AIBU to be quietly pissed off with a woman taking up a buggy space with her "reborn" doll?

[VinegarDrinker]

First up, I fully accept that this woman may well have psychological issues. And there is NO WAY I would say anything out loud.

And people are welcome to whatever hobbies they enjoy, and if that involves buying big expensive travel systems for your doll then be my guest.

But taking up a buggy space on a busy bus/train? AIBU to think this is taking your hobby a tiny bit too far?

[bootsycollins]

I'm so gonna have a pram full of cats wearing bonnets when I'm an old lady, looking forward to it

[Catchingmockingbirds]

Yes that's true muddling, even if she had a plant pot in the buggy it would still be serving more of a practical purpose than being used for a doll!

[VinegarDrinker]

I don't think I said she definitely had MH issues... Just said I was aware it was a possibility therefore I may be BU.

[bootsycollins]

In my defence my cats will be real not soft toys

[Greensleeves]

If I had needed the buggy space, I would have asked her to move it. It's a doll. FFS.

[Flossiechops]

But surely she is mentally ill? I mean I saw that programme with those women and they were never right, never in a month of Sundays. One of them even bought Dior clothes for the doll. Op yanbu!

[McPhee]

I'd have asked her if she was off to the charity shop with it all

[BlackholesAndRevelations]

HopandSkip I had exactly the same when my DS was in the sling wearing his fluffy bodysuit thing with teddy bear ears!! Lol! The poor teenage shop assistant thought I had a screw loose, I'm sure!

I think the op is really sad, though.... That woman is replacing something she's lost or has never had and wants so desperately

[frustratedworkingmum]

YABVU, she may have mental health problems, may? Id say she definately has. You know, maybe she lost a baby? Maybe she lost a child?

I can't believe people would be cross or say something?

"oh sorry, can you put your doll in the luggage basket, my REAL child needs a space" imagine how that would make her feel

[specialsubject]

never heard of this so looked it up. OMG.

meanwhile I remember being in a cafe where a family (mum, dad, toddler) where having a snack, while a very realistic baby doll was flat on its back on a spare chair, apparently unmoving. Assumed it belonged to the toddler - until they prepared to leave, when dad picked up the 'doll' very carefully. Extremely asleep baby!

[specialsubject]

normally I do know the difference between 'where' and 'were'.

[Gigondas]

How are you going to keep them in biopsy? Put the rain cover or try to use straps on them?

[Gigondas]

Bah- bootsy not biopsy

[Greensleeves]

OFGS of course she should be asked to move it so an actual child can use the space. It's a doll.

[BreastmilkDoesAFabLatte]

I've seen a girl in her late teens babywearing a fluffy teddy recently, too :(

I would try not to say anything... however, if she was depriving my DCs of space to travel safely, I might ask if she could move. Having an odd hobby and/or MH issues does not preclude the sort of common sense which suggests that wriggling babies need to be safely parked.

[Katienana]

Even if she had had a personal tragedy she should be asked to move - its better for her in the,long run to be,treat as a normal person.

[DoubleLifeIsALifeHalved]

I had similar before I'd seen the 'documentary' on these things. Was preggers & grabbed one of the last seats on a rush hr bus & then a woman with a HUGE pram system got on with much huffing & people making way for her & generally being nice.

Her 'baby' was in a sling & she was standing holding a pole in front of her. I was lost in intense buggy & sling comparison, & day dreaming about when mine would be out of tummy & in the world... When the bus braked hard & everyone got thrown forwards. An older lady instinctively flung out her arm to protect the new born & then I'm afraid I gave out a small shriek, as did the older lady... The 'mum' had clung onto the pole in front of her & body slammed herself into it squashing the baby in between her & the pole.

Oh my goodness, I can still see the 'baby's' little legs contorted and it was absolutely hideous. It was only then I realised the 'mum' hadn't even noticed & the legs bent like plastic. Utterly freaked out. Met eyes with older lady who'd obviously just realised the same thing. I felt so sick & totally over protective about my bump. Don't actually know what was worse... Thinking the baby was horribly injured while it's mother just stood there, or realising the baby wasn't a baby but something else (I'm afraid my thoughts didn't leap straight to doll, something was obviously hideously wrong with the 'mum' & for a heart stopping moment I thought... Well, you know).

Saw her again when ds was born, stood next to her on the same bus, me with buggy as well that time, & my baby already bigger than her doll-baby. Went from horrified revulsion to deep deep sadness for her in that split second.

[littleducks]

Honestly, I would just leave it. If she had a lare little old lady shopping trolley (the ones with four wheels at the base instead of two) or suitcases or had bought a large bulky item she may have ended up taking the space so I would just assume there was some kind of reason and accept she got there first and got the space.

I might find it a bit odd to push around a doll, but she might find it somehow.

[TidyDancer]

Was anyone else needing to use the space?

[DizzyZebra]

Are you sure it was a doll? People thought both of mine were dolls when they were newborns. They actually came up and asked/said they thought so sometimes.

[DizzyZebra]

Due to my own experience i wouldn't ask her to move as i would not want to risk being one of the people that kept saying things about my kids.

[PenguinBear]

YANBU if you needed the space, though if you didn't, can see what harm she was doing.

Are you sure it was a doll? Dd1 thought a lady on the train had a doll a few years back and kept wanting to go see the 'dolly' and key saying she wanted one. She nagged me to go over and ask where it
Was from and Turns out it was a real baby! luckily the
Woman was very nice about it!

[VinegarDrinker]

To reiterate - I didn't ask her to move, tut or otherwise show any kind of disapproval.

I got on just as it was leaving and only went a couple of stops, didn't see anyone else want to use it particularly.

Yes, it was definitely a doll. Real babies don't sleep totally motionless with their arm vertical for starters . Fully kitted out JL travel system though including a changing bag and those glove attachment thingies.

[IneedAsockamnesty]

If the doll was in a buggy then where else is she going to put it apart from a buggy space?

[DizzyZebra]

Mine slept pretty motionless... that's why people thought they were dolls. Some teenagers actually had an argument about my son once.