A toy that allows children to simulate breastfeeding is causing controversy ahead of its US launch this week.
The Breast Milk Baby, manufactured by Spanish toy company Berjuan, was originally called Bebe Gloton which translates to “greedy baby.”
Aimed at little girls, the baby doll is programmed to make sucking sounds and motions when it is held up to flower-shaped sensor-spots, situated where nipples would be on the special bib its “mummy” wears while feeding. Once fed, the doll cries until it is burped.
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While the doll will share shelf space with babies that pee and poo and can be fed with a bottle, US parenting groups claim this doll is yet another product encouraging the early sexualisation of young girls.
US television personality Bill O’Reilly expressed outrage at the product, saying it was inappropriate for children, spurring criticism from several parenting forums who share his view.
The product’s website, which bears the tag line “healthy fun”, argues that little girls need to learn to breastfeed to “express their love and affection in the most natural way possible,” and “share in the wonder and magic of motherhood.”
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The manufacturer employs statistics on the benefits of breast feeding in its argument that The Breast Milk Baby will revolutionise America’s “attitudes to good infant health”, and even claims the Bible backs the breastfeeding doll, quoting supportive Psalms in a post entitled “God supports The Breast Milk Baby”.
The Breast Milk Baby will be unveiled at the Las Vegas Retail Merchandise trade show, where its demand will be truly tested.
Elizabeth Burke is The Weekly’s youngest writer. Click here to follow her on Twitter and here to follow The Weekly.
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