I’m not referring to those pricey custom-made plush Mini Mama dolls that feature a hungry infant latching on to her mother’s breast via under-skin magnets. I’m talking about a doll that uses your toddler as a human pacifier.
Lest you think that I am joking take a look at this review from Thingamababy, which features an actual toddler nursing a doll that can suckle like a real newborn.
Introducing Bebé Glotón, an infant doll made by a toy maker in Spain. According to the review, the doll was made for the “express purpose of promoting breastfeeding.”
Apparently, the doll manufacturer wanted to give nursing advocates a life-like toy that would impress upon kids that breastfeeding is natural.
I’m not sure that message is being conveyed all that well given that your tot must attach a bizarre looking vest to his/her chest area before the doll can suckle.
Thingamababy describes the lactation top as, “a colorful bra-like halter-top featuring flowers over the nipple area.” The flowers are what the baby doll sucks on in order to receive its “nourishment.” A fact that seems to negate the message of breastfeeding being “natural.”
According to the manufacturer, when the doll is lifted to the flowers on the plastic vest-like contraption, it makes a suckling motion and slurping noises. Then, when your child’s flower “nipples” begin to wilt, the doll beckons to be burped.
Listen, I’m all for breastfeeding (heck, I nursed my daughter for two years) and have no problem explaining the benefits of nursing to my child (not that I really need to given that she has been breastfeeding her stuffed animals sans a “colorful bra-like halter-top featuring flowers over the nipple area” from the time she was a toddler), but this Bebé Glotón seems a bit too contrived.
Personally, if you really wanted to use inanimate objects to mimic the breastfeeding experience, I’d stick with the Mini Mamas. At least with those dolls your tot is spared the drama associated with wilting flowers.
What do you think of Bebé Glotón?
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