Silicone Babies

[Evelien]

That was my initial thought too! It's like a baby corpse!

[DollyKim]

They can fetch a pretty penny if they're done right, it's a lot like our dolls and what the market will bear. Outside of rooting the biggest thing is the painting. I did mine with regular acrylics because I didn't like the way the ones with the kit were preforming.

[Linteia]

I had at one brief point thought about making or getting one for infant clothes modeling but the price and realism nixed that one fast. They've come up occasionally in fertility circles because some people do get them as 'substitutes' when they can't have a baby. My mom thinks that's what BJDs are for me, but thankfully these little resin wallet munchers aren't very realistic and as much as I do love them they are no substitute for a real baby.

[Evelien]

They've come up occasionally in fertility circles because some people do get them as 'substitutes' when they can't have a baby.

That's what bothers me about them a bit. I guess I should be happy that they have found a substitute but it kinda scares me.

[DollyKim]

A model is a good idea. You can get Brenguers at Toys R Us for reasonable enough prices, especially ethnic ones, and it's the same general sculpts as their little babies, the laughing one is adorable. The sculpts are somewhat real but the paint jobs aren't. What some people do is strip a toy store baby they like and repaint it. If you like rag dolls there are patterns for those with real baby proportions, I think we have a couple by Vogue.

A basic paint and stuff your own doll can be found if you shop around, blank they aren't bad. I think the one I ended up with looks suspiciously like Diane Arbus' portrait of baby Anderson Cooper. Having Mini Cooper aside the only thing I've ever called is Baby Buckaroo because that's what it's onesie says. http://dolfielittles.typepad.com/blog/2 ... it-me.html

[Gift_in_Edge]

There was a lady who collected these types of dolls on My Crazy Obbession on TLC. She seemed pretty sane compared to most of the people featured on the show.

I can see why people use them for doll therapy.

[victoriavictrix]

These dolls are very often "baby substitutes" for people who are infertile, have lost infants, or whose children are all grown. It's a tactile and comfort thing; it weighs in the arms the same as a baby, it "cuddles" the same as a sleeping baby, and it has none of the disadvantages of a real baby. I understand some people even put some sort of warming device in it, like a heated gel pack, so it has a "lifelike" heat to it.

Intellectually I completely understand.

Emotionally it completely creeps me out.

[Nella]

I've come across Reborn dolls and silicone babies a few times. They're not the kind of doll I find appealing but I do get that there are many different reasons, including the excellent ones victoriavictrix listed. I do find them creepy though, so since they look and move so realistically.

[Trethowan]

It looks like a corpse.

[Lamia of the Dark]

I don't know why people would want those. They are definitely NOT something I would ever want.