My Fake Baby

[MA-Caver]

Saw this little bit on another site and found the You Tube version and decided this needed some discussion.
When I first saw it, I thought at first ok they're gonna do a candid camera like bit with it (because of the nature of the original site which sometimes posts odd vids but sometimes serious vids as well). Then watching it through, I watched it again and listened to the commentary, found myself... bothered by the idea. More on the "con" aspects than the "pro".
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On one hand this is a good way for want-to-be mothers who are unable to have children of their own for some medical/biological reason or another, i.e. my sister in law tried for years unsuccessfully -- then (they) decided to adopt... five children in all.
It could help console the loss of a child, but that's got problems all on it's own right there.
It could help undecided "want-to-be's" come to a decision.

But the cons of it is; it's a doll, so it won't wake you up in the middle of the night hungry or needing changing, it won't respond or react to what you do to it. Thus exposing one to the necessities of responsible parenting.
It could discourage from having a real one or discourage adoption which can be difficult (and expensive) but a very needed act of love.
One wouldn't learn proper respect and caring for the real thing.
It builds a false reality in the mind, a fantasy. Not healthy IMO.

I just see this as a trend but its disturbing because it's taking away the human element.
Making my head spin right now trying to wrap my mind around the whole thing, the possibilities of where this could go. I'm having difficulty seeing the good in it, or at least appreciating the good that supposed to be with it.
As a collectible sure, they're superb dolls. But to treat them like real babies?? Using them to get attention and to feel purposeful? I dunno.
I did a bit of googling and did find the website for it... at least I think it's the right site... http://www.reborns.biz/photos.html
What do you think of it?

 

[kaizasosei]

i think it's ok for mothers or acting mothers to practice with. but other than that the idea seems kindof spooky and weird. if i truly wanted to care for something i could get myself a pet. - i suppose if it were just symbolic, it might be fine but it might get to be a pygmalion situation- where one gets attached to an inanimate object.

j

 

[shesulsa]

There were some "er ..." moments in it for me. I watched all five segments on YouTube.

I thought transitional objects were for children - I don't claim to know all the psychology of the need but ... sheesh. The way the women in the film were attached to their dolls as though they were children and walking them around in strollers (prams) ... I just couldn't believe it. It felt like delayed adulthood all over again.

And then the creep-out moments: first when the granddad said it looked like something from the morgue, I shuddered. From that moment on, I couldn't look at those dolls the same. Second when the lady found the defect and wrapped the doll up again - I perceived it as a dark moment.

Collecting ... okay. Cuddling them up, dolly-mommy dates, walkies ... sorry. No.

The question is "what harm does it do anyone?" I'll reserve my comment for now.

 

[Carol]

The overall theme "you get more attention" summed up a lot.

I don't personally have an issue with the dolls or doll collecting...but the psychological state of the people featured was very disturbing.

 

[aedrasteia]

hey everybody

there is a good use for this idea - middle school/high school classes where kids - boys as well as girls - are given a doll specially made to simulate an infant - the "baby" wets and needs to be changed, gets hungry regularly (and often) cries loudly and cries if not tended to appropriately ... and sometimes just cries. If the "baby" is opened in an effort to turn off the crying, it requires damage to accomplish and in some models an internal record keeps track of treatment. Kids must keep a log on care and must have a paper trail documenting which responsible person has custody and does the care.

I'll try to get the specifics but a friend, a middle school teacher, had recommended it in her school especially for 'health and sexuality' class and for the kids who asserted that they were mature and grown-up and could handle... well anything any adult could handle, such as care for a baby. Sadly many little girls, wantiing to be grown-up and also wanting someone to love them - delude themselves that a baby will be the answer. Boys too, mainly driven by the need to claim that they are 'mature'.

