Could someone recommend a doll for a doll-hating mother

[stealthsquiggle]

DD(3) has announced that she really really wants a 'big' baby doll for Christmas. She currently has a couple of the small, soft bodied dolls which she spends hours looking after.

I loathe and detest the crying/weeing/sucking dolls. Flame me for being a snob, but I so do not want her to have one, and she has no idea that dolls do make noises as all the ones she has played with at nursery/other people's houses have either never made a noise or have long since had their batteries removed .

So if anyone could recommend a silent 'full-sized' doll (but a baby, so not sasha dolls or the like) then I would be suitably grateful. Since she doesn't seem to want much else this is likely to be her main present, so I don't mind too much how much it costs (within some sort of reason).

TIA.

Old Skool baby annabel - we have one that doesn't do anything.

I too dislike dolls but who am I to deny my child hehe. I draw the line at a little pram though.

Really, TDMP? I thought Baby Annabel 'did' stuff - Thanks - off to investigate options now.

Well ours is very old. I've looked for a replacement as this is filthy but also found it tricky to find a none ugly non singing dancing one.

• can only find Baby Annabel version 5 - whose list of things that she does/says has me reaching for a flamethrower.

hahhaa I feel your pain!

Why would we give our children a crying weeing doll. why!?

This doesn't do anything. Might be a bit small though. Doesn't have a soft body.

I too hate noises and have spent ages looking in the shops. We got this elc one for DD. As for that one that grows teeth..just plain scary!!

this looks hopeful. DD has a soft-bodied little Corolle doll which I actually really like - but I am suspicious of the lack of detail - does anyone have one?

kateecass - Thanks - that looks about the same size as her existing dolls and her emphasis is definitely on the big aspect (and it has to be wearing pink ) so I am not sure it will meet requirements.

Baby Born dolls don't make any noise (at least the 3 dd has don't) - you can feed them so they wee though - but I imagine that if you quickly remove the packets of food that she'll never know this. They are not soft bodied but can go in the bath.

haggisaggis - unfortunately I have a know it all older DS who will read the packaging and dob me in tell DD about the whole feeding/weeing thing - but I will bear BabyBorn in mind if I can't find anything less - um - functional

I would buy one of these for my daughter if I had one. Not technically a baby and not overly pink but you could get pink clothes for it.

Baby Stella is lovely too though not 'big'.

Lots of corolle dolls on this site too including this one, which would definitely fulfill the 'big' criteria!

Thank you. I am not sure the plush ones would pass DD's inspection (she has a Lily Doll, which will 'do' but is not a favourite) although I like them a lot.

I agree - that Corolle doll is freaky huge. I might go one size down from that I think. The site looks better than any others I have found Corolle dolls on - have you used them?

No, haven't used them before but this site has an excellent range of Corolle dolls and I have used them before several times, and they were excellent. Also very reasonable prices.
Hope this helps.

Your first idea has received approval from DD - she was lugging her Lily Doll around with no clothes on ("because I can't find any more babies " ) and I asked whether she would like a doll that was soft like Lily but was a baby - cue huge grin - so Rubens Barn it is...

Thank you so much!

Oh I'm so pleased - they look so lovely. Which one are you going to get?
Just wish I had a daughter to buy one for - although I have got a 5 week old niece (thats her first birthday present sorted)!!

I am thinking this one

Yes she is sweet, I like Anna too. I didn't realise they were so big - 50cm. Thats a good price compared to the other website!

DD loves dolls and I have been buying her Corolle dolls for years, they have lovely faces and usually smell of vanilla.

We also have a gorgeous retro wicker pram which dd loves, but that might be a step too far for you stealth!

Why not get a few outfits to go with the doll, she can have fun chaq
nging her clothes over and over and over again.

Verity - DD already has a buggy, which she loves dearly. I wouldn't object to the pram per se but our house has stairs everywhere - changes of level between every room - so another thing that needs lugging up and down steps and will get left at the top of steps for me to fall over and kill myself move is not on my wish list

I am kidding myself hoping that I will get a new sewing machine for Christmas, and will find time to make some extra clothes for it rather than pay more for dolls clothes than I generally pay for DD's clothes.

Yes I can see why a pram would drive you crazy so!

People often sell bundles of dolls clothes on ebay, which might be worth looking out for, dd just loves dressing and undressing hers so much!

Oh FGS - I have just negotiated this minefield with the help of MN, and now my DM is threatening proposing to buy DD a Baby Annabell v5

that rubens doll is vile. let her have the baby annabel SHE will love it.

the reubens one is very, very ugly.

Have to say that Reubens doll is scary. REally scary.

What is wrong with a proper doll? It is for your 3 year old not you. She will have different tastes than you. I bet you had one and it didn't do you any harm as they say!