Breastfeeding doll draws ire, praise

Haven't little girls been mimicking the act of breastfeeding with their baby dolls for centuries without benefit of accoutrement?

"Why do we need anything with bells and whistles? Why did we need a Betsy Wetsy? Children like toys that do things," Olds said, invoking one of the first drink and wet dolls created back in 1935. "So this doll makes noises. She burps, she cries, she sucks very noisily. Big deal."

Lincoln Hoppe, a Los Angeles actor and father of five — all breastfed — said a young child who becomes a big sibling and sees mom nursing might enjoy the doll just fine. "After all, they're going to imitate mom anyway using whatever doll they've already got," he said.

But how about playdates out just out and about in public?

"It's already hard to tell a child they can't take 'that' toy with them to their sibling's soccer game." he said. "There may be a time and place for this doll, but I find the idea kind of creepy."

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