The Best... Toys to Teach Tots About Breastfeeding

August 20, 9:46 PMEarly Childhood Parenting ExaminerAngele Sionna

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Manhattan Toy's Nursing Nina cat with her 3 kittens

When you're getting ready to welcome baby number two or three or more into the world, parents often stress over making the adjustment easier for their other child(ren). One thing you want toddlers and older children to understand is why mommy needs to breastfeed the new little baby and why it is happening.

An easy way to do that is with the help of a toy, like the nursing animal toys by Manhattan Toy. We bought Nursing Nina, the momma cat who has three little baby kittens that attach to her by magnets in their noses. They also make Nursing Nana the dog and Nursing Nuna the pig. These are great because they show little ones how babies latch on to mommy with a simple show and tell. You can then explain to your tots that is how the little babies eat. THen once baby is here, your big kids can have their kittens feed while you feed little brother or sister. I found that anything I could do to keep my oldest daughter a part of the process of taking care of her new sister made life easier for both of us.

We bought our Nursing Nina at a local baby shop on sale for $15. You can find them at target.com for $25, which is the retail price across the internet. Manhattan Toy labels these for ages three and up.

There are also breastfeeding dolls, like the ones handmade by WaldorfDolls, that teach kids about breastfeeding. You can find out how to make your own breastfeeding dolls HERE.