So very wrong on so many levels...

ThePinkPony said:
no, not at that age they dont. and that is a fact.

and to be honest im a bit sick of the breastfeeding brigade, after the amount of BF BS rammed down my neck when i was pregnant the fact that i couldnt BF my son when he was born (through me nearly dying in labour) literally made me want to top myself, i spent the first 6 months feeling like a complete failure.

turns out my 18month old is sturdier and healthier than most his age, walked early, is a freaking genius, so screw that breast is best, its obviously not, because my son would have been very very ill if i had!!!
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I had the opposite experience. When breastfeeding wasn't perfectly established within 4 hours after birth the midwife took my son from me and gave him a bottle.

But I think you are right. Mine were all breastfed. They walked, talked etc. at totally average ages. They were only average at putting on weight and they occasionally caught colds nor were they noticeably different in development from other kids. Also, none of them are of genius intelligence. Mea culpa :rolleyes:
 
rosiefronfelen said:
I must be seriously odd as no way was i going to breast feed my 2 lads and they are now 6 ft rugby players and i hated dolls with a passion-
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I really only wanted to breastfeed because I am lazy - I seriously couldn't be bothered making up bottles in the middle of the night and all that jazz.

Horses for courses, isn't it? ;)
 
Genuine question for those who think this is sick, wrong and sending us all to hell in a handbasket... what about young children seeing younger siblings being breastfed? Is that going to scar them for life?
Obviously there are differences but it seems to be the fact that children are aware of the concept of breastfeeding that has got some knickers in a twist...

I'm interested. :)
 
Tinkerbee said:
Genuine question for those who think this is sick, wrong and sending us all to hell in a handbasket... what about young children seeing younger siblings being breastfed? Is that going to scar them for life?
Obviously there are differences but it seems to be the fact that children are aware of the concept of breastfeeding that has got some knickers in a twist...

I'm interested. :)
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I can't really answer this except to say that my younger brother was bottle fed and also all the dolls that I saw had feeding bottles. I , therefore, thought that this was the ( only ) way that babies were fed.

When I was about 8, I went with my friend to see her baby sister who was only a few days old. The baby had been born at home, another revelation - in my world babies came from the hospital - my friend's mum was breastfeeding the baby and talking to us as if it was all perfectly normal and natural, which, of course, it was. So for the first time I cottoned on to the idea that there was another way to feed tiny babies.

In my case I wasn't traumatised, just educated. My own older kids saw their younger siblings breastfed. I don't know if it bothered them overmuch - it was just never a big deal. They did, on occasions, tell me to feed the baby "to make him stop crying ".
 
Its gross, its too early to be sending children such a message and its gender stereotyping.

Chestnut_Cob - I felt the same about Tiny Tears dolls, couldn't see the point in them and wouldn't have one! In fact my mother was against gender stereotyping and told the school I would not be doing home economics (I did technical drawing with the boys instead) nor would I be having that vaccine which protects in childbirth or suchlike. Her point was that school was for teaching me academic subjects and not that I had no role on earth other than to cook, clean and give birth.

Not all females are interested in and want the same things. Are they giving male children daddy type dolls which go out to work and provide for families? Somehow I think not.
 
im just gobsmacked some people agree with this - a doll that stimulates breast feeding???
Omg dolls are aimed at what - 3 - 8 year olds???? To see you at most 8 year old girl "playing" at suckling a doll on her chest?
Wrong wrong wrong - to watch mummy or any other lady doing it to a real life baby is totally different - omg this is just sick
Adults do things children dont, ie breast feed - im not saying its wrong, it is the most beautiful thing in the world and natural - omg giving a boob sucking doll to a child just isnt!!!!!
 
narkymare said:
so at what age exactly do you think it appropriate to teach your daughter the skills of breast feeding?
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I think you and I are at cross purposes here. I don't actually like the doll much but I can't summon up the indignant moral outrage that some people are exhibiting. Teaching the 'skills' of breastfeeding comes when you are actually in the situation of needing to breastfeed.
Learning that it is possible to breastfeed, as opposed to bottle-feeding, can be whenever. If you saw my earlier post, I never knew that it was possible until the age of 8 and might have easily not have found out until much later as I had a very squeamish mother.

My elder daughter saw her baby sister being breastfed from when she was 10 months old - actually for a month or two they were tandem fed which was the result of mismanagement in having two babies very close together.

When my son was little he tried 'feeding' his teddy bear while I was feeding his sister. We thought it was quite cute. Perhaps I should have been horrified. However, I hope that, should he ever be a father, then he will be accepting of his wife / girlfriend breastfeeding and not nag her to change to formula so that she won't 'spoil her figure' which is a reason that I have heard more than one bloke give for not wanting his partner to breastfeed.
 
