New York woman breastfeeds and makes formula for seven dolls
Kelly Cunningham treats her dolls like they are real babies and couldn't be bothered about the stares she gets in public...
A New York woman is making headlines after revealing that she enjoys breastfeeding her dolls. Kelly Cunningham owns several "reborn dolls", which she treats like children.
The 29-year-old, who has no kids, bought her first doll two years ago as a birthday present to herself. She named it Jennifer. Kelly became attached to the doll.
Kelly continued buying dolls because she wanted Jennifer to have a sister "so she can have someone to relate to".
She takes her dolls out in public. Unsurprisingly, people do stop to stare.
However, Kelly is not fazed by what people have to say. She explained why she has the dolls in a video she shared on TikTok.
"I was just so fascinated by how they look like real babies... It just turned into an obsession from one hobby to another," Kelly, who also cosplays, said.
"The more I did the reborn hobby, the more I fell in love with it, the more obsessed I became with filling the void of not being able to have children. And as soon as I had Jennifer I got so attached to her."
She now has seven dolls in total, including baby-size and toddler-size dolls. Kelly says she stopped breastfeeding her dolls when she got more than two. She instead gives them "fake" baby formula made with flour and water because the real stuff is too expensive.
@rebornmomof7 Day one in yellowstone. We woke up at 5:30 to look at wildlife. We saw alot of bison but unfortunately no wolves But we saw a coyote #reborn #reborndoll #rebornnbaby #rebornmom #rebornmommy #reborntoddler #reborncollector ♬ Runaway - AURORA
Reborn Dolls that look real
Collecting dolls as an adult is not an unusual hobby, though pretending to breastfeed them may be frowned upon. Reborn Dolls, which are more lifelike, have been used to help women cope with the loss of a baby.
Many find comfort in holding the hyper-realistic dolls as they can be a form of therapy.
Owning a Reborn Doll does not come cheap; Kelly has reportedly spent $1,194 (R14,222) buying hers. Some dolls retail for R50,000 or more, depending on how real they look.
Despite many nasty comments, Kelly has lots of supporters online.
"I'm so happy for you that you’re able to realise your dream of motherhood despite your brain injury. So much love to you. You’re a good mom," one TikTok user wrote.
Another user wrote: "You are an amazing mom to your dolls. There are a lot of parents to real children who could take lessons from you!"
@rebornmomof7 Getting Adam ready for the day #reborn #rebornbabydoll #reborndoll #reborncollector #rebornmom #rebornmommy ♬ A Dream is a Wish your Heart Makes (from "Cinderella") - Leonardo Holmes
Kelly is one of many women on social media who collect dolls that look real. A doll collector named Taeshon Miller told Mamamia in 2023 that she decided to buy a Reborn Doll because she couldn't have more children.
"I only have one daughter; she's 14, and I was really sad after the hysterectomy because that meant I couldn't have [any more] kids. So I started looking online at the reborn dolls," she said.
@taeshonmiller1 @Inspired by the Millers Love E’miyah #braidedbaldhead 😍#reborn ♬ NSMBW Desert Theme - MARIO MUSIC!
The dolls could easily be mistaken for real babies and toddlers.
Here's a look at some of the realistic ones we've seen online:
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Main image credit: iStock