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On the popular educational kids show "Dora the Explorer", Dora is a "Big Sister" and bottle images abound! Let Dora and Nick Jr. know how you feel. When Dora trys to get you to guess who is new at her house she even uses as a hint "Wears diapers, likes to be rocked to sleep, and is fed from a bottle!"
Go to the feedback form for Nick Jr. at: The Nick Jr. Website
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I love watching Dora with my children. The messages are usually great and we always learn something!
But, I was disappointed in the Dora episode "Big Sister" and also in the promotion of the episode "Super Babies".
Please in the future, do NOT show bottles or bottle feeding associated with babies.
Today it is a well researched fact that breast milk is the optimal nutrition for babies and breastfeeding is a also best for mothers. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) states formula fed infants have higher risks for infectious diseases, death, obesity, diabetes, etc. Mothers that do not breastfeed are more likely to have breast cancer, osteoporosis and other serious health problems. (For the complete AAP statement see: http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;115/2/496 )
Sadly, many babies are not being given the best possible start in life. Part of the reason that more babies are not breastfed is the lack of breastfeeding images in popular media, especially when compared to bottle-feeding images. Although your referral to formula feeding may not have been intentional, it does send a subtle message that bottle feeding is normal to your audience of young impressionable children that view Dora as their role model, and parents and caregivers that watch the show with their children.
In the future, please consider the influence you have on America. Dora does a great job in promoting kid's self-esteem, manners, cultural awareness, and general education. I hope to see Dora's mom nursing the twins in the future, or at least you could leave it ambiguous. Please in the future episodes, do NOT show bottles or bottle feeding associated with babies. For now, please remove images of bottles from Dora web sites such as nickjr.com.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
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