Grown ups need to grow up. Breast-feeding bebe Gloton allows healthy role play for young girls.

bebe Gloton

My oh my, I had no idea how many articles I would find about this breast-feeding baby doll manufactured by Berjuan in Spain called bebé Glotón.  On the NBC Today Show Kathie Lee made comments like, “I just worry about what’s next,” and Hoda added, “Why would you want a suckling doll for an 8-year-old?”  Gretchen and Steve on Fox and Friends could not keep a straight face nor sarcastic remarks when reporting on the doll.  NJ.com columnist Eric Ruhalter, a husband and father, sent women and parents into a tizzy in his article, “Baby Glutton the breast-feeding doll.  A ‘sucky’ idea?” claiming that we are sending mixed messages to children by fostering their maternal instincts while trying to discourage teenage pregnancy.  He did tip the scale when going into a series of “what’s next?” statements which included a reference to a baby cell mate that would allow children to learn about life in prison.  Since then he’s issued an apology column, “Breast-feeding doll debate: Dad who slammed Baby Glutton apologizes to angry moms.”  Even celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton has spoken out against bebé Glotón in his blog post, “What is the point to this doll?”

I think the doll bebé Glotón is a wonderful idea and allows young girls to simulate something that is perfectly natural.  Many young girls mimick their mom's behaviors like breastfeeding anyway with their dolls and stuffed animals, so the idea is not necessarily original nor out of the ordinary.  Rather, it's tastefully crafted and age appropriate.  The bébé Glotón comes with a halter that has flaps like you would on a nursing bra.  Instead of nipples, there are daisies.  Watch the video demonstration below.

Before I continue, bébé Glotón translates from Spanish to English as “greedy baby.”  I know this column is not about race or cultural bias, but it’s obvious to me many articles and blogs are exploiting the literal translation “baby glutton” to make a stronger argument.  It took me lots of internet searching to finally land on an article from HispanicBusiness.com to get an accurate translation.

For years, there have been baby dolls that are designed to take on real behaviors of infants for use in child’s play.  Hasbro’s Baby Alive allows children to feed the doll baby food and milk from a bottle that results in dirty diapers from bowel movements and urine.  Betsy Wetsy surfaced in the 1930s from Ideal Toy Company was a widely popular doll that would wet her diaper after drinking fluids and had eyes that would close as you lay the baby down to to sleep.  You can even purchase anatomically correct dolls for your children.

The fact that this is creating such controversy makes Americans sound like giddy, adolescent boys calling out, “She said boobies!”  We continue to foster a culture of shame for women.  I hate that I feel uncomfortable walking in the drug store to buy pads and tampons.  Get over it, folks!  Women have areolas, periods, placentas (when pregnant), and breast-feed. This is the same nation that created Barbie with measurements that most girls will never attain.  Which doll would you rather see your 6 year old play with?

NOTE:  This doll is not available in US stores, and I was unable to find any information indicating if there are plans to sell within the US market.

RELATED VIDEO AND LINKS

NBC News Austin

The Young Turks

Fox News- Fox and Friends

Fox News- Controversial Doll Lets Little Girls Pretend to Breast-Feed

Today on MSNBC.com- Controversial new doll mimics breast-feeding

Associated Content- Breastfeeding doll ignites debate and controversy in the playroom

Omaha Stay At Home Mom's Examiner- Spanish breastfeeding baby doll for little girls brings uproar in the toy community

KansasCity.com- Giant sucking noise: The new doll that breast feeds

About.com Breastfeeding blog- Move Over Betsy Wetsy...Bebe Gloton is here! 

NY Daily News- What a doll! Bebe Gloton, a breast-feeding toy for children, makes sucking noises as it ‘feeds’

BabyCenter.com- It's so realistic, it nurses!  Is that too much?

Original link sent to me from “Adub” that was inspiration for this story (thank you!)...

   Eco Child’s Play- Play Nursing: The Creepy Breastfeeding Doll

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