When I first heard about reborn babies, I thought they were real infants who had been changed in one way or another. Little did I know that they refer to hyper-realistic dolls meticulously crafted to be so lifelike that they resemble human babies.
If you search for “reborn babies” on social media, you will find various accounts showing their many uses. In addition to therapeutic purposes, they are collected as artistic items, sold as DIY kits for hobbyists and treated as objects of one’s affection.
It’s fascinating how a mere doll can be lavished with so much attention and care as though it were a true person!
Meanwhile, this trend has now entered even the realm of therapy, where reborn dolls are used by the grieving, those with anxiety and even people with dementia.
Here are some of the possible therapeutic uses of reborn dolls:
1. Coping with grief
For those coping with the loss of their child, reborn dolls are used as a temporary means to alleviate the pain and sudden emptiness they feel.
2. Calming anxiety
Reborn dolls seem to imitate the effect of real babies, having a calming effect to those who hold them. They help release some hormones that soothe and comfort the anxious person.
3. Fulfilling one’s nurturing instincts
For mothers who cannot have children or even for single women who feel a yearning to give a child one’s maternal care, reborn dolls were thought to be an outlet for expression of these instincts.
4. Filling in for children who have grown up
It is said that these dolls can also be used by those who are feeling the “empty nest syndrome”. They serve as reminders for parents whose children have already grown up and moved away from home.
Risks and Considerations
Despite the hope that these reborn dolls can assist those who are experiencing emotional difficulties, there is no assurance that they can benefit those who need assistance.
Moreover, there is also the risk of misuse or the eventual overdependence on them, taking away one’s capacity for true recovery.
In cases of grief, there is concern that the grieving process may only be delayed, and instead of helping one to move on gradually, the doll may be used as a more permanent substitute for the departed child.
Our Deep Emotional Needs
The human heart can be wounded so deeply that we need all the help we can possibly get to lessen our pain. Sometimes, we can cling on to the nearest assistance we can see, hoping that it could eventually be the way for us to be healed.
Our hearts are also filled with desires for connection, comfort and affection. We want to love and to be loved. There is something missing inside of us once that connection is lost or when our capacity to keep the love flowing is stopped.
To address such things, we use the tools we see, especially those recommended by the people around us.
Somewhere along the way, however, we may need to ask ourselves:
“Are these tools working?”
“Will this benefit me in the long run?”
“Is there another way of doing this?”
The Invitation of the Child Jesus
This is where we can try to listen to the One who once came upon this world as a little child. One Christmas morn, the Virgin Mary gave birth to a unique infant whose name is Emmanuel.
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, became a true human being like us to save us and to invite us to the fullness of life.
He could have come in the fullness of His power and glory, but He chose to come to us as a baby, vulnerable and meek.
In Him, we can pour out all the affection in our hearts. Through Him, we can find the healing and fulfillment we have been searching for.
He is a real Person. You can talk to Him and love Him and be loved in return.
He even became a baby so you can carry Him upon your arms.
Today, He still reaches out to those who grieve, those who feel empty, those who have a lonely and broken heart.
Bethlehem is still within your reach. The star of faith is pointing the way. Would you give the baby Jesus a chance to dwell upon your heart?
“For a CHILD IS BORN to us, and a son is given to us… and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counsellor, God the Mighty, the Father of the world to come, the Prince of Peace.” – Isaiah 9:6 DRA
“Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you.” – 1 Peter 5:7 (NABRE)
You may also want to read “The 7 Ways God Can Heal You and Your Loved Ones”
Jocelyn Soriano is the author of Mend My Broken Heart, Defending My Catholic Faith and 366 Days of Compassion.
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