Local Mothers Weigh In On Breast Feeding Baby Doll

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- There are dolls that eat, burp and need their diapers changed and now one that breast feeds.

Lots of little girls like to imitate their mothers and when a new baby comes along, they want to care for their baby dolls just like mommy takes care of a real baby. Even by breast feeding.

"I came in and she had my boppy pillow around her waist and her doll was on the pillow and she was pretending to nurse and at first I was kind of shocked, like, 'What is she doing?'

"And then I thought, 'My reaction is going to set the tone for her,'" says Kristen Keleshenyi of North Versailles, the mother of an 8 year-old boy, a 6-year-old girl and a 2-month-old boy.

Now there are dolls to make pretend more realistic, complete with halter top and sucking sounds when the doll's mouth nears a built in sensor. The breast pump is sold separately.

While breast feeding is a natural biological function, some people believe the doll's realism is over the top. Others believe it introduces and encourages a healthy behavior from a young age.

"I don't think it's inappropriate or anything like that, but I don't think it's necessary either," says Abigail Rizk of Pittsburgh.

"As a society, a doll like that could promote better awareness and make people feel more comfortable, and won't make breastfeeding mothers feel awkward about what they're doing," Keleschenyi adds.

These dolls are made by a European company, but you can find them online for $118.

Some breast feeding advocates welcome having another option of feeding baby dolls with something besides bottles and see this as no different as pretend cash registers or cooking toys that kids play "grown-up" with.

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