Kiersten is a mother not to human children but to dolls—specifically “reborn” dolls, a specialized class of hyperrealistic faux babies that inspire spooked curiosity in casual observers and fanatical ...

Many find these dolls disturbing, some find them fascinating, and others (like myself) spend their hard-earned money on one of their own. Scrolling through TikTok lately, you’ve probably seen videos ...

It’s a sanctuary where people from all over the world make pregnancy announcements, trade advice on infant feeding and share ultrasound photos. Some meet for in-person playdates and mail each other ...

Lucinda Asraf with her niece Melody and her reborn doll. She wanted children but despite trying naturally and through medical treatment, it never happened. Photograph: Annabel Oosteweeghel Dolls that ...

Getting hit with severe COVID-19 should have been the most stressful thing to happen to Kiersten Haley. In a feverish fog, the 28-year-old military vet could think of little else besides fighting off ...

In the Reborning subculture, collectors “adopt” hyper-realistic artificial babies–impeccably crafted from vinyl, glass, doe suede, and up to eighty layers of paint. The “parents” care for their dolls ...

They first came into play in the 90s and have since evolved into a global phenomenon. Hyper-realistic dolls that look and feel almost identical to real babies are experiencing a boom worldwide. Known ...