I’m completely blown away by this product, and not in a good way. Bebe Gloton (or “Gluttonous Baby) by Spanish toymaker Berjuan, is a breastfeeding simulator for children. The product’s tagline is “Because you shouldn’t have to wait until you have breasts before you start breastfeeding your baby.”
Actually, yes, you should have to wait.
So, before I get this rant going, a disclaimer: I support public breastfeeding. I’ve never understood the arguments against it, other than that they’re vestigial remnants of a Puritanical society, where an exposed breast automatically means sexual activity. It’s not breastfeeding itself that I have a problem with here; it’s the age of the feeder in question.
If this product purports to get young girls used to the breastfeeding position, then it’s premature. It’s not difficult to breastfeed — or, rather, it’s not so difficult that it won’t take more than a couple of hours to get the hang of it. My wife went through a tough time with it, but that was due to our son’s unwillingness, not through any unreadiness on her part.
If this product aims to get young girls excited to breastfeed, then it’s pre-sexualizing children, and that’s completely wrong-headed. Haven’t we seen enough teen pregnancies to know this by now? Sure, this thing comes from Spain, but surely the same standards should exist in European countries? Babies making babies never works out well. My concern is that by turning the act of breastfeeding into something casual and playful, it’s sending the wrong message to children. On the other hand, breastfeeding the act itself is completely innocent, so it’s difficult to make the distinction between harmful and helpful here. What do you think? Is Bebe Gloton a good idea?
Also, “Gluttonous Baby”? What, “hungry” wasn’t rapacious enough? What kinds of starving, ravenous babies do they have there in Spain?