Child development is such that any child who wants to simulate breastfeeding, to emmulate mum, will do so. To provide the child with a 'bib' which stimulates the doll to 'feed' is a whole other thing IMO. Especially a doll which sucks! I also have some issues with the people who say it is fine for children to see and accept naked adult bodies. Children have to learn that it is acceptable for them to keep their bodies private, which let's face it most of us do! We do not urinate or defacate in public, most people manage not to squeeze their spots in public etc. etc., why would we therefore want to encourage the public display of a private, bonding activity between mother and child? Children are often exposed to adult behaviour and are expected to emmulate it, long before they are emmotionally ready to do so. The idea of a suckling doll is absolutely vile IMO and not good for children.
 
I am more than willing to bet at high odds that many folk who object to this for girls will buy boys of similar age a toy gun with realistic sound effects - though I've never heard of one with the sound of the bullet actually hitting flesh - but I'd bet that it would sell in some quarters!

Oh, in addition - if you ladies play your cards right and bottle feed - you can give the nightshift to him indoors - I used to get lumbered with that one regularly and will point out that the daughter I fed the most has a First Class Honours degree - the naturally fed one is blonde ( need I say more ) and is an estate agent.
 
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I liken this to drinking. I am against this as while there are adult activities that it is natural for a child to observe there are others which are wrong for adults to encourage. How many mothers would be slated for teaching their children to knock back a few G&T's?

As for teaching children to breast feed - sorry but I believe that we are introducing sex and grown up relationships FAR TOO SOON! Let children be children. Has any one considered that the reason why more and more children are becoming pregnant etc is that they are learning far too much far too soon? Rather that learn naturally and through experiance at an apropriate time we are allowing sex education to go on in primary schools! Let them go climb trees and dress up etc, play dolls (with out the fake urine and suckling) etc.

If a mother wishes to breast feed her child fair enough but what about those who don't, those who find it extreemly painfull or can't? I am sick to death of the PC crew belittling them with "breast is best" and "its the most natural thing" comments. I have no problem with what I would call normal breast feeding in public (descrete rest of body covered in clothes) I have however been subject to a massive mammory being lumped out on full show in the middle of a resturaunt... Sorry but others have to eat and don't really want to see a face full of tit while trying to digest their food. What about having a touch of respect for others who may not wish to see that sort of thing? There is no need. When are we going to realise that Children have a right to be children and a right to inocence.
 
What does breastfeeding have to do with sex? Why would explaining to a child that babies drink milk from their mother's breasts encourage them to think about sex? None of this argument makes any sense to me.

I completely agree that women should not be made to feel bad if they cannot/do not want to breast feed, but why would a doll that breast feeds make you feel bad about not breast feeding yourself? If you breast fed, do dolls that bottle feed make you feel bad you didn't bottle feed? If you don't want to/can't cook, do you feel offended by little kitchen play sets for kids?

And why would you need to teach your child the skills of breast feeding if you buy her/him this doll? If you were to buy a toy stethoscope instead would you have to teach the skills of medicine?
 
Booboos said:
What does breastfeeding have to do with sex?
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Sex is the mamals way to procreate. Procreation involves the production and nurture of off spring. How can this NOT have anything to do with sex? Ok so its not the behind the bike sheds aspect but this is an aspect.

I also feel that we are "training" our children to be drinkers, smokers etc. Get it off the soaps and get them displaying a more realistic (yes its boring but doesn't have to be) version of life and stop harrassing our youngsters to grow up so quickly and take on ADULT perceptions and relations with others so quickly and just let them grow up rather than force the issue!
 
WTF - am i to assume they are gradually going to get to making kids 'blow up doll' type toys all in the name of education?!
 
Paddydou said:
Sex is the mamals way to procreate. Procreation involves the production and nurture of off spring. How can this NOT have anything to do with sex? Ok so its not the behind the bike sheds aspect but this is an aspect.

I also feel that we are "training" our children to be drinkers, smokers etc. Get it off the soaps and get them displaying a more realistic (yes its boring but doesn't have to be) version of life and stop harrassing our youngsters to grow up so quickly and take on ADULT perceptions and relations with others so quickly and just let them grow up rather than force the issue!
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By that logic cuddling and feeding of solids are both sex as they are all part of nurturing of offspring and they should all be done behind closed doors to avoid corrupting the innocence of children.

The reason we should not be encouraging children to smoke is not because it is an adult activity and seeing it will lead them to grow up too fast but because it is a harmful activity for everyone involved in it, child or adult.
 
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