a day ago
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- Scottish Sun
I've spent £20k on 24 doll babies – I spend hours a day playing with them, my boyfriend thinks it's odd but I want more
PRIDE & TOY I've spent £20k on 24 doll babies – I spend hours a day playing with them, my boyfriend thinks it's odd but I want more
When it comes to babies, I definitely have my hands full. Right now, Louisa is in her baby seat and Albee and Harmony are sleeping in their cots.
Zadie and Zelda are in the living room, while their big sisters Pieta, four, and Daida, two, are relaxing on their chairs.
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Mary Lee Beatson loves playing with her babies and has so far collected 24 reborn dolls
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Mary Lee dressed dolls Albee, Pieta, Daida and Harmony up for St Patrick's Day
Meanwhile I'm walking in circles in my living room, soothing Ozzie in my arms.
In total I have 24 babies, but my house in Lake City, South Carolina, is peaceful and quiet and my beautiful children never get a day older. That's because I'm a 'reborn mummy'.
As a child, I loved stuffed animals and My Little Pony, but I didn't really play with dolls. Then, in October 2022, when I was 39, I was shopping for Halloween decorations when I spotted a zombie doll called Ruby.
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'Reborn mummy'
I was so excited to bring her home and couldn't bear to box her away when the holiday was over.
Suddenly, I had a reason to buy cute baby clothes I'd seen while out shopping. It was such fun to dress Ruby that I started to Google other dolls I might buy.
That's the first time I read about reborns, which are hyper-realistic, life-sized baby dolls. They're works of art, sculpted and hand-painted to look just like real babies. I was blown away.
Inspired by Ruby, I wanted to pick something a little different. In March 2023, I saw a reborn with two faces, painted to look like clowns.
I fell in love instantly and called them Penny and Dima.
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Ozzie came next, and after I'd removed the nappy that is always placed over the doll's face by sellers to protect their delicate features, it was so exciting to unwrap him from his box and see his gorgeous face emerge.
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
By April, Albee had arrived, quickly followed by Zadie and Zelda.
I never do things by halves. Within months I had three more – Daida, my gorgeous two year old, who is 81cm tall, tiny baby Harmony and Burgundy Rose, a reborn baby werewolf.
It made me so happy to see them in my house. I even bought a baby car seat and took Ozzie to work with me.
My shift patterns meant I had a room at work to sleep in that I shared with a colleague.
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I know it's a hobby many people don't understand – men in particular find it strange
She walked in one day to see Ozzie on the bed and was shocked, thinking I'd left a real baby in there alone!
Another colleague gave me an outfit for Pieta, my 101cm-tall four year old, that his daughter had grown out of.
They never made me feel that it was weird to have the dolls, and, like my friends and family, they always want to hear about my new arrivals.
But I know it's a hobby many people don't understand – men in particular find it strange.
That's why I put a photo of me holding a reborn on my Facebook dating profile in November 2024.
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They're a huge part of my life – I can spend hours a day playing with them – and that isn't going to change.
I've since met my boyfriend and he accepts it, but finds it odd. The other day we were sitting on the sofa watching TV as I held Ozzie.
As I got up to get a drink, I handed him Ozzie, but he looked at me like I'd grown an extra head!
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Mary Lee has an eclectic collection including reborn werewolf Burgundy Rose
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Mary Lee snaps doll daughter Melitina 'playing' Twister
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When I take the babies out in public, I get all kinds of reactions.
Most people just think they're real, but when I explain they're reborns, I get everything from confusion and intrigued questions, to shock and fear.
To me, they have their own personalities. Melitina and Burgundy Rose are energetic and cheeky, Daida is sweet and kind and Ozzie is peaceful.
Unlike real children, they're all clean and quiet. They don't make a mess or damage things
And, unlike real children, they're all clean and quiet. They don't make a mess or damage things. They're only there to make me feel happy.
I love to share our life on my YouTube channel. I might take them for walks, 'feed' them with a real baby bottle filled with fake formula, dress them up for Valentine's Day or just cuddle them.
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Trolls have made comments, but they don't bother me. I think part of what upsets people is how much they cost.
So far, I've spent £20,000, with Pieta and Daida costing £1,500 and £2,300 each. I've also made lots of friends with other reborn mums online.
I can't wait to keep welcoming reborns into my life. If anyone thinks that's a waste of money, I don't care. I work hard and my dolls bring me a lot of joy. What could possibly be wrong with that?'
Follow Mary Lee at
