Should you handle your reborns often?
Handling your reborns daily is a controversial topic within the reborn community. Opinions are shared on how often one should (or shouldn’t) change and interaction with your reborn, versus only displaying them as works of art to be admired and preserved. I’ve seen many get offended, question themselves and begin to wonder if they should even get a reborn at all.
Today I’m going to share my personal views on the topic.
Reborn doll therapy
As this site name indicates, my reborns are therapy dolls for me. In order for me to receive the therapy benefits, it requires that I hold them, change them and enjoy them hands-on. I personally did not spend thousands of dollars buying my collection of babies, to put them in a glass case to look at them and dust them. I want to enjoy them.
Reborn dolls are used as therapy for depression, anxiety, PTSD, with Alzheimer patients, the sick, infermed and the elderly. I’ve seen the happiness a reborn gives people when I take my babies in the store! They are amazing at how life-like they are. It also gives me an opportunity to share the therapy benefits of reborn dolls. So it’s spreading awareness to reach those who would benefit from reborn dolls as a therapy tool
The Therapy Benefits I Get From Interacting With My Reborns
The therapy benefits of reborns includes the calming effect of holding and caring for them. The weight of them is better than any weighted blanket I’ve tried. It’s therapeutic (and fun!) for me to change their clothes. I’m fully aware they are dolls and not real babies, but they are a hobby I enjoy. There’s a whole community of reborn enthusiasts who have reborns for a variety of reasons; therapy is only one reason. The shopping for baby things is a fun bonus too. 🙂
Reborns as Art Only
There are those who only view their reborns as art pieces. They take the utmost care to preserve their dolls in pristine condition. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this at all! If that’s why you got your dolls, then more power to you. However, there are many in the “art only” camp that feel the need to inform others that they shouldn’t handle their dolls regularly & certainly don’t change their clothes as it will cause the vinyl to get shiny from wear. While they are not wrong, to tell others what they must do with their dolls, and feel the need to constantly share their opinion as gospel fact, is another thing.
Reborn Roleplay
There are also those who just like dolls and like to roleplay. They aren’t therapy, they aren’t just art. They have fun with their dolls in a way they enjoy. There’s nothing wrong with that.
You Do You
I personally feel that whatever someone wants to do, or not do, with their reborn baby doll, is entirely up to them. They bought it, it’s theirs and that’s the end of it. We shouldn’t tell others what they should and shouldn’t do. If someone asks opinions on the subject, of course, share your opinion.
My Personal Reborn Care Tips
If you are concerned about the wear on your reborn baby if you hold and interact with them, then read my post The Satin Mohair Protection System. In that post, I discuss how I care for my rooted hair babies’ delicate mohair, but also what I do to help minimize shine on the vinyl and protect the cloth body.
