There are a number of arguments for the use of Reborn Dolls, the lifelike babies that are taking the world by storm, but to the outsider, they’re just creepy as all hell.
To explain, a Reborn Doll is a custom-made, incredibly lifelike, newborn baby doll. These skin jobs are so realistic that it would take more than a casual glance to confirm it wasn’t alive. Over the past decade or so, they have become rather popular and more lifelike than ever.
There are some good reasons for people to own one. In some cases, they are used for training. Midwives and other medical professionals can use them to practice with. In some cases, grieving mothers have used them to help with their loss. Although this doesn’t seem healthy to me.
However, most people are simply collectors, either building the Reborn Dolls themselves or spending money buying and accessorising them. Some will only set you back around $100, but the high-end ones often surpass a thousand. This is before the crib or diapers are bought.
Still, cheaper than a real baby, I guess.
Reborn Babies Are A Hobby, Not An Obsession
Outwardly, it may seem a little odd to spend money on an incredibly lifelike baby doll, but according to the hobbyist, it’s just a bit of fun. Stephanie Ortiz is both a collector and creator of the dolls. Speaking to The Guardian, she explained it’s almost a quest for perfection.
“I remember when I was a kid, I just wanted the most realistic baby [doll] I could have. It doesn’t make me want to have babies, at all,” she explained.
But, for others, there is an emotional connection related to the handling of a Reborn Doll. Emilie St Hilaire PHD has spent years studying the Reborn baby doll collectors. “There’s comfort in cuddling and physically holding something that feels like a baby, even though it’s not a baby,” she noted. “It can release some of the same endorphins.”
Due to this, the babies can be used to help with anxiety or depression in women. For some, it’s a chance to care for something that looks, and sometimes even moves, like a baby. In a few cases, women who are infertile have used them to pretend they have a child.
For the outsider, the Reborn Dolls are creepy, but for the collectors, there is a real connection with their lifelike replicas. I mean, as far as silicone, robotic, humanoids go, they’re significantly less weird than sex dolls.