, Lilyang, Savannah, and Tony each come with a unique accessory that has also been the major obstacle in getting these dolls on the shelves in the United States. Each doll comes with a flowered halter top that has a flower shaped mechanism built in to the breast area. When the doll is held near the mechanism the baby begins to make suckling, gurgling, and burping noises.
The doll is marketed for children ages 2 years and up. Berjuan Toys believe little girls need to learn to breastfeed. The company says that this engaging activity is healthy, natural, and allows girls to express love and affection just like mommy.
The doll was a hit in Europe, selling millions according to the company's U.S. representative Dennis Lewis. However, last year the doll sold just under 5,000 in the states. Lewis says that retailers like the doll and believe it is an innovative toy, yet are reluctant to put it on shelves, concerned about the controversy it may cause. Feedback in the U.S. last year was that the doll is too "sexualized" for children. According to Associated Press, Lewis' rebuttal to this is, the simulation of natural activity of breastfeeding is "very much less sexualized than Barbie dolls or the sassy Bratz pack."
Another major concern is the price of the doll. Retail Suggested Price for "The Breast Milk Baby" is $89. However, a 50% holiday season discount is available at thebreastmilkbaby.com.
Would you buy this doll for your daughter? Do you believe it is too "sexualized?" Do you believe it is a good fun aid for breastfeeding mothers whose daughters may imitate them anyway with regular dolls?
source
i'm not offended or appalled by this. it just makes me laugh
Not really though...
slapping self in 3...2...
i think it's a good antidote for a young girl to have a doll she'll play with for a little while, get bored of it and stick in her closet at some point, to create a mental and psychological association between breasts and their positive life-nourishing function.
you have a right to your opinion obvs but i'm trying to compel you to be open-minded at least and consider that this doll actually accomplishes the exact opposite of what you fear that it does. it turns a female body part that's been objectified and exploited by culture into one that has a health function to girls at the age right before they start to feel the oppression by patriarchal, western society.
just consider it, entertaining a thought without accepting it is a sign of wisdom and an exercise that every intelligent human should be doing on a regular basis.
I don't know why Tony among all the other names is making me laugh but it is.
My mother would happily tell you that after six kids (4 singletons and a set of twins) that breastfeeding is the absolute least sexy thing she's ever done. Also one of the most painful.
ITA
Berjuan Toys believe little girls need to learn to breastfeed.
This is pretty awkward though.
For me it's that I would think that a child could get confused about the use of the breast if it's introduced too early, imo.
If there is a clear understand that it's play and when they become mothers then it's a very healthy option for their children, I'm down.
I'd be just a little disconcerted if I walked in on my two year old daughter trying to put her little nipple in her friends mouth because she does it during play time.
Edited at 2012-11-09 04:42 am (UTC)
I imagine saying "We feed our dollies, not our friends" would work in this case, but I'd still have a freak out moment of oh god how do we stop this because it absolutely cannot happen again.