[ozmidwifery] Pregnant "barbie"

[Pinky McKay]

Hi ladies, Midge- Barbies best friend -is pregnant(Barbie is the paediatrician) -arriving in toyshops in the next week. Now are you sitting down -I have been asked by Mattel's PR company to give some quotes/ do some interviews re kids and pregnancy/ birth etc.   After a discussion with Andrea and lots of thought plus making certain I am not expected to endorse the doll although the media may misconstrue my words -I am going to be doing quite a bit of talking about birth and children. I am doing a live interview on 3ak monday at 12 .15pm. I am taking an array of props - Hello Baby by Jenni Overend and In Union -by Vicki Chan and Nic Edmonstone. I want to take this opportunity to turn the crap into a positive - to tell women that how they portray birth to their daughters can convey awe of the female body (dear Midge needs some serious help - perhaps atexta to add nipples for starters!)   The fact is, this doll is going to be out there anyway and people will be buying her -she looks lovely with her dress on even though her whole belly is attached with a magnet so comes completely off (ridiculous!!I agree - my son immediately tipped her upside down to see how the baby would come out! - poor darling doesnt have a vagina - a teachable moment!!) - I think we can use this launch as a trigger for lots of dscussion about birth and pregnancy - feel free to be there when the phone lines open and write letters to the editor etc - there are people who think this doll is TOO REALISTIC!!! -That is why she was pulled from the shelves at Walmart in the US.One WA journalist actually wrote that surely it is ok for 5 year olds to believe babies come via the stork -ie arent we corrupting kids innocence -I think there will be some great debate.   What next ??- I have been waiting for a pear shaped Barbie for years!! Would she be a collectors item? Pinky