Reborn dolls

[Fenella]

Generally to each their own, if cuddling a lifelike baby helps a person in some way then I don’t have an issue.

However, setting alarms for 3am to ‘feed’ the baby and making up bottles or complaining that it’s unfair they’ve been asked to move a pram on a bus, I hope is just to get TikTok views otherwise I think that’s a bit concerning.

 

[Emmelina Ball]

It’s a difficult one. It is a form of therapy for some people but I don’t think it is always useful. Many of the women I’ve watched on tik tok with them become obsessed and compulsive looking after these dolls, buying things for these dolls, it comes across as though it’s distracting from the root of their issue that they need therapy for and putting a block in the way of it.

My granny went through baby loss and back then it was even more taboo to talk about. She never even got to say bye to her baby or hold her baby, they just took him away and told her it would be best not to. Her baby was stillborn at full term and my heart breaks for her going through all that so alone. About 10 years ago she bought one of those reborn dolls and overnight got very obsessive. No word of a lie she had 24 dolls in the end. She had one personally handcrafted to resemble what she imagined her baby boy to look like from using photos of her other children as babies. Our family all intervened and in time she let go of all the dolls except the one she had specially made and now she just keeps him in her room and doesn’t fuss over it. I’m so glad we were able to get her away from it all because it’s almost like an addiction!

 

[watermelon sugar]

I’ve seen these a lot lately… i’ve had two baby losses this year and joined a FB miscarriage support group. There’s a lot of women on there who have had a baby loss and have got a reborn doll to help cope with their loss. Whilst i think that everyone should cope with miscarriage/baby loss in their own way, i personally for me couldn’t do it, it would be remind me too much of the baby i do not have. and i find it a bit upsetting. i have felt upset seeing these women upload pics of them posing with their reborn doll and taking pics of them doing things as if they were real baby and it makes me feel…. weird. Ofc each to their own but nope not for me. i think it can be a dangerous way to cope but maybe that’s cos i’m weak.

 

[BigMavis]

Ach I don't know, I got told off for being judgemental about this subject. It's not regular folk doing it though? Is it? It's weird people no?
And there I go with the judgement again. It's just I haven't seen anyone doing this who isn't a bit weird.
If you do it and you're not dysfunctional in some way fill me in.

 

[maytoseptember]

No one will ever convince me it’s a healthy outlet for depression or distress. I don’t think it’s harmless. I think ultimately it’s harmful for the women living a sad fantasy life with a doll.

A really long time ago there was a documentary (Channel 4 I think?) about reborn dolls, and the women who buy them. They would frequent reborn forums which normalised the idea of taking them out in prams etc. I remember thinking back then that those forums gave a false sense of security, and that if those forums didn’t exist then these women wouldn’t be happily strolling around with a doll in public (and - let’s face it - having people gawp and laugh at them).

This Tiktok craze is no different, just way more extreme.

 

[SindyDoll]

Last year when I was in the depths of depression, I found a cabbage patch doll in a charity shop and used to hug it and try and mother it a little. However, this didn’t last long and I dealt with the real feelings. I find it incredibly sad.

 

[Blair-Waldorf]

I was about to start a thread before I found this one. I’ve been scrolling through ATN tiktok account for a good hour (I have time to kill don’t judge me) and my jaw is on the floor. When she says stuff like ‘his nappy was soaked’ and ‘he woke up at 7:30am’ I’m sorry what the actual fuck

How has that mummy of 2 reborns got milk to express?! Fuck me I had a baby a few weeks ago and I haven’t even got any milk now I am formula feeding

I don’t mean to sound so judgemental I am just absolutely in shock I need to know more

 

[watermelon sugar]

It’s a difficult one. It is a form of therapy for some people but I don’t think it is always useful. Many of the women I’ve watched on tik tok with them become obsessed and compulsive looking after these dolls, buying things for these dolls, it comes across as though it’s distracting from the root of their issue that they need therapy for and putting a block in the way of it.

My granny went through baby loss and back then it was even more taboo to talk about. She never even got to say bye to her baby or hold her baby, they just took him away and told her it would be best not to. Her baby was stillborn at full term and my heart breaks for her going through all that so alone. About 10 years ago she bought one of those reborn dolls and overnight got very obsessive. No word of a lie she had 24 dolls in the end. She had one personally handcrafted to resemble what she imagined her baby boy to look like from using photos of her other children as babies. Our family all intervened and in time she let go of all the dolls except the one she had specially made and now she just keeps him in her room and doesn’t fuss over it. I’m so glad we were able to get her away from it all because it’s almost like an addiction!

that’s so sad, your poor Granny. i can imagine for some women who have been through baby loss and have perhaps PTSD from it all, could really rely on these dolls and get addicted. it’s so incredibly sad really if you think about it, their just desperate for a real baby.

 

[Blair-Waldorf]

The lass behind ATN is so weird isn't she and she's got a terrible attitude.

