Hermenuetics

Comments

Creepy.

Posted By: Robyn | August 24, 2009 1:51 PM

The supreme court said they couldn't define obscenity but they know it when they see it -
i think you are right - creepy - can't say why, but could swear this is it.

and i do think its the daisy pasty thing- or at least thats what i told my husband when i first read about the doll a couple of weeks ago.

Posted By: a.l.f. | August 24, 2009 2:28 PM

Eww Gross is right! Promoting breast feeding isn't the problem but a product designed with the express purpose of seeing little girls simulate it, IS! Having sex is "natural" too but we sure don't want to see little dolls with the ability to simulate that either at the hands of a child.... or a grown-up.

Posted By: Sue | August 24, 2009 3:07 PM

I'm older now, so I'm no longer "turned on" by the sight of breast feeding. Infact, being a grandfather many times over, I very much approve. But when I was younger, the sight was arousing, at least. And it was to all of my male peers. The younger, the more aroused or titillated. Simple fact of hormones, culture, etc. So, to me, that fact is why I don't like this doll. It moves girls into a place much like the photos in "men's" magazine. That's the real "creepy factor". And, there's liable to be a feedback into how a young girl feels. That's not so good either.

Posted By: Russ | August 24, 2009 3:50 PM

I guess if you see creepy you must be creepy yourself.
Bebe Gloton is available on ebay for $112 including shipping or you can buy it from www.bebegloton.us for $99 plus $9.90 shipping I think

Posted By: chuchi | August 25, 2009 12:44 AM

I haven't seen the doll so it's hard for me to weigh in but I honestly think that anything that helps encourage children to feel good about breastfeeding is a good thing. I wonder how KIDS are reacting to the baby doll?! Our culture is so backwards about breastfeeding in general. In Mongolia, children are encouraged to nurse for a LONG TIME. They say if you nurse until you're 9 you'll be a champion wrestler. I know women who are unable to nurse wind up feeling badly but even in my small "progressive" town you almost never see a woman nursing in public without a stupid blanket over their head. I say go Baby Glutton. Drink up! It's the best thing for you!!

Posted By: Jennifer Margulis | August 25, 2009 12:07 PM

The blanket over the head is for MODESTY. Nothing wrong with that! I'm all for breastfeeding - but the encouragement of immodesty in public uncovered feeding, and in a doll that encourages the same, through the "petals" - not to mention causing children to think about body parts they needn't think about yet. Sex in marriage is normal and right...but children needn't know the details yet. Same with breastfeeding. Any teenage girl or boy, for that matter, can babysit and give a baby a bottle. They can't breastfeed unless they are female and have been pregnant.

Posted By: Lisa | August 25, 2009 1:26 PM

Childs' play is about learning to be an adult. No one is bothered by children feeding dolls with bottles. A child in a breastfeeding home will mimic what he or she sees. I don't care for this doll because it seems a lot of money for something so simple and the flowers on the bib are perplexing. But the dangerous decline in breastfeeding rates is due in large part to breastfeeding not appearing as a normal part of public life. Mothers should do it. Children should pretend to do it. Nothing immodest in the act of feeding a child, either in life or as play.

@Russ If you were ever sexually aroused by seeing a woman breastfeed, I worry about those around you. That is the response of a fetishist. Having breastfed for almost nine years, I assure there is nothing sexy about it. However did you control yourself? For that matter, however did all the men around the world for the thousands of years before the invention of formula control themselves?

Posted By: Jake Aryeh Marcus | August 25, 2009 8:03 PM

I think it is important to make the distinction between how a man reacts to seeing a woman nurse her baby and how a female views it. Let's face it, we're talking breasts here, so I can understand how any man could be aroused by the sight of it. To suggest that Russ or any man is a "fetishist" for being aroused is just plain silly and off-base.

Posted By: Sue | August 25, 2009 10:20 PM

As an older male, I would have to admit being somewhat uncomfortable in the presence of a mother nursing. This only because I would not want to be missunderstood in watching. Nursing a child is beautiful, because it is an act of nurturing and love, so beneficial to both mother and child. What little I recall of my college class in nutrition pertains to the benifits of breast milk as opposed to formula, gifts only a mother can give.
Yes, such a doll would kind of freak me out as well. Little girls grow up to fast as it is. Little girls often will try to emulate what they see their mothers do, less often boys will do the same. It is natural and kind of touching. This doll however is a bit much.
We need to de-sexualize nursing. It is a God given blessing for mother and child.

A Father and a Grand Father, Who adores Babies

Posted By: V. Van Liew | August 26, 2009 7:48 AM

I agree with this:

"We need to de-sexualize nursing. It is a God given blessing for mother and child."

My girls breastfeed their dolls and they don't need special doll for this. Why creepy? It is not! It's beautiful!

Posted By: Enith | August 27, 2009 12:52 AM

When I was breast-feeding my youngest, my older daughter (then under 2) would hold a doll up to her chest and make sucking noises. What's sexual about that? She just wanted to be like mom. She would have loved that doll.

