I make reborn dolls which you could say are substitute children.
Born from a piece of vinyl, they’re dolls that look like real babies.
The devil’s in the details. Every blood vessel or vein, features that
aren’t typical for a doll, makes it look more realistic so that we can compare it to
a real baby.
Reborning began in the 1990s and prices for dolls now range from around $50 to $22,000.
Videos of the dolls get millions of views online from across the globe.
The reasons why people want these dolls vary. There are collectors, emergency medical services,
midwifery schools.
But people also use these dolls for therapy.
Women who suffer from different types of anxiety or depression or have lost a child or experienced a miscarriage.
Hugging is very important. I think a doll can be a good way to work through trauma.
On one condition. That these dolls do not replace real life.
Shortly before my wedding three years agoI became pregnant.
Six weeks later, I had a miscarriage. I couldn’t get it together.
I went to a psychologist, a psychiatrist, I took medicine, but nothing worked.
When the doll came I was shocked. It was painfully identical to a newborn.
I was looking at the doll but in my head it was the child that was never born.
He would bring up lots of different emotions, not always positive ones.
I had a routine with the doll. I’d take care of it like a real child.
After a while I slowly started to stop doing my regular things with him.
I stopped holding it in my arms too much and stopped changing its clothes.
I just didn’t feel the need anymore. I decided to sell the doll to help someone else.
I don’t think about the miscarriage every day.
I managed to maybe not forget it but to push
that thought out of my head.
Often clients tell me the story of their lives and their trauma.
If I know why I’m making the doll then I put the right emotions into the doll.
Dolls help them fulfil their purpose and they thank me.