Breastfeeding is "traumatic?"

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

My husband found an article on Fox News today and asked me "What's your take on this?"

At first, I have to admit, I laughed at the "Bebe Gloton" ("gluttonous baby") doll who comes with a nursing top instead of a plastic bottle (encouraging the idea of breastfeeding as opposed to bottle feeding)...until I read further at what some clearly ignorant, twisted people had to say about it.

Now, I'm guessing that the opposition or favor of this doll will be divided mostly along the lines of moms who breastfed their children and those who did not. That's to be expected. However, comments such as the following really are over the line:

“Pregnancy has to entail maturity and understanding,” [Dr. Manny] Alvarez said. “It’s like introducing sex education in first grade instead of seventh or eighth grade. Or, it could inadvertently lead little girls to become traumatized. You never know the effects this could have until she’s older.”

Hold the phone, there, Dr. Alvarez...what about little children who witness their own mothers nursing their younger siblings? Is that traumatic for them? Or is it only our horribly over-sexualized society that seems to cringe at such contact?

Many little girls see this as commonplace behavior and mimick it with their dollies already, without the aid of a specialized, decorated halter top. Are they scarred for life because of it? Hardly.

And comparing early sex education (where it's totally acceptable for some to introduce the concept of "two mommies" or "two daddies") to breastfeeding is just absurd.

The article continues:

“What’s next?” wrote Eric Ruhalter, a parenting columnist for New Jersey’s Star Ledger. “Bebe Sot — the doll who has a problem with a different kind of bottle, and loses his family, job and feelings of self-worth? Bebe Limp — the male doll who experiences erectile dysfunction? Bebe Cell Mate — a weak, unimposing doll that experiences all the indignation and humiliation of life in prison?

"Toy themes should be age appropriate. I think so anyway.”

Really. Well, thanks for that enlightened assessment...comparing a totally natural and healthy experience like breastfeeding to drunkenness and erectile dysfunction. Wow. I don't even know how to respond to that except to say that this "parenting columnist" may want to prepare himself for some very unhappy emails from nursing moms!

My opinion is, if you are comfortable with letting your kids play with Barbie dolls who are anatomically imbalanced examples of womanhood, what's your hangup with letting them play with a doll that empowers them to realize that those anatomical parts aren't just for "male pleasure," but can serve to nourish new life as well?