I was in Europe then, and could openly breastfeed my kids without arousing anyone's curiosity or provoking comment (both puns intended.) The only time I was made to feel bad about doing this was when my American brother-in-law was staying with us. His discomfort had me hiding up in my bedroom instead of feeding my daughter in the comfy armchair I usually used for the purpose. I didn't even know about the blanket thing because I'd never seen anyone use it. So my response to the guys who find breastfeeding arousing is "ewww". I'm glad I went through that phase of life in Europe where men just found it natural.

Posted By: Jane | August 27, 2009 11:55 AM

Seems to me the thing that's scaring people here is sex, its tendency overflow the boundaries set for it. Why does the doll suck toy flowers instead of toy nipples, or real nipples, for that matter? Obviously the doll makers shared our concern, while still hoping to make some sales. The concern is legitmate, in every sense of that word.

Posted By: John H. | August 27, 2009 5:44 PM

It is creepy and encourages the sexualization of our female children. My future daughters will be playing with Lego blocks, not breast feeding dolls, thank you very much.

Posted By: Mary | August 27, 2009 11:54 PM

I think what makes it creepy is the flower thing and the automation. If a 3-year-old put a baby to her breast instead of a bottle to its mouth, that isn't creepy. That is modeling motherhood. The extra steps and contraption takes something that is natural and makes it unnatural.

Posted By: Mary W | August 29, 2009 9:55 AM

creepy! A baby can easily simulate breastfeeding without that ridiculous contraption. It's common and wonderful to see a little girl hold her baby up to her breast. the flower petal thing is absurb, unnatural!

Mary, I hope you'll at least make regular old dolls available to your daughters in addition to the blocks. Because my daughter has legos -- and she does not like to play with them!

Posted By: a mother | September 3, 2009 6:05 PM

I am with Mary W on this one... the idea behind it had good intentions, but once you put all this technology with it (the electronic sensors, the weird lil'flowers) that is when it starts to warp the natural, beautiful act of breastfeeding into something a bit odd. What pushed it past the line for me was the "Greedy Baby" name. I hope if it is available in the North America eventually they change the name to less of a literal translation.

Posted By: Sara | September 3, 2009 11:51 PM

NOT creepy, it's cute. Remember when peeing dolls become a reality? Kids thought it was awesome. Remember when you put batteries in her butt and she could crawl or walk? Amazing. Now this is just one more step towards realism, and it teaches girls a valuable skill and a good attitude towards health.

Quit calling everything you don't understand or identify with "creepy".
Oh, and Lego Parts are for everyone. Get real.

Posted By: Sam | September 14, 2009 3:26 PM

I don't think CREEPY begins to describe the way I feel about the "greedy baby". Promoting breastfeeding is a wonderful thing, but I am not sure this doll is the proper way. In today's society we need to be very concerned about how our children are taught about their bodies and how it translates to sexual feelings and arousal. Playing mommy with any doll is normal and I don't feel a baby that moves it lips near a young girls breasts is good. Our children are exposed to all sorts of sexual stimuli on a daily basis.
Did you know that girls as young as 10 are engaging in oral sex? At my daughters middle school 6th grade girls talk about having sex. Young woman today do not view sex the way most of us did 30-40 years ago. Girls are getting sexual aroused at younger ages these days. Most of it is due to girls ages 9 and up starting puberty way earlier than most of us did. TV and movies do not help in this area either. Having sex outside of marriage is viewed as normal. We as parents need to be very careful about what toys and types of entertainment we let our children watch or read.
Teaching our daughters about the benefits of breastfeeding can be done without a doll that might cause sexual arousal.
As for Russ: I think most men get excited when they see a woman breastfeeding. Like Sue said, "they are breasts" so, I don't fault men who find breastfeeding arousing.

Posted By: Christine | September 17, 2009 11:22 AM

Bebe Gloton is available on eBay and Amazon. It is not creepy at all, and all this is much ado about nothing. It is much less threatening when you actually see it.

Posted By: chuchi | October 15, 2009 11:27 PM

My daughter self weaned at 2 1/2 years, but I have many photos of her and her cousin "nursing" their babydolls... it was so NATURAL to them... My daughter never had formula nor a bottle so she knew no other way... it is SOCIETY who needs to adjust their views of normalcy... breasts are for babies... to breastfeed. If this baby is creepy, was my 2 year old creepy for nursing her Rageddy Ann ? Perhaps to the pedophiles, that's why all us nursing mamas need to keep an eye out for those weirdos stimulated by watching a baby feed.

Posted By: Stacey Schneider | May 22, 2010 10:31 PM

I think if the halter kneck was discarded and the doll made suckling noises when placed in the correct position it would probably be alot better, As a nursing mother and a breastfeeding counsellor it is so natural to see my own child and children who come to my groups pretend to nurse dolls even the boys do it so Im not opposed to the doll and I have seen one in person it is that awful top it is very creepy its also very expensive.

Posted By: Heidi | June 4, 2010 7:31 PM