So fucking weird, just saw her latest video baby vinny, I can’t believe she gets up in the night to ‘feed him’
When she said he had a poo explosion I died

 

[lastdis]

One of my girls told me she saw a ameican women on TikTok, who had bought formula , was making up up and everything then pouringit down the sink, telling everyone her baby (doll ) had been so hungry and drank most of a bottle. Mums were being really angry and saying they were struggling to find formula and she was pouring it away, she was well my baby needs it .I found that really wrong, she had loads of tins too

 

[Pipsy]

Personally, I don't care if an adult wants to play with dolls but I don't see how it helps grieving women and would suspect mental illness if a woman lost a child and started playing with dolls seriously. Perhaps holding/cradling a doll or doll substitute helps some women cope somehow - calming? I don't know. But buying a new doll, especially an expensive reborn type doll suggests becoming psychologically invested and my instinct is 'they need help'. I don't find it mockworthy, just sad.

Police have mistaken them for real babies before, breaking into cars to save them. They are too realistic for my taste. I find them a bit creepy to look at.

 

[Emmelina Ball]

I was about to start a thread before I found this one. I’ve been scrolling through ATN tiktok account for a good hour (I have time to kill don’t judge me) and my jaw is on the floor. When she says stuff like ‘his nappy was soaked’ and ‘he woke up at 7:30am’ I’m sorry what the actual fuck

How has that mummy of 2 reborns got milk to express?! Fuck me I had a baby a few weeks ago and I haven’t even got any milk now I am formula feeding

I don’t mean to sound so judgemental I am just absolutely in shock I need to know more

She is wild!!!! She said she paid privately to get medicine to help with lactation, I personally don’t believe any doctor would prescribe medicine for the purpose of someone to lactate for a doll. I reckon she just pours the formula into the breastmilk bags to get views up I do believe she does a lot of it for attention she’s off the scale. When she says they’ve been up the night etc it’s crazy.

 

[Rose28454]

Sorry it’s just creepy.

 

[rainbowlemon]

I’ve seen these a lot lately… i’ve had two baby losses this year and joined a FB miscarriage support group. There’s a lot of women on there who have had a baby loss and have got a reborn doll to help cope with their loss. Whilst i think that everyone should cope with miscarriage/baby loss in their own way, i personally for me couldn’t do it, it would be remind me too much of the baby i do not have. and i find it a bit upsetting. i have felt upset seeing these women upload pics of them posing with their reborn doll and taking pics of them doing things as if they were real baby and it makes me feel…. weird. Ofc each to their own but nope not for me. i think it can be a dangerous way to cope but maybe that’s cos i’m weak.

You're not weak lovely. Everyone copes with grief differently.

 

[Easilyannoyed]

I wouldn’t buy one for myself but to each their own. They can be used as doll therapy for Alzheimer’s/dementia patients, so if it helps someone to cope then that can’t be a bad thing in my book.

My Nan bought one and we all thought it was strange she even bought a pram she is no longer with us but turns out it was the early stages of dementia and my dad is convinced she had a miscarriage or still born but never spoke about it and for some reason she found comfort in the doll. I actually feel really sad for these women who have them to deal with a loss because as a mother if that’s how they want to cope then each to their own it must be heart breaking.

I was about to start a thread before I found this one. I’ve been scrolling through ATN tiktok account for a good hour (I have time to kill don’t judge me) and my jaw is on the floor. When she says stuff like ‘his nappy was soaked’ and ‘he woke up at 7:30am’ I’m sorry what the actual fuck

How has that mummy of 2 reborns got milk to express?! Fuck me I had a baby a few weeks ago and I haven’t even got any milk now I am formula feeding

I don’t mean to sound so judgemental I am just absolutely in shock I need to know more

However this is wild af

 

[BigMavis]

It is lies. It wouldn't be prescribed in these circumstances, even privately
On a limb here but possibly this is seen as some psychiatric or psychological disorder and maybe at a huge stretch they'd prescibe but I really really really really hugely doubt it.
If this was a real delusion this girl wouldn't stick the babies somewhere whenever it was inconvenient, I think its a bit of fantasy, a money making exercise and attention seeking. She's beyond weird making up illness for the babies though.

 

[DanaScully]

I'm good with people using them for therapy, e.g. people who've lost babies or can't have babies, or people with dementia having something to cuddle to bring them some comfort.

I must admit it weirds me out when adults of sound mind push them around the shops in prams and "feed" them and change their nappies. That's where they're blurring the lines between reality and fantasy and it becomes worrying, I feel.

 

[lilyannrose]

I really try to be open-minded when it comes to life in general and harmless things consenting adults do but these things creep me the fuck out and have since I first heard of them years ago. I don't think I'd know how to act around the more extreme "reborners" who treat them like real babies.

 

[exhausted_mother]

I can see the value for those who want something to mother and have had losses or whatever. I don’t get making a full formula feed or changing its disposable nappy, or setting alarms to get up in the night.

I highly highly HIGHLY doubt this woman is really bagging breast milk. The medication you’d need is domperidone, and it’s off license to use it for lactation so it isn’t the easiest to get for milk supply purposes. Having spent months pumping for my babies and building my supply, a bit of domperidone and some pumping will not produce ounces and ounces and ounces.

 

[DownBelow21]

Oh my God - I've actually just seen someone on tiktok with a toddler version and it was creepy AF.