reborns...

[lph]

This has nothing to do with anything, but yesterday I saw a documentary on tv that I can't get out of my head. It was about "reborns" - extremely lifelike dolls, often made to the buyers specifications, that are virtually indistinguishable from real newborn babies. They can be made with or without a "heartbeat" or "breathing". The docu was about a couple of women who bought these dolls - and treated them (almost) like real babies. Bought expensive clothes, strollers, car seats, and carried them around like real children.

Very disturbing, to me.

And I've been thinking all day about maternal instinct, collectors instinct, emotional attachment to people, to pets, and to things, and where the line goes. A lot of people would find our attachment to our bikes slightly borderline, I expect. And why do I find it disturbing that someone would spend a lot of money to buy a "homecoming outfit" for a doll, but not that someone spends that same money to buy matching tires and handlebar tape for her bike?

Curious.

[bmccasland]

I've heard of "baby" dolls being used in high schools - little humanoid computers - they have to be fed, changed, etc. Essentially giving the kids the opportunity to find out what being a parent is really all about, with no child being endangered in the process. The students have to care for their "baby" for some duration of time, over a week, maybe a month. Want to go out, find a baby sitter, hang with your friends, the baby comes too, and needs to be held, etc. Stick the doll on the shelf, you flunk.

As to adult women having fake babies, that's just weird.

[redrhodie]

Did you see the movie "Lars and the Real Girl"? I don't want to give away too much of the plot, but Lars' girlfriend is laytex. It's a character study of a really introverted man who is living in a state of denial, and how his friends and family react, which is surprising. It sounds like the same kind of disturbing behavior the documentary showed, but it does try to answer some of the questions about why some people relate more to inanimate objects than to people. It's really good.

At least I don't talk to my bikes (in public, much ).

[lph]

Sounds fascinating, I'll keep an eye out for it.

The whole behaviour set reminded me more than anything of dogs with false pregnancies who transfer their maternal instincts onto anything handy.

[roadie gal]

It sounds creepy to me.

But if those women are so emotionally desperate I would rather have them love a doll than steal a real baby from a hospital (which happens occasionally).

[mimitabby]

it sounds creepy to me too, but it doesn't hurt anyone, and if it helps them get through their perceived despair of childlessness, there ought to be more of those dolls!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I've seen those 'reborns' on Ebay and such, and looked at the creators/sellers websites out of pure curiosity.....because I couldn't quite believe what I was seeing in terms of grown women treating these dolls like real babies.
I have a small vintage doll collection, but my interest is firmly seated in reality!
Those reborn 'things' and the whole cult around them really creep me out.

[shootingstar]

Childless women (or women mourning for lost child) with lifelike baby dolls and carrying them around like real babies...

hmmmm....it's abit chilling to affirm a delusion long-term. Unless there's no other form of counselling to help the woman and let her live her little dream-world.

I'm trying to envision ie. if one had a mother who lost a child to a long-term disease and the baby died. And the mother had a reborn doll that she treated like a real baby..and then her other children, still alive...observing all this. They would be creeped out.

This reborn thing...should be the last resort, for any woman grieving because she lost a child or could not have children due to various life reasons.

[Tuckervill]

Why are they called "reborns"? The word doesn't conjure up happy feelings.

Karen

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I'm trying to envision ie. if one had a mother who lost a child to a long-term disease and the baby died. And the mother had a reborn doll that she treated like a real baby..

This reborn thing...should be the last resort, for any woman grieving because she lost a child or could not have children due to various life reasons.

I concluded after reading a bit that the customers are mostly middle aged or older stay-at-home women whose children have grown up.....empty nesters, not necessarily women who lost babies through death. Kind of a strange hobby, for sure.
A healthy alternative might be to redirect that energy towards somehow helping REAL babies or children in need?