To think reborn dolls are disturbing?

[Hazel2323]

I've just ended up down a rabbit hole on Facebook of people into reborn dolls. What the hell. Ive heard of them before but never knew just how many people are into them and the extent the obsession goes to. Dressing them, doing newborn photo shoots. They are the creepiest thing I've seen in a long time and I just can't understand why anyone would have one. Some say it's a hobby. Some have it after baby loss. Either way it's bizarre and not healthy.
I also don't like that these people are buying baby clothes to dress a doll in and toys/blankets/cots/bottles etc that real families could actually use. It seems terribly wasteful.

There's hardly a shortage of baby clothes so that's a bit of a daft reason to be so judgemental.

Yes, I find them creepy but whatever, I'm not forced to have them in my house.

They're one of those things in life that i just don't understand but i try to have empathy for people who want/need them. They've usually been through great sadness or trauma and are causing no harm to others.. it's not anyone's place to tell someone else how to grieve or find happiness.

Yes, they’re grim.

But each to their own; I think Trolls are cute.

I will reserve judgement.

I just associate them with sadness. Someone who's suffered loss and can't move on from it.

You don't have to understand, the reasons people use them are wide and varied, and often come from a place of deep suffering or trauma.

They’re dolls. And as long as people aren’t snatching the clothing from the hands of parents about to dress their babies on them I don’t see that it being ‘wasteful’ is a huge issue.

They’re not my thing in any way. But I hardly see it as a huge issue.

I also don't like that these people are buying baby clothes to dress a doll in and toys/blankets/cots/bottles etc that real families could actually use. It seems terribly wasteful.

It's not like there's a blanket shortage though. And lots of people fritter money on things that bring them pleasure. I'm sure you do too.

I did see a great TV programme about them a while ago though, I can’t remember what channel or anything. It was so morbid - this one lady spent the whole time showing a doll she’d had specially made to look like her grandson, who she had loved so much before she ‘lost’ him. Cue sad music and photos of the grandson as a baby, clearly set up to imply the child was dead. Turns out he’d simply moved country with his mum and dad!

You're not required to understand. Move on with your life.

There are no shortage of baby clothes.

I did read that there were women being called for using real baby formula.

Using it when making bottles (on TikTok etc).

I don't personally like them at all, but I don't think they're really aimed at me. I've been lucky enough never to have suffered fertility problems, and I haven't lost a child. If people in those terrible situations find reborn dolls helpful, I'm not going to be unkind about it.

Is your issue that adults own them? Or that they look so realistic?

I dont see why an adult with doll hobby should be any more concerning than an adult playing with anything else.

If it's how they look that bothers you, that is just the "uncanny valley" phenomenon.

Or are you judging the people who use them to help them with their mental health problems? If so, that says more about you than them.

@Kanaloa oh my, that is so strange!

I don't even understand the baby loss reason. If I lost a baby the last thing I would want is a doll?!

These people need psychological help. If my husband died and I wanted a life size doll to replace him people wouldn't be so accepting of it!

And the wasteful comment is because I'm quite eco conscious and these plastic dolls, abundance of clothes etc is unnecessary. That's my opinion.

It's not about what you would want, though, is it? It's about people who actually have suffered baby loss or infertility, and what they want. I find it fascinating that you think you are in a position to judge them, diagnose them and be so rude about their choices.

If my husband died and I wanted a life size doll to replace him people wouldn't be so accepting of it!

I've seen on TikTok a man who has a life size doll in his garage which he calls his wife and has a real wife in the house. His garage wife even got pregnant and they had a baby together.

@BadNomad a bit of both. The look of them creeps me out because they look so realistic (and maybe the link of dolls with horror movies!).

I don't understand why adults want them personally, and if they have a mental health issue they need help, not a doll allowing them to live in some alternate reality! A normal doll is a hobby, but a life like newborn baby is something else.

No one tell the OP about Real Dolls 😬

@VWHoliday oh no it gets worse! 😂

I haven't lost a child or had fertility issues, but I do have chronic depression. I own one of these dolls and I find the weight of it in my arms soothes me when I am very low and weepy and brings me back to a happy time in my life. It's a small coping mechanism I use amongst others but I do enjoy it. Sometimes it is the only thing that helps me sleep.

They help people with dementia.

Also they won't grow out their clothes.

Omg, that is hilarious. People are very fucking weird indeed.

Why do they need help? Who are they hurting? People have things like support dogs and companion ponies etc. If it helps them, that's all that matters.

"A normal doll is a hobby, but a life like newborn baby is something else."

I also collect normal dolls and people still call me weird!

Do you often have difficulty understanding that different people can do things differently to you?

Must be tough.

You should seek help for that.