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?

[garlicblocks]

I had to look it up, too. My god, they're lifelike, aren't they? I definitely suffered from the uncanny valley effect, just looking at the pictures! Mind you, Cabbage Patch dolls freak me out as well so I'm clearly way off target market.

Anyways ... I sympathise, OP, but YABU. She had a buggy. She put it in a buggy space. That's it.

[garlicblocks]

Hahahahah! Look at these!

[Bella88]

Poor cow has failed at life and if her dolly provides her with a bit of comfort who are we to denigrate that.

Instead of getting irritated, count your blessings that you have a real life child and don't have to play make believe.

[HoHoHoNoYouDont]

This whole reborn doll stuff freaks me out a bit if I'm honest. It's probably because I don't understand the needs of the people who have them.

[Icelollycraving]

Whilst it is understandable to want that space,count your blessings you have an actual baby which is clearly what she wants :(
I have a customer who carries a baby sized kind of teddy. It's hard to describe,at first glance I always think it's a baby in an outfit with ears, it freaks me out a bit as I always think 'is there a baby in there?' The face is turned to her & she carries it if it's the most precious thing,like you would a baby. It is always in exactly the same position & doesn't move. She speaks very confidently,her dh/dp is always with her. I always feel quietly unsettled after seeing them.

[LostWithoutDom]

Some of these comments make me so sad. As most seem to be having a laugh at her expense.

For the people that don't understand you should watch the documentary on them.

One woman always wanted children and was unable to have any.

Another was a Grandma, she looked after her Grandson all the time and then he moved to Australia. She missed out on him growing up and it created a huge void in her life. She had a doll made to look like her Grandson when he was a baby.

You don't have to 'get it'. But at least show some empathy to people that are sometimes using reborns as a coping method.

[Stinkyminkymoo]

I know of a woman who would bring all her stuffed toys into a tea shop in a dept store and sit them all on the bench and 'feed' them whilst having tea.

I commented to my sister (who was the store manager) about it being a bit weird and she told me all her children had died in a house fire & she never got over losing all her babies. The staff all knew and let her get on with it.

Made be feel so sad and extremely judgemental . You just never know the background to these things.

[retrocutie]

This thread is both hilarious - and sad

[bringnbuy]

right on lost, you got it in a nutshell. hesterton i live in east london and CONSTANTLY get 'have you been to westfield*. NO I BLOODY HAVEN'T. i imagine it to be how you have described. would rather stick pins in my eyes :)

[VinegarDrinker]

Hah, I wasn't actually in Westfield ... Without outing myself totally, I work near-ish there, too. But most people who get on at Stratford seem to have been at Westfield given the shopping bags.

I have been once or twice - mostly to see what the fuss is about (especially about JL). But I agree it is pretty much hell on earth. The main thing to go to Stratford for is Mothercare and the one in the Mall is much quieter and bigger.

Westfield is just so expensive! The kids shops (apart from Mothercare) are eye wateringly so.

[IceNoSlice]

Sad and creepy at the same time. I do get all the stuff about people using the dolls to cope with infertility, loss etc, I really do. But at the same time, ugh!

And those Twilight ones garlic! WTAF??

[DoubleLifeIsALifeHalved]

Read the uncanny valley link and thats so true! Exactly explains why I felt so 'weird' in that moment of realising that it was a doll - was a very strange feeling. Was fine the next time I saw it as I Knew it was a doll, and so wasnt in that vague disturbing territory of is that a baby, but there's something just not right... Obviously being preggers didn't help!

[nappyaddict]

BreastmilkDoesAFabLatte Do you happen to live in the Weston/Bristol area?

[MrsKeithRichards]

I did have an argument with a lady who had a dog in a buggy in the wheelchair space when I wanted on with my newborn in a pram. She did collapse her stroller, and the dog sat on the floor and order was restored.

I know wheelchair user's need for the space trumps mine but surely I trump a dog in a buggy?

[OnwardBound]

I think it would be very unkind to ask this woman to put her 'baby' in the luggage rack.

It's real enough for her.

And who knows what her story might be re infant death, infertility, MH issues ie early onset dementia, whatever...

I really struggle with the idea of some of you here being angered or irritated enough by this to ask her to fold buggy up and put the doll in the luggage compartment.

Also, as some have pointed out, you may get it wrong and the 'doll' might be a real baby after all!

Just feel there should be a little more tolerance and patience for difference even if don't fully understand it.

[FeckOffCup]

Yes I would definitely say a child in a buggy trumps a dog in a buggy, dogs should be on the floor not being pushed around on wheels.

[OnwardBound]

Poor cow has failed at life

That's charming Bella

[ResolutelyCheeky]

When my dd was a baby people used to think she was a doll because she was born with shoulder length hair and was very 'doll faced'. I used to get strange looks all the time and as my baby wasn't a cryer I'm sure a lot of people made these assumptions about me too :( still had a gorgeous baby though

[RooneyMara]

Well reborn dolls are something I came across several years ago when I used to repair antique dolls. I saw all sorts of different dolls, it was very interesting - never saw one of these in RL but imo they look like dead babies and are really horrible.

I knew someone who was interested in them, not sure if she ever got one - but she had lost a baby late in pregnancy and never managed to have another, though she had a child already thankfully.

I think they are a very emotive object for a lot of people - and I try not to judge but I do find them very disturbing.

I hope it was a doll, not something else.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

She might have been

doing a documentary about how easy it is to negotiate your way round Westfields with a small baby and pram (but took a faux baby for convenience/ unavailability of real baby for experiment)

or
her teenage daughter might have had one of those "look after me or I'll grass you up" babies that they give to teens to try and put them off RLbabies. And her DD had sneaked out shopping , but the woman was determined she had to take her 'Baby'with her. So set off to find her.

[fuzzpig]

I think they are harmless really (although I'd find it very hard to feel charitable if I'd been unable to get my baby/buggy on board because of her)

The only incidence of this that really made me sad though was some article - it was linked on MN a good while back - about a woman who had a reborn doll when she already had a child. That must have been quite hard for the child who was seeing her mum spend hundreds of pounds on a doll, I'd have thought.

[Catchingmockingbirds]

...they look like dead babies and are really horrible.

That's what I think when I see them too .

[ChippingInNeedsCoffee]

Poor cow has failed at life

Bella??? What a vile comment.

I feel sorry for the poor woman. She either has mental health issues or is suffering from trauma.

Some of you are so incredible heartless - I can't believe people have suggested 'asking her to put it in the luggage area' or telling her to move her doll.

I hope you never suffer the illness or trauma that leads her to do this - she's not doing it for kicks you know.