For most mothers, sending their child off to college is filled with an array of emotions. There is sadness, but also a sense of relief as the child leaves, for these mothers are now able to put themselves first. Then, there are other mothers who do not want to ever let go of their children and instead turn to Reborn dolls for comfort.

Reborn dolls were first made popular in the 1990s where individuals would take dolls and attempt to make them more realistic. However, the baby-doll craze dwindled down until the 1990s, as baby doll sales have skyrocketed to net sales of $15,000 a year. A wide range of women buy these baby Reborn dolls.

These dolls are so life-like that many people think they are real. Some collect them to fulfill their desire for children while for others, it is simply a hobby. Sometimes women can even order “Baby dolls kits” where they can customize and create their own reborn doll.

Reborn dolls come with a variety of features. and some dolls are given special birthmarks that make them unique. Many women can get a baby doll that looks like their child and which comes with a name and actual adoption papers. Mothers can also purchase premature babies that come with incubators and IVs. Most dolls come with umbilical cords and electronic devices that make the chest rise and fall and they can also have heat packets make the them seem alive and voice boxes which mimics infant sounds. While this makes mothers feel like they have a newborn child and something to love, it can be uncomfortable for others to witness.

Many of these owners of baby dolls take their babies outside of the house in carseats and strollers wherever they go, including to restaurants and grocery shopping. If the mothers are going on a trip, they take their babies with them and many people find it odd to see these fake babies going through security screening. Essentially these dolls are treated, held, and taken care of like actual infants even though they are not.

People believe that collecting and taking care of these baby dolls is odd. Others think that it is a commendable way of grieving over lost children. These applications affirm that Reborn dolls are an established way for mothers to cope with their own respective difficult situations.

Although ‘nursing’ for this collection of infant baby dolls is a different, a lot of people have other hobbies that give them a purpose. Even if it is collecting fake baby dolls that look extremely real, everyone has a hobby that interests them as an individual. If one mother wants to collect Reborn baby dolls, arms are open for them to do so.