Breastfeeding Doll

My colleague, Shannon, found a video from the TV show "The Talk" in which they discussed a doll that makes sucking sounds as if its nursing. Some of the celebrities on the show really bashed it while another reported that she breastfed her child for more than three years. 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgujP9H2Yck



I can remember breastfeeding my dolls as a little girl. I actually thought all grown up breasts came with milk. To me, it was how babies were fed.


I went to amazon.com to see if I could get one and here is what I found out.


#1 They are quite expensive. I don't think other electronic baby dolls cost this much: $118!
          
#2 It comes with a vest with an electronic signal near the nipple of the child who is wearing it so that when put to the nipple the baby makes sucking sounds and her/his mouth moves.

Some of the reviews and comments on Amazon struck a cord with me. The first was a little strange because the reviewer claims to have used the doll to lactate! 


One comment was "Since when do mothers teach their daughters to breast feed I was never taught nor do I think I needed any lessons it's just something that comes natural this doll is a gimmick for fools to get their money. "


This struck a cord because I think MOST women need help breastfeeding their babies. A class is helpful to for new mom's to know what to expect, they need help after birth and frequently need some other kind of support. Hence the launch of Milk Mentors. This is why so many women fail to achieve their breastfeeding goals. A doll won't make breastfeeding easier for a girl later in life, but it might help make it feel normal. 


Another article at www.examiner.com claims, "Commentators view breastfeeding play as sexual, too adult, and trauma-inducing."  


Yikes! I think most girls who play with dolls are not old enough to know breasts are sexual!

What do you think?