YouTuber The Breakfasteur, who uses her channel to give lessons on anatomy and physiology in digestible and creative ways, sparked a debate amongst viewers when her newest video depicted a Play-Doh Caesarean Section (or C-Section).
The C-Section itself, while accurately depicted with the modeling clay and quite an interesting watch on its own, was not the main source of the debate.
The Breakfasteur appeared to involve her 4-year-old-child in the step-by-step breakdown, a move which some are deeming inappropriate.
Cesarean #playdoughsurgery🤰🏻 for my kid’s 4th birthday 🎈 – #obgyntwitter #MedTwitter (full video https://t.co/bdCQ2659mL) pic.twitter.com/D24aEyDG9f
— The Breakfasteur (@TheBreakfasteur) November 21, 2020
Wait but what if the kid tries to cut their own tummy or a friend’s
— Moniza Hossain (@moniza_hossain) November 22, 2020
I find this disturbing. Cesarean birth is still birth. This exercise ignores sacred element – as if it’s any other surgery. Makes a good case for avoiding surgical birth and knife-happy OB though. C-section is drastically overused and US has maternal mortality rates to prove it.
— Alison Dodge (@alisondodge) November 22, 2020
There is no way to repair this disembodied abdomen, which is part of a human woman. Too much emphasis on the baby. I don't find it cute, it's actually a bit frightening.
— Pippi 'mail-in paper ballot' Longstocking (@shannon_b) November 21, 2020
This is disturbing on many levels! And the overdue of c sections only serves to make women feel more powerless about their own abilities to birth a baby. 😕
— Alissa (@JustAlissaXO) November 22, 2020
As a child and adolescent psychiatrist, I strongly recommend you to not play a such game with your kids aged 2 to 12. It might traumatize your kid and may also lead children to do the same to their peers.
Insane!!!— Doç. Dr. Veysi Çeri (@VeysiCe) November 22, 2020
The mother and son duo use plastic tools to complete the procedure, and at the end, the little boy pulls a Spider-Man plush toy out of the dissected “uterus.”
The toy also had a false umbilical cord that The Breakfasteur helped her son cut.
WTAF? I consider myself a very progressive parent & embrace age appropriate learning for all tooics, but this is just plain unnecessary & quite frankly a little disturbing.
— Me (@MyOzFeed) November 22, 2020
You see a sweet parent-child moment, all I see is that parent is hogging the knife. Let the Resident operate! @dr_mairopa @TungamiraiGwat1 @allngulube1
— Dennis Mazingi (@DMazingi) November 21, 2020
I can't for one minute figure out why a 4 year old needs to know how to perform a C-section 🤔
— Steve (@TravellinTrukka) November 21, 2020
I love this so much. Might be helpful for my clients to watch to understand the process without the gore (and subsequent fear). Great job, Mom!!!
— jasmine (@jastheedoula) November 21, 2020
Who thinks of doing things like this lol? Whatever floats your boat.
— 🦁Eberz♌️ (@EbonyAShakur) November 22, 2020
The amount of debate inspired by this video in turn inspired The Breakfasteur to speak out about what brought her to do the “procedure” with her little one in the first place.
She wrote:
“Our little guy just had a birthday (the big 4!).”
“And we reminisced about the eventful, unexpected day he arrived and the flurry of amazing people involved with getting him here safely.”
Still, not everybody was pleased with her birthday present.
This is totally not good to play by the kids, children's minds are limited. how after they play this and perform on the real human body?
— Ridzwan Sultan (@RidzwanSultan) November 22, 2020
I cringed while watching this, more importantly, what's all this drama to a 4 year old? I hope you're intentions are synonymous to the interpretation the boy gave it. As an adult, I'm struggling to understand. Wonders what the boy makes of this..*sigh*
— Vinnie's boo (@beatricerock) November 22, 2020
I’m not sure a 4 year old needs to learn this? Would you show a 4year old a natural birth too? Seems a little young to me.
— samnotsammy (@samloveslobby) November 24, 2020
A potentially dangerous and irresponsible approach which I am guessing not yet endorsed by mental health professionals
— Turk 182 (@motomatsu7) November 23, 2020
However, The Breakfasteur’s birthday activity was certainly creative, and educational, if a bit unpleasant.
Her YouTube channel features several more Play-Doh surgeries, all of which are fascinating but may give you a run for your money if you’re squeamish.
Don’t say we didn’t warn you!
