I've spent £350 on a reborn doll to battle my empty nest – my hubby is ‘weirded out' by it but it's been life-changing

The Sun

10-05-2025

A MOTHER has revealed that she has splashed £350 on a reborn baby so that she doesn't get empty nest syndrome.
The influencer, who has previously been labelled as a 'human Barbie ', is overjoyed with her new lifelike doll, but claimed that her hubby thinks it's 'weird'.
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The model was left feeling 'empty' now that her son, Rodrigo, 23, is all grown up.
As a result, Marcela Iglesias wanted something she could 'nurture' again.
She did her research and came across a reborn doll shop in the UK.
While it's helped to satisfy her maternal needs, it's left her husband, Steve, 57, feeling 'confused' and quite 'weirded out'.
Marcela, who has 1.2million Instagram followers, told NeedToKnow: 'I've always felt a strong maternal instinct, even after my own children grew up.
'I started thinking about getting a reborn doll when I began to feel a sense of emptiness at home.
'I wanted something to nurture again, without the demands of a real infant.
'I actually discovered them by accident. I was scrolling on Instagram and saw a video of someone holding what I thought was a real baby - but it was a reborn doll.
'I went down a rabbit hole after that, watching videos, reading forums, and eventually looking at artist shops on Etsy.
"My husband was a little confused at first and felt a bit weirded out. He has now come around to the idea.
"He sees how happy the doll makes me."
Marcela revealed that she even used photos of herself as a baby to inspire the doll's look.
She chose a baby girl, which she has named Sofia, but she is open to the idea of changing the name to Cleopatra.
The influencer now spends each day changing her outfits and pretending to feed her tot with a bottle.
And in the next few weeks, she hopes to take Sofia on walks in a pram.
Marcela continued: 'It was a big decision, but many of these dolls are handmade with incredible detail.
'I saw it as a bit of an investment in my emotional well-being.
'Opening the box felt like meeting someone I already loved.
What is empty nest syndrome?
Empty nest syndrome is a psychological condition that some parents experience when their children leave home, typically for college, work, or to live independently.
It's not a clinical diagnosis, but rather a period of grief, sadness, loneliness, or loss of purpose that can occur when the daily responsibilities of raising children come to an end.
Common Symptoms involve: Sadness or depression, loss of purpose or identity, anxiety about children's well-being, marital stress (if the couple is now alone together again) and feelings of loneliness.
To combat this, some coping strategies including: reconnecting with personal goals, hobbies, or career, strengthening your relationship with your partner or friends, seeking support from other parents or a therapist and/or maintaining healthy but non-intrusive contact with your children.
'I held her for a long time, just taking in the detail and weight.
'It was strangely calming, and I was actually quite emotional.
'It's not exactly like having a real baby - but the motions, the care, and the attention feel very real and comforting.'
Marcela, who is originally from Buenos Aires but now lives in Los Angeles, US, explained that her son, Rodrigo, thought the idea of having a reborn sister was 'cool'.
She highlighted: 'Rodrigo thinks it's cool in a weird way and even asked to hold her once, very gently.
'It already has been a life changing experience for me.
'It gives me a routine, something to focus on that feels peaceful and grounding.
'It's not for everyone, but for me, it fills a little emotional space I didn't realise was so empty.
'Whether it's grief, anxiety, or loneliness, these dolls offer a form of comfort that's very real.
'I just want people to understand that for many of us, reborn dolls aren't toys – they're emotional companions.'
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