Reborn and silicone babies are quite similar in that they are dolls designed to represent real babies. However, both go through different manufacturing processes to come into being. While one is more durable, the other requires more care like real babies do.
More importantly, silicone babies are mainly for adults whereas reborn babies are recommended for children. In either case, they somewhat serve a similar purpose; filling the spot for a baby that is not there.
Let’s get into the depths of differences between reborn and silicone babies!
What is Reborn Baby
Reborn baby dolls are hand-crafted pieces of art. An artist takes a blank manufactured doll or blank kit and transforms it to look as real as a human infant. The reborning process, as it’s called, takes hours of effort and skill.
Therefore, the artists carrying out the reborning process are known as ‘reborners.” Usually, people who have extraordinary painting skills work in these positions.
Cost Of Reborn Babies
Reborn baby dolls tend to cost less since they are created from an already created doll or a kit. The artists just need to have a blank doll kit and paints to perform the magical transformation.
Are Reborn Babies Mobile?
Reborn baby dolls are made from individual body parts put together. They have joints similar to the human body in most places, such as the neck, legs, arms, etc. As a result, these babies tend to have excellent mobility. You can make them sit up and even pose for some wholesome pictures.
Durability Of Reborn Babies
Reborn baby dolls stand out when it comes to durability. They are essentially made from synthetic materials with high resistance against rough use.
As a result, a reborn baby doll for your child can last a long time without suffering any damage. This is one reason why most manufacturers recommend reborn babies for children aged three or above.
How To Maintain Reborn Baby Dolls
Maintenance isn’t a hassle with reborn babies. The synthetic material can be easily cleaned up with a damp cloth. However, if you leave it unclean for extended periods of time, it might become a bit difficult to take off the accumulated dust. Therefore, make a habit of regular cleaning, at least once to twice a month.
Realistic Meter
When it comes to the realism of preborn babies, they tend to have disturbingly real looks. You wouldn’t be able to tell if it’s a real baby or a doll from afar. However, when you touch or hold the doll, it becomes evident that the baby is not real.
What is Silicone Baby
Silicone babies are molded from 100% silicone. The whole process involves sculpting, molding, casting, and painting silicone to make it look as authentic as a real baby. Often these babies are created on-demand and are made to be one of a kind for a more personal touch.
Cost Of Silicone Babies
Since silicone is a relatively expensive material, the prices of these dolls are also higher. Moreover, the process is quite challenging and demands a lot of effort and skill, which will further raise the price.
Are Silicone Babies Mobile?
Unlike reborn babies, silicone babies are one entire piece. However, this helps them look more lifelike at the cost of limited mobility. Therefore, you can’t make a silicone baby sit up straight without having to hold it in one position like a real baby.
Another reason for limited mobility is that silicone is generally a more flexible material which also explains the greater realism of these dolls.
Durability Of Silicone Babies
Silicone babies fall short when it comes to durability. Therefore, make sure you treat them gently to avoid wear and tear.
The joints are the most vulnerable to tear since the material is extremely soft and sensitive. Most manufacturers don’t recommend them for children due to low resistance to wear and tear.
How To Maintain Silicone Baby Dolls
Maintenance of the silicon baby is another factor that enhances the realism of these dolls. They require regular baths like real babies.
If you don’t bathe them regularly, the material tends to become sticky over time. You also have to use baby powder to counter the stickiness on a weekly basis.
Realistic Meter
While reborn babies are more realistic looks-wise, silicone babies take the lead in the feel, movement, and weight departments. You wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between touching a real baby or a silicone baby.
More importantly, these dolls have movement and weight that are almost the same as real babies.
What do reborn and silicone babies have in common?
While there are noticeable differences between reborn and silicone babies, they also have similarities that often fascinate or even scare people.
Both types of dolls are crafted to represent lifelike baby figures. They have realistic features such as hands, veins, nose, baby-like hair, etc. Both had become quite popular since the 80s when they were introduced to children who had lost siblings during birth.
Reborn and silicone babies can both have long lives if appropriately maintained. As a result, they require life like care, just as real babies do. Manufacturers create them from various materials, including vinyl, silicon, and even cloth.
Sometimes it’s a mixture of different materials such as silicone limbs and cloth bodies. Before purchasing, you must go through the description to ensure you get your desirable material.
Why do adults buy silicone babies?
While this is an interesting question, the answer is a bit blue. Here are some reasons why adults buy silicone babies:
- Adults get them as imitations of their children, who are now grown-ups.
- Infertile women who can’t have babies tend to purchase to experience motherhood.
- Women who don’t want to reproduce or are not ready to have babies but still like them also buy silicone babies temporarily.
- Silicone babies are a great alternative for parents who work really hard but unfortunately cannot reproduce due to time constraints.
- Some people also buy silicone babies simply because it’s fun or they consider it a hobby.
Most silicone baby owners consider silicone babies as real babies. They take great care of them and add personal touches by assigning clothes, rooms, and even a name to the baby.
Moreover, since adults expect a more real-life experience from baby dolls, they should invest in a silicone baby.
Why are these baby dolls so realistic?
There are multiple reasons why these baby dolls are realistic, but only one stands out. If you consider the purpose behind manufacturing these dolls, it is mainly to help adults or children fill the void of a lost baby or a baby they can’t have.
Poland is a great example where fertility rates are pretty low as compared to the rest of the world. Therefore, Polish women turn to baby dolls as an alternative to experience motherhood.
The realistic features of the baby dolls help enhance this experience for mothers and even children who want a sibling around but don’t have one. Baby dolls also have therapeutic effects, especially for women who have been through miscarriages and losing a child.
Why should I buy a realistic baby doll for your child?
Realistic baby dolls have incredible benefits for children. They help develop the minds and enhance the cognitive growth of children in the early stages.
For instance, dolls help kids form an identity of themselves by their realistic appearances. More importantly, dolls are great realistic playmates which can help your kid learn good values. Dolls also help promote the concept of healthy body images among children.
Realistic baby dolls also reduce peer pressure in children. This is because regular dolls tend to have unrealistic adult features, which divert kids’ attention towards growing up and being an adult.
Your kid can have incredible childhood memories of having a realistic baby doll as a playmate that they can role-play with, given their infinite play value. More importantly, it has a direct positive impact on your child’s imagination, expanding the horizons. Keep in mind to get them a reborn baby since it has the durability needed for rough use at children’s hands.
