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Original poster

Soooo... talk to me about the world of dollies!

14 replies

MarineIguana · 14/03/2011 12:52

DD has just got her first little baby doll (realistic one - as opposed to stuffed toys etc) and it is also the first to grace our house. I didn't even like dolls myself as a child, and our older DS never had or wanted any. But DD gravitates towards them, even aged only 1, and wants to cuddle and feed them.

Confused - that's her

So dolly aficionados - I'm just wondering if this is going to be a big interest for her, and I know nothing about them. Are there good and bad, popular and unpopular types of dolls? Which ones are good quality - also for things like doll's prams and cots, which are good and will last? Is there anything we should avoid like the plague or would regret buying? What about all this teething and weeing and pooing action etc. I've seen on adverts? Is all that stuff fun or silly gimmicks?

TIA

OP posts:
peanutsmuggler · 14/03/2011 15:03

Baby Annabell is very popular but can be a bit heavy for younger children.

Baby Born is hard bodied, you feed it some special food and it poos and wees (basically the food you feed it comes out the other end!) I remember being very dissapointed as a little girl because it didn't do actual real poos!

Corolle dolls are really beautiful but a bit more pricey. They don't do all the crying, teething, pooping etc which personally I prefer, at least you don't have to keep forking our for batteries!

Original poster
MarineIguana · 14/03/2011 16:29

Thanks peanut - aargh I hadn't realised you need to battery-power the bodily functions (I think I thought they were just gravity-powered!)

Surely actual real poos would become a bit of a problem around the house? :o

OP posts:
MilaMae · 19/03/2011 17:28

Corolle do gorgeous dolls. Check out Bambolina.

I defy you not to want at least one doll from there.Grin

Purplebuns · 21/03/2011 13:46

My Dd has my first annabell Like your DD she just gravitated to dolls and pushchairs etc, this is one of the best things we have bought her, it doesn't have a bottle or dummy which I like, and it has been her beloved companion for the last 7 months. It is the right size for her, is light weight and is nice and squishy for cuddles. It has also pout up with her abuse and is fairly unscathed, although I wasn't to pleased with the quality of the clothes it came with, you can buy others and Dd keeps her naked most of the time anyway lol :)

Purplebuns · 21/03/2011 18:08

Milamae- I have just spent an age looking at that website! DD is two in May and I so going to get her one of those dolls, question is which one? lol

WindUpBird · 21/03/2011 18:53

I like the Corolle dolls too, wish I'd known about them earlier tbh! We've got the basic ELC ones which DD and DS love - I don't like the noisy ones that need batteries! DD has this Corolle doll which is lovely, but not a 'baby' doll!

Purplebuns · 21/03/2011 21:31

Dd is two in may and I am sure she doesn't need a Kathe Kruse baby....

MilaMae · 22/03/2011 22:06

Windup that very Corolle doll just arrived here today Grin.

We already have the black Cecile one from last year and I think I just managed to get one of the last ones of that particular doll.I much prefer that range to Barbie.

I wish I'd discovered the Corolle baby dolls before too.

Gotz do lovely dolls. My dd has a red haired Hannah doll and grandma bought her this Gotz Clara doll for Christmas/bday from Bambolina I think.

www.preciousdollsrus.co.uk/white_dolls/clara_by_gotz_P7.html

I've not used that other site so can't vouch for it,have used Bambolina(great service) and 2 others which are very good.

Purple oh she does!!!!!!The Corolle Bebe du Monde ones look lovely too.I love the look of the Moulin Roty dolls for maybe when your dd is a bit older. Moulin Roty do gorgeous wooden furniture.

Bambolina do lots of nice baby doll accessories too,think their stock is a bit low at the moment so they may be getting more in soon.If you e-mail them they get back to you very quickly and welcome questions. You couldn't fault their service, I don't work for them honest(although I wish I did)Blush!!!!

MilaMae · 22/03/2011 22:07

Ok I admit dd had said Clara doll for Xmas/bday because neither she nor I could live without those blue wellies!!!!!

Purplebuns · 22/03/2011 22:31

Lol, I am in a quandary, because she got very enthusiastic about one that has hair, so I think that would be nice, but I also want it to have a soft body, but not be too small :s I like a gotz doll, I love the maxi muffins but I am not sure whether a 42 cm doll would be too big? If you can be bothered here is my shortlist;

I like this one but you can't see her hair Also DH isn't so keen on this type as it is like her current doll.

I also like this one

LOVE this but again teeny and bald

very tempted by this

too big?

I want this for mother's day :o

May be we should have a dollaholics support thread? I would love to open up a shop like their online one, can you imagine seeing all those happy children and searching for new stock? Bliss.

Hulababy · 22/03/2011 22:34

DD got a Baby Annabel doll at 20 months (Chrostmas) and she adored her for so long. Infact we still have her - DD turns 9 next month - and apparently we can't part with her.

We have had plenty of others too. baby Born was successful for bath use, bt we only ever attempted to feed it once - too messy!

MilaMae · 22/03/2011 23:30

God I see your dilemma they're all gorgeous.

I think you need to think what she'll play with most at this age. Basically she's going to want a doll that takes a lot of abuse and that she can take anywhere as 2 year olds love to cart them around. They still can't dress them themselves and they're not quite girls themselves yet. They do like to pretend to be mummies and look after babies.

My dd had Baby Annabel(the noisy one) and it drove me bonkers. Baby Born you could bath so we took it to France etc. A function doll can't go in water. Your choice is basically function or bathable/wee.

What about the Gotz Maxy Aquini dolls Grace and Jemima. They've got hair,could go in the bath,cute bath robe and......... miniature crocs!!!!!!!!!The Gotz dolls clothes are lovely. You'd probably get quite a few years play value.

If you do get another hairless baby doll you've got years ahead of you with the more sophisticated dolls.My dd had 3 baby dolls and played with them all.Even now she plays nurseries with them all. She's just 6 and only really now fully able to dress dolls herself. She's getting into a whole new faze. Hannah and Clara are friends and she plays schools,puts together outfits etc. The Corolle Les Cheries doll we have is her Barbie type really.

Why not e-mail Cate at Bambolina,she gives great advice.

Hmmm see you're Devon too,Devon sooooo needs a shop just for dolls!!!!!

MilaMae · 22/03/2011 23:36

www.bambolina.co.uk/dolls/grace-maxy-aquini.htm?brand_0=-gotz-brand

was the one.Dark haired Jemima is on the next page. Both seem to have good reviews.

Purplebuns · 23/03/2011 09:58

Maybe we should go into business together and open up a bambolina store :)

She has started making me dress /undress her dolls and I probably wouldn't let her take a doll in the bath. She is very good little mummy wrapping her baby up in a blanket and pushing her around in her pushchair. Not to mention having to take baby out with us most of the time.
I like that doll but wonder if it is too big? I think I am going to have to find something 42cm and see how big it is compared to her! Also wanted something soft bodied as she will want to take her to bed. I think. Unless I get her two dolls? lol

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