I am awful - I know

[LatteLady]

Yesterday I was helping a friend out in her shop, when a couple appeared with a pink pram and what looked like a new-born snoozing. They were looking for a crocheted matinee set for the baby as she said she wanted something girly. My chum went to look at the baby, and said, "ooh she is lovely, just like a little doll!" To which they replied, "She is a doll!" We both got to have a hold and it was quite freaky, especially as the head needed supporting...

Apparently, they are trying to have a baby together (she has children from a previous relationship) and this doll was based on pics of her kids when they were babies. Her partner will not let her push the pram and they take this "baby" everywhere including putting her in the baby carrier on a supermarket trolley. They are about to have a breathing and heartbeat mechanism inserted and are saving up for a voice box.

They have another doll who is about to be rebirthed (which is apparently the technical term for an upgrade) but she is a tomboy!

In some ways I feel very sympathetic but I really cannot get my head around why you would want to go Saturday shopping with a doll - go on tell me I am a rotten old baggage cos in the back of my mind I can see Chucky sitting in the pram....

[HarrietJones]

[BitzyVonMuffling]

That is too weird. And how must her real children feel? Poor lady.

[TidyDancer]

What are you awful about?! That's just plain odd.

[LatteLady]

I think that this was very much led by her partner... apparently her 14 year loves holding the "baby". I am just finding it so wierd that 24 hours on, I am still thinking about it.

[sweetcat]

I don't think YABU, my gut reaction would be to think this was odd and a bit creepy. Probably because it would remind me a bit of the baby in Psychoville called Freddie Fruitcake.

[Minshu]

I was once fooled by a girl (around 20) with a tiny baby in a sling in Tesco, but when I plucked up the courage to ask about it she told me she was carrying the life-like doll for a college project (design in relation to parental needs, or something). She felt very silly.

These people sound, well, I really can't get my head round it, either

[TheMagnificentBathykolpian]

There was a programme about this a while ago. The women on it were really erm, well, not totally balanced, iyswim. One had several dolls and clearly loads of issues, one was a grandmother who had a doll modelled on her grandson who had moved to another country. She took him everywhere, had a car seat, the lot.

Clearly these dolls fulfil a need, but it might be better for the people to seek some counselling or something. Playing make believe is not healthy.

[catgirl1976]

I'm scared. That's creepy :(

[borderslass]

Saw someone with one the other day scary looking thing.

[TottWriter]

Erm, I feel skanky for saying it because they clearly have a lot of issues surrounding trying to conceive, but is anyone else reminded of Psychoville?

Not one to usually doubt, OP, but are you sure you're not teasing us? This sounds seriously weird. for the couple if it is true though. It sounds like they need some sort of counselling.

[FlubbaBubba]

Was it one of those real-life-lookalike dolls? Saw a link to it once here on MN and was a bit freaked by them.

[mumdrivenmad]

Minshu I think the doll you saw there was the kind of one to teach them what is involved with coping with a newborn child and they are assessed as to how they deal with it.

[LittleWhiteWolf]

I saw that programme, too. The grandmother in question named her doll the same as her grandson who'd moved to Australia with his mum when she recovered from cancer I think. The gran had been the primary carer for a few years while her daughter recovered.
I wanted to feel more sympathy for her, but mostly I felt pity

[LatteLady]

No, I am definitely not teasing you Tott, to the extent that this morning I googled them and they even have a website and forum. The most bizarre thing is the skin, they look so accurate but the skin is pitted and rubbery.

[Bloodymary]

I do not like these 'reborn' dolls at all.

Tho a friend of mine is terrified of them, this is because when she was a young girl on a caravan holiday with her family, she went to wake her baby sister who had suffered a cotdeath during the night

[borderslass]

Minshu DD2 had one of them home as part of her O grade coarsework.

[stupefy]

I think they both sound completely mental.. it' probably a good thing they cant have children.

[aliceliddell]

Oh. My. Sweet. Jesus. That is SO not right.

[Shutupanddrive]

Did you see in the mirror newspaper yesterday the police had smashed someone's car window to get a 'baby' out of the footwell of the car, it was one of those dolls! So the police are paying for the damage, and they have been told not to leave it in the car again

[goneallmushy]

are these ppl having a dummy run(pun intented )before she gets pregnant or are they having trouble conceiving?if the latter then perhaps the money they are spending on these dolls could be put to better use for ivf treatment????? anyway this is creepy and all together wierd

[Brevity]

I feel very sorry for them- that they want children so much. If it gives them some comfort and happiness, then good luck to them.

[Birdsgottafly]

It is a shame that anyone needs them.

But i am glad that they use these and they are not buying dogs instead, who often get ditched when a baby comes along, because they are obviously jealous. The dogs are then difficult to rehome because they have been spoilt.

At least, in most cases, nothing living is being damaged.

[thursday]

there was an article in the Fail this week about police breaking into a car because someone reported a baby left in the hot sun. turned out to be one of these horrific monstrosities. its a toy if her daughters and thinks its hilarious that they get horrified looks as she swings it round by an ankle.

adults keeping one as a child is just the epitome of creepy though. i'm sure it's a symptom of a mental health problem mostly but still, creepy.

[DeWe]

I got stopped with dd1 (age about 2.9) and told off for letting her carry my baby. It was a 6th month size soft body doll I'd had as a child. One very embarrassed old lady. She did apologise nicely and we all had a laugh.

I've seen them on ebay, I wondered about getting one for dd1 a couple of years ago because she's growing out of dolls but loved babies. The price put me off.

[BradfordMum]

I saw a woman breastfeeding in Starbucks.
I wasn't staring as it's a natural thing, but as she took the baby off the breast, I could see it was one of these 'reborn' dolls.

She had the most beautiful pram, and the doll was dressed immaculately.

A few people were watching her..
She tucked her boob away and off she went.

Very sad.