Here are some things most breastfeeding moms like: Naps. Hydrating beverages. More naps. Here are some things most breastfeeding moms do not like: Spinning gadgets affixed to their already overworked nipples. Makes sense, but this seemingly obvious point is apparently lost on the creator of "Fidgetiddies," fidget spinners designed to be worn on nipples, which their creator, 22-year-old UCLA graduate Manuela Torres-Orejuela, thinks would be great for nursing babies to play with and chew on ... but would they really?
First, let's take a look at how these things work. "Fidgetiddies" are made using strips of Velcro and some self-clinging nipple pasties, which you attach to your breasts like so:[code]
[/code]hi everyone i have been working on something that absolutely no one asked for pic.twitter.com/now4kG8ZYA
— manu (@caritadepincel) July 4, 2017
Whimsical and wacky fun for all? Perhaps some, but probably not new moms whose nipples are already potentially cracked, sore, bleeding and/or just plain tired of being bothered.
To be fair, Torres-Orejuela didn't make Fidgetiddies specifically with nursing mothers in mind. Rather, the gender studies major and fidget spinner fan thought the idea would be a fun way to mix her love of trendy gadgets with her passion for sticking it to the patriarchy. As she told Glamour:
"I have ADHD and anxiety so the toy genuinely brings me peace and joy. I even decorated my graduation cap with fidget spinners for my UCLA graduation last month ... Since I used velcro to make the spinners stick on my cap, I ended up playing around with other places to stick them. Since I am a gender studies major and a vocal body positive feminist on my social media, it came naturally to me to put them on my breasts as an ironic and playful way to subvert patriarchy."
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Okay, I'm following along with her logic so far -- even though, as a mother of three, I associate fidget spinners more with irate emails from the school principal about "classroom distractions" and "schoolwide bans" than "peace and joy." Still, I totally understand that they help some kids (and adults) to feel calm and to focus. It's this next bit that gives me pause:
"I would love to see breastfeeding mothers wearing them so their babies can play and chew on them. I would love to see them worn at feminist protests, marches and movements. I would even love to see them at strip clubs and drag shows and worn on men! The beautiful thing is anyone could use them."
Sure! Yes to all of that! Except hang on, definitely not the "breastfeeding mothers" thing. First of all, fidget spinners are proven choking hazards; just this May, a 10-year-old girl nearly choked on a piece from her fidget spinner when she put it in her mouth to clean it and ended up needing surgery.
Second, if there's one a breastfeeding mom doesn't need more of in her life, it's nipple discomfort (or a toy distracting her baby who is already taking forever to eat!). Maybe bringing breastfeeding into the mix seemed like a good marketing spin momentarily, but a little market research surely would have made Torres-Orejuela think otherwise. (I can just imagine that focus group: "So that's a unanimous 'Hell no!' from everyone?")
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If, on the other hand, you're into the idea of fidget spinners on your nipples, here's how to make your very own set of Fidgetiddies:
[code]
[/code]HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN FIDGETIDDIES™ pic.twitter.com/78ONTwzq30
— manu (@caritadepincel) July 6, 2017
Considering the growing number of likes and retweets, this invention definitely has its share of fans. I'm just guessing most of those fans don't also own breast pumps.