Every mom has a favorite stage of motherhood. Some moms are really into the upper elementary years. Others love having teens. There are some who even love having toddlers. One young mom of two on social media loves the baby phase so much, she wasn’t ready to leave it behind. So she didn’t.
Due to a variety of reasons, she knew having a second baby wasn’t feasible. So she did the next best thing. She got a reborn doll, which will allow her to always be the mom of a baby.
The young mom has an unconventional family.
Maddie is a 19-year-old mom of two who lives in England. She gave birth to her daughter Ophelia when she was 18. And as Ophelia began to grow into a toddler, Maddie realized she really liked having a baby. But, instead of having another, she got a reborn doll, she explained in an interview with Truly TV.
“I’ve got two babies and only one is real,” Maddie explains in the clip. Her not real baby is a son named Forrest. But just because Forrest isn’t actually real, doesn’t mean she treats him like a toy.
In the interview, she is seen alongside 18-month-old Ophelia, giving the baby doll a bottle. She claims that she doesn’t often call him by his name, usually referring to him as “Mummy’s baby.”
@_littlereborndreams_ you can watch the full episode over @Truly Show on YouTube #fyp #foryoupage ##foryou #youngmum #teenmum #mumsoftiktok #rebornmum #rebornmom #reborndoll #rebornbaby ♬ original sound – Maddie🤱🏻
She knows he’s not alive, but that doesn’t mean he’s a toy.
“I have always loved babies, and I’ve always loved dolls,” she explains. After learning about reborn dolls from a documentary, Maddie claimed she’s been “obsessed.” Her doll is supposed to be about a week old based on the detailed paint work.
“You cuddle them and it’s like cuddling a real baby,” she said, stroking the doll’s cheek. Maddie then goes on to show drawers full of Forrest’s things. This includes bottles, diapers, blankets, and clothes. Most of the items are hand-me-downs, she said she’s only bought two new outfits for the baby.
“Because I have a real baby and a reborn, people just don’t get it,” the mom claimed.
Having a reborn doll doesn’t take away from her actual child.
According to the mom of two, many people criticize her, claiming that her love for her “son” takes away from her daughter. But she insists that isn’t the case. Her toddler understands that Forrest isn’t actually her brother.
“Obviously he isn’t real and she knows that,” she said. “I don’t worry about it.” For her, Ophelia is always the most important thing to her. “I don’t really choose to spend time with him over her because she is my main priority,” she said. She even calls having the doll “a hobby.”
@_littlereborndreams_ not to mention the fact that she is loved and in a warm and SAFE environment. what i choose to do with my time when MY child is asleep is beyond anyone else 😘✌️😂 #fyp #foryoupage #foryou #reborn_live #rebornbabydoll #rebornbaby #reborndoll #reborn #teenmumsoftiktok #teenmomsoftiktok #teenmum #teenmom #relatable #toddler #toddlermum #toddlermom ♬ Cartoon Eye Blinking Sound – Anna
While she has gotten some backlash, people are largely positive.
Naturally, Maddie has gotten naysayers who mock or even dismiss her for having a reborn doll. But many of the comments on social media are positive, praising her for finding an alternative to having another baby.
“She obviously likes the newborn stage and it’s better her get a reborn than keep having more babies,” one person wrote on YouTube. “She isn’t causing harm to anyone.”
“Respect to her for going this route, especially at her age. It may seem strange to some but it’s actually quite responsible,” another YouTube commenter wrote.
“She wants to be a mother to a reborn leave her be she’s showing her daughter what it’s like to have a sibling without the responsibility I see no problem,” a commenter on TikTok said.
