Would you let your daughter breastfeed her doll?

[Tasha89]

I agree with most of the other girls. I don't think dolls should be marketed specifically for 'breastfeeding' but then you've got to look at the other side of the argument - why should dolls be sold with bottles?

I would never buy anything like this for my little girl but I would want her to know from the start where babies get milk from.
A friend I visit quite a bit has a little girl (3 years) and she's seen me BF Evie a fair few times and knows why I do it. The other day my friend put a status on facebook saying that her daughter was shoving her doll up her top to feed her - I thought it was the cutest thing ever! So did my friend - she said that i'm the only person she's ever seen breastfeed too lol!

 

[xxClaire_24xx]

I would never but Mia this and she is 6!!!! When I was expressing for Ellie she asked me what I was doing and I explained it all to her and she totally understood why I was doing it but as for the doll no way!! thats my opinion xx

 

[isobel84]

me and a friend sat both breastfeeding our babies when her other daughter that is nearly 3 came n sat with us, pulled her top down and pretended she was feeding shrek. This i dont mind atall, but to make a special doll for it is for me one step to far- just let kids be kids. Let them explore and learn but they dont need to be thought with special dolls at a young age.

 

[FebMum2Be]

To put it simply, I don't think there is anything wrong with a girl doing it to her normal doll, but I don't like how the doll is specifically made for pretend BFing, if that makes sense x

 

[titch]

I used to BF my dolls. I dont see the problem. I actually have more of an issue with dolls coming with toy bottles to be honest. Im not sure why there needs to be a bib to indicate the nipple area though? Surely they have nipples?!

I read someone said they dont think they should know what their nipples are for at that age. I completely disagree. If I have a daughter I want to know exactly what her nipples are for so that she doesnt grow up thinking that her boobs are just there for sex and pleasure of men. They have a very important purpose.

My sister was born when I was 6 and I saw my mum BF her for the first 6 months so I always think thats the 'normal' thing to do with your baby. I think thats why I found it so hard bottle feeding my LO.

 

[titch]

I cant see whats special about this doll that its for BFing other than the marketing though. Am I being dense? Play is all about children learning how the world works. Thats why they have miniature tea sets and play houses, they are literally practising being adults.

I wouldnt buy this doll purely cos I dont see whats different about it to any other doll, and I bet it would be super expensive!!

 

[titch]

I don't think it's inappropriate etc for a child who sees their mum breastfeeding to then pretend to breastfeed their doll but I do think it's inappropriate for a toy to be created like this. It throws up lots of questions like 'what if a little boy wanted this? Is that inappropriate? Do you buy him one or try to explain why he can't have one? Should he have one?' etc etc.

My mum caught my brother trying to BF one of my dolls we still tease him about that!

I think if my son tried to BF the doll I might bring up a conversation about mummies and daddies being different. Mummies carry the babies in their tummy and can breast feed the babies and daddies cant carry babies in their tummies or breastfeed, but they look after the babies in different ways and look after the mummies when the baby is in her belly. Depends on the childs age really, but theres nothing wrong with knowing that men and women are different.

 

[titch]

They're gonna start wondering what their nipples are for if they're told it's only for girls!

it could get really messy trying to explain evolution to a 4 year old

 

[Froslass]

me and a friend sat both breastfeeding our babies when her other daughter that is nearly 3 came n sat with us, pulled her top down and pretended she was feeding shrek. This i dont mind atall, but to make a special doll for it is for me one step to far- just let kids be kids. Let them explore and learn but they dont need to be thought with special dolls at a young age.

This is exactly what I was meaning Totally agree with you chick! x

 

[Minchin]

Yes agree with what others have said about it being totally normal to play around at bfing but why have a 'specific' doll for it? Let kids use their imagination I say. Bit weird with 'flower nipples' I think, bit unecessary really

 

[PinkPunch]

They're gonna start wondering what their nipples are for if they're told it's only for girls!

it could get really messy trying to explain evolution to a 4 year old

Or anyone for that matter because it makes no sense!

 

[Poxie_pixie]

Nothing really wrong about it just a little odd i guess not something you'd want a little girl playing with in public. What really annoys me is the educational babies you get in schools to teach girls what to do with a baby they are only bottle fed why not but the bottle sensor in a bra or something so they can breast feed? xXx

 

[Sam's Mum]

I totally agree that kids need to use their imaginations, not be told what to play with and how. This is what I sent back to my friend yesterday but having then read how angry parents all over the world were about it I wondered if I should be more outraged and thought I'd ask you all first ...

Kids have been doing it for years - I don't see the need to make a doll designed just for that, or to have something with fake flower nipples?! Little girls with dolls ...naturally copy what they see their mums or other parents doing - whether it's breastfeeding, bottle feeding, changing nappies, putting them to bed..and I don't think kids should be given the impression that breastfeeding is something that shouldn't be seen or copied. Creating a doll that is specifically for that is pointless though - fair enough, teach them that it's normal and that's how some people feed their babies, but let them play with any old doll in whatever way they want to, as kids have always done.

 

[Pudds86]

I think there is nothing wrong with it at all. My friend had BF both her babies until they were 1 and her 4 year old 'breastfeeds' her dolls. One nursery nurse called my friend aside the other week to let her know her daughter was being 'inappropriate' at nursery feeding her dolls. She wasnt exposing her 'boob' but the other kids didnt understand what she was doing. My friend just laughed and said that is all she knows! It's true. Where'd we be if bottles werent around anyway!

 

[Sam's Mum]

That's awful that the nursery said it was inappropriate!

 

[FebMum2Be]

I totally get what others are saying about boobs being seen as sexual things, I grew up with nobody breast feeding around me, and tbh boobs were something you didn't look at, because at that stage they were "sexual" wether it was on TV or in magazines, I think I seen someone breast feed for the first time when I was about 14, and if I'm being completely honest I was freaked out, not because it was it was a bad or "disgusting" thing, but I always looked away if boobs were on tv or W/E so I kind of thought god I'm not allowed to look at them! In saying that, it didn't stop me from breast feeding my own son even it were for a small amount of time.. I do think it's a good thing for children to learn young and learn that boobs aren't there for mens (or ladies) pleasure but in fact for feeding our babies.. I just don't think it needs to be forced on them with a specific doll and a flowery nipple vest xx

 

[Sparkle24]

I dont like that at all.

I know how many questions my 4 year old asks about things but still theres explaining things and having this type of doll