to be so bothered by reborn dolls and this ebay situation?

[grumblinalong]

I suppose deep down I know aibu, different strokes and all that but my immediate reaction is kind of just to recoil.

I had no idea about reborn dolls until the thread on here the other day. I clicked on the YouTube link and for some reason it bothered me. Don't know why. Couldn't read any more of the thread. Anyway got over it in a second and didn't give it much thought until I have just discovered that I have sold my lovely silver cross pram and car seat, on eBay, for one of these dolls.

The bidder is collecting by bus and I asked if they we're bringing their baby or pregnant because there's quite a lot of kit to carry and I was worried they wouldn't manage. It's for her reborn she replied. I'm annoyed cos I've scrubbed the blasted thing thinking a human baby was going in it and I feel odd about the doll thing. My newborns went in that pram and car seat so I feel attached to it a bit. Maybe this is what's wrong with me, been sterilised so no more newborns for me. Am I weird for being bothered by these dolls? Come on MN, kick my arse (grin)

[Ang31]

I can understand why some people may find reborns a little scary but there is always a reason behind why someone does something and why they may have a reborn and take it out in a pushchair. Mean some woman may physically cant have a child and may find comfort in having a reborn and not everyone has the time and money to have a real baby. I can understand that it may have shocked you a little that you have sold your pram to a woman using it for a reborn but should all that matter at the end of the day to you is that you have cash for your pushchair.

[sallysparrow157]

Zombie thread about scary dolls..... Don't have nightmares!!

[Shelby2010]

Reborns are creepy, but ZOMBIE reborns are just scary!

[specialmagiclady]

Yanbu to feel like this (eeeew) but YWBVU if you took any action.

[quoteunquote]

ZOMBIE THREAD

[theodorakisses]

Has anyone asked the important question? In order to get in and out of the car, will she use a P and T space? Neither a parent nor a child.

[plainjaney]

Just realised how old this thread is!
That will teach me not to read fully

[plainjaney]

I collect dolls (not reborns though, they do give me the chills but each to their own), the dolls I collect are mostly Blythe and Japanese Pullip dolls but being in the doll community I've come across reborn dolls and artists so I can explain a few things.

Reborn doesn't refer to being born in the general sense. Most reborn dolls start out life as a standard plastic doll that can be bought online. The artist then takes the doll, usually gets rid of the body and replaces it with a weighted bean body to an average baby weight.
The heads are then painstakingly painted with minute detail, hair is hand sewn into the heads and eyebrows. Every nail gets hand crafted and every blemish on the skin is painted in fine detail. The people who make these are incredibly talented.
The baby doll is 'reborn' from the plastic doll. Hence the name.

As for why they can't use dolls prams, well the answer is above really, the dolls are newborn size and weight so an 8lb 20 inch baby doll is going to look enormous in a toy pram.

As I say, not a fan myself but each to their own.

[tankflybosswalkjamnittygritty]

YABU. She's not harming anyone and if it makes her happy...

[AmyFarrahFowlerCooper]

Considering this happened in January, I suppose she's well over it!

[lottieandmia]

I think YABU. If you have a criteria for who you want to buy your stuff then don't sell it on ebay tbh. It's not really even your business who has it once they've paid the money for it, sorry.

[VeganCow]

YABU. She paid money for it, is going out of her way to collect it. As for treating it with the love and respect you were hoping a new owner would I doubt you have any worries there. Saw a prog on tv once about these reborn obsessives, and I think she will love your pram like no one else could!

[PeterParkerSays]

I'd be more weirded out by seeing her on the bus with the blasted doll - surely the fact that she's buying it a pram suggests she's going to take it out in it?

I get your feeling of yuck about this, and personally I think I'd prefer a pram to either go to a real baby or something completely different - prop in a play etc. but she has bought it. I also think resepct to her for saying what it's for. She could have said she's buying it for her SiL or something, and not told the truth.

[FridaKarlov]

I think that once she's paid for it, it's her business what she uses it for- be it dolls, dogs or whatever.

Those reborn dolls do chill my blood though. I think it's the 'uncanny valley' effect: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley

A friend of mine saw a lady wheeling one around Chester Zoo in a buggy. I've always wondered if they get a bit embarrassed if someone makes a fuss over the doll, thinking its a real baby.

[theodorakisses]

I can see how you would feel, especially with something with so many memories attached. I would have to make a feeble excuse and withdraw it. Not in anyway reasonable or sane but it is a free country (well, my opinions on that are another thread entirely but you know what I mean).

[Hunnibee66]

I must admit that when I first saw them I hated them but I have seen the amount of work that goes into them and the difference they can make to people for all sorts of reasons and have grown to have a grudging respect for them. They can be upwards of £300 for a good quality reborn doll and somebody spent hours painting veins and nail beds, rooting a single hair at a time, building up realistic flesh tones and even adding milia if they are asked to. So it is unlikely to be a toy to this lady and she has chosen your pram and carseat as the pedestals to display this prized possession on to be scrutized by any friends or relatives. Far from feeling weird you should love that your beautiful baby may be the last real child to use it despite it providing a safe place for something that may be helping someone to mend a broken heart for all we know.

[pigletmania]

I suppose it's horses for courses if these dolls help the women in whatever way who are we to judge. They are not harming anybody but I can understand why you feel that way. But I guess you put your feelings aside.

[Pictureperfect]

I think reborn dolls are one thing but find ones with oxygen, NG tubes and various medical things a bit :/

[grumblinalong]

I am not going to refuse to hand it over. She won it fair and square. I've now arranged to meet her at the bus station so I'm not all bad.

It was clean anyway but I miltoned all the hard bits too because I thought I should.

I have lost a baby (Dd's twin) so I think it's just going to be weird for me to think that a silicone doll gets to go in it. Not a real child.

[sukysue]

they are bloody nuts if you ask me yadnbu!

[pigletmania]

Well grumbling its true I have read about women who have lost their babies have dolls made in their image so that it provides a comfort to them. Hw is it offensive just because you have never heard if it. Why don't you tell these women your views and see how far you go!

[fishcalledwonder]

You probably are being very unreasonable, but I would feel exactly the same.