Baby Annabel or Baby Born? Befuddled!

[zeebee]

Looking for any advice on which is the best one to get for 3.5 DD. Or is there another make that's better? I'm looking for one that does more than just open and shut eyes but that won't whirr loudly or otherwise drive me nuts. Or is that a given?!

Her sisters weren't into dolls so this is new territory! Thanks!

[MerryMarigold]

ooooh I spent a month researching dolls.

basically, Baby Born wees (and even poos if you give her the expensive special food). Does not require batteries. Has a hard body that can also go in the bath, be washed etc. Has nappies and potty.

Baby Annabel does need batteries. Cries and (possibly) talks. She will drink water, but then cries it out drips it all over the floor or clothes. She cannot wee. Has a softer body, but you cannot bath her. She looks cuter I think and is a bit bigger. More like a real baby but significantly more expensive.

They both have lots of accessories, clothes etc. so in that way either/ or.

We got dd Baby Born as she was set on a doll that wee-d. It is a bit annoying ie. drips all over the house! But you can change her wet nappies or sit her on the potty which is a thrill. And I am relieved there are no batteries or electricals to go wrong. She's a bit hideous but dd loves her!

[Lilicat1013]

I just got my son who is the same age Baby Born Brother £14.99 on Amazon. It is cute and is just a basic doll with extra features. I also got him a set of 'magic' bottles like I used to have as a child where the milk or juice disappears as well. That could be a good stocking filler (they are about £3 on Amazon).

Sorry, no really advice, I am new at this as well.

BTW there is a very basic doll's pushchair reduced to £5 free delivery to store at the moment if that is something you are looking for.

[MerryMarigold]

Oh because of batteries Baby Annabel can do things on her own eg. move. It depends which one you get, I think, so check. My dniece has a Baby Annabel and she definitely cries and possibly says, "mummy." Dsis says it is a bit annoying! Baby Born is quiet and since they both drip water, I would say Born is less annoying on that front.

Do you think your dd would like to bath her and play with her in the bath? Baby Born.

Also Toys R Us do their own nice dolls and was slightly regretting not getting one of theirs which are cheaper and have cheaper clothes.

[MadeOfStarDust]

I would not get a toy that you put real water into fine for a month or so - but ewwww... imagine the dolls insides getting like the drawer in the washing machine if you are too lazy to forget to clean it out..

[MerryMarigold]

Well if it's just water it'll be nothing more than a bit of limescale (unlike washing machine where it's really the Fabric Conditioner which makes the mess - ew). That's also why the one which goes into the bath is better, imo, but plenty of people have Baby Annabels so they must be ok.

[MerryMarigold]

I love [http://www.petalinadolls.co.uk/dolls/andrea-llorona-.htm?filter_doll-properties-doll-type_0=function-dolls this one]]. Does cry and talk. But couldn't get for DD because no wee action.

There's some lovely ones on that website.

[MerryMarigold]

Sorry

[soontobeslendergirl]

Sainsburys had a baby annabell that goes in the bath in their half price sale - it said that it was a Sainsburys exclusive..........that probably doesn't help.

[hyenafunk]

You don't HAVE to feed the doll water and have it pee if you don't want. Could easily just use an empty bottle to emulate that.

We went with Baby Born because it can go in the bath which is a must for DD who currently has a tantrum because she can't take her Upsy Daisy doll in the bath... Annabel needs batteries and makes noise, so that's another reason I swayed towards Baby Born. I went with a boy doll as well.

[zeebee]

So many great points, thank you. Keep them coming! Will peruse bang head on screen later. And probably take another 2 weeks to decide!

Like some of the petalina dolls, less newborn. Will look on amazon and Sainsb and Toys R Us.mShe has a dolls pram and inherited buggy already but just v basic dolls.

[AndHarry]

Baby Annabell is £25 in Asda at the moment.

[MerryMarigold]

this website has some really cute clothes for either Born or Annabel

There are 2 different sizes of Borns and Annabels. One is smaller (and costs less), the other is bigger. Most (if not all) clothes are for the bigger ones.

[MerryMarigold]

I only realised the size thing when I actually went and looked in the shop! The internet was difficult to guage.

[breatheslowly]

DD keeps on changing her mind about whether she wants a swimming baby born or the normal one. Does anyone have any ideas which is better?

[MerryMarigold]

I'm not sure swimming would get a huge amount of use, bit of a gimmick imho which would get played with a couple of times before novelty wore off (unless you have a pool you go into everyday). I guess it does need the batteries too. Man, I am hogging this thread. Sorry!

[lovelychops]

Baby Annabell makes really weird crying noises and it's pretty irritating.
The accessories are quite expensive too. I paid £12 for a dummy (which is now lost), bottle and nappy.
I've bought tiny baby size baby gros when they've been on offer in supermarkets and DD dresses her in those.
Yes, to those who said Annabell doesn't swim - but that didn't stop DD giving her a bath this morning !

[Branleuse]

baby born is quite ugly with a weird mouth, and all hard and not cuddly
I prefer baby annabel

[breatheslowly]

If only I could persuade DD not to put the swimming Baby Born on her letter to Santa.

[ZenOfPetals]

We had the swimming Baby Born and it was really freaky watching it "swim" about the gym pool- fast and thrashy- I had to keep resist trying to "save" it.

[shallweshop]

My DD had both but preferred Baby Born because she could give her a bath.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

My DD (7) has had her Baby Born for about 5 years and plays with her all the time still, she truly loves her. I've never told her that she can give her water and she will wee, and she's never taken her in the bath. She has mostly cheap generic clothes from Wilkinsons etc and seems to fit Build a Bear clothes too.