I think the 'baby' also has a damage mode that shows death if the doll is seriously injured, shaken, hit or thrown. Kids get the doll for a week (including a weekend). In class they have to bring the doll in for return and record evaluation. Then a good teacher gives them the chance to talk about the experience and asks them the hard questions that can make a difference. My friend says many kids bring the doll back within 48 hours - and very few can last a week. And it is sobering to learn how easily a 'baby' can be hurt or killed. My friend said it was especially hard for the boys who got angry with the endless crying and shook or struck the doll - when it sank in that they had 'killed' a child. The girls were more likely to neglect, ignore or push off the doll to Mom or older female relative. Just like real life i guess.

Anyone had experience with this?

 

[shesulsa]

hey everybody

there is a good use for this idea - middle school/high school classes where kids - boys as well as girls - are given a doll specially made to simulate an infant - the "baby" wets and needs to be changed, gets hungry regularly (and often) cries loudly and cries if not tended to appropriately ... and sometimes just cries. If the "baby" is opened in an effort to turn off the crying, it requires damage to accomplish and in some models an internal record keeps track of treatment. Kids must keep a log on care and must have a paper trail documenting which responsible person has custody and does the care.

I'll try to get the specifics but a friend, a middle school teacher, had recommended it in her school especially for 'health and sexuality' class and for the kids who asserted that they were mature and grown-up and could handle... well anything any adult could handle, such as care for a baby. Sadly many little girls, wantiing to be grown-up and also wanting someone to love them - delude themselves that a baby will be the answer. Boys too, mainly driven by the need to claim that they are 'mature'.

I think the 'baby' also has a damage mode that shows death if the doll is seriously injured, shaken, hit or thrown. Kids get the doll for a week (including a weekend). In class they have to bring the doll in for return and record evaluation. Then a good teacher gives them the chance to talk about the experience and asks them the hard questions that can make a difference. My friend says many kids bring the doll back within 48 hours - and very few can last a week. And it is sobering to learn how easily a 'baby' can be hurt or killed. My friend said it was especially hard for the boys who got angry with the endless crying and shook or struck the doll - when it sank in that they had 'killed' a child. The girls were more likely to neglect, ignore or push off the doll to Mom or older female relative. Just like real life i guess.

Anyone had experience with this?

I've seen those kinds of babies - but these babies aren't like that. They don't require feeding, they don't poop or cry or anything. They just look very real and some have little mechanisms that make them look like they're breathing and stuff. The women in the video even claim, "there's no messes or crying to spoil it for you."

 

[grydth]

I'm at home for a second straight day, taking care of a child with strep.... went through the same experience last week with her older sister.... so, do any of you know of a site where one might, just hypothetically, trade their 4 human children for such devices?

 

[shesulsa]

I'm at home for a second straight day, taking care of a child with strep.... went through the same experience last week with her older sister.... so, do any of you know of a site where one might, just hypothetically, trade their 4 human children for such devices?

:lfao:

 

[MA-Caver]

I've seen those kinds of babies - but these babies aren't like that. They don't require feeding, they don't poop or cry or anything. They just look very real and some have little mechanisms that make them look like they're breathing and stuff. The women in the video even claim, "there's no messes or crying to spoil it for you."

Exactly, and therein lies the problem (at least for me)... taking away the human element of nurturing and caring and accepting the responsibility that a baby brings. It also does something else on a deeper psychological level... because these babies also don't respond to what you're doing and you can put it down anytime without worry... it removes the need for actual human contact and can build up a resistance to real human contact... particularly from children.
Now some of the women have already children and probably want to relive the nurturing their (now grown) babies needed. Maternal instinct I guess. But again (to me) it removes reality from it.
It's almost the same (or probably IS the same) as those "Real Dolls" that grown men use in lieu of real women to get rid of loneliness and compensate for a poor sex life. These adult female dolls (and yeah they make male versions too) are just as life-like as the babies being discussed here.
Temporary, I can see the benefits for some people (not everyone) but I can see how it would be damaging in the long term psychologically.