Meet Bebe Gloton from Spain. It is coming to America, the doll intended to bring mother and daughter closer together by teaching little girls to imitate the practice of breast feeding. It has stirred an incredible amount of controversy as can be imagined, but is it really beneficial to child development?

The doll, which comes with a special halter top with two flowers positioned where nipples would be, makes suckling sounds when its mouth is brought close to sensors embedded in the flowers.

It is a fact that breastfeeding is one of the most natural and beneficial acts a mother can do for her child. Dramatic health benefits have been proven to pass from mother to child through breast milk. From antibodies which protect an infant at birth, to the exclusive nutrients in mother’s milk which have been shown to prevent a number of childhood diseases, the benefits are incalculable. There is no other single action by which a mother can so impact the present and future health of her baby.

Breast milk remains the one and only natural, complete and complex nutrition for human infants. It is nature’s formula for ensuring the health and quality of life for infants, as well as on through childhood to adult life. Just as importantly, breastfeeding promotes a very special bond between mother and child that only a mother can provide.

One side of the debate say the doll can over-sexualize young girls or force them to grow up too quickly. Bloggers are shouting out in particular.

Ilina Ewen, a writer for Deep South Moms and her own blog Dirt and Noise said:

“I heard people talking about it but, honestly, I thought it was a joke. There are just things that I think kids are too little to understand. Let kids use their imagination and play with a doll and not deal with what it can do. There’s no need to turn it into something that’s anatomically correct. Not at this age.”

Then there are the proponents. Jessica Gottlieb, a mommy blogger and mother of a “school age” boy and girl reacts:

“I can’t believe what upsets people. That they [critics] would jump from a breast-feeding doll that you would take a child feeding and would automatically sexualize it says more about you than the doll. It’s a doll. If you don’t like it, don’t buy it.”

The manufacturer obviously sees the doll’s benefit in youth behavioral and emotional development. Cesar Bernabeu, director of sales and marketing for Berjuan commented:

“Breast-feeding is completely natural. We realized that the reaction was so positive with the girls when they were imitating their moms and saw that they react to the doll like it was a little sister. Their faces of happiness said it all.”

Okay, so we’ve heard from the public, but what do the professionals say?

Psychologist Jay Reeve, CEO of the Apalachee Center in Tallahassee, Florida states:

“Of course, children have played ‘parent’ with dolls for centuries, but this new twist seems to focus not on what babies are like as much as jump-starting a focus on breast-feeding. I’m always a little disturbed by toys, games, or products that have the impact of accelerating childhood identification with being a full-blown adult.”

Sources: Berjuan Toy Company and Breastfeeding.com

Written by Sy Kraft