Tiny hands, soft lashes, sleepy eyes… no, it’s not a real baby; it’s a reborn doll. These super-realistic baby dolls are all the rage right now in the UAE. And they’re not just for kids. Adults are buying them too, for collecting, comfort, or just because they’re mind-blowingly lifelike.
What’s the Buzz About?
Reborn dolls are basically baby lookalikes that could fool you at first glance. They’re painted by hand, weighted like real newborns, and detailed right down to the last little wrinkle. Local sellers say interest has shot up in recent years, with prices now much more wallet-friendly – think AED 300 to AED 500 instead of the AED 2,000 price tag when they first hit the scene in 2014.
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Why Are People Buying These Reborn Dolls?

Turns out, different people, different reasons. For some, reborns offer emotional comfort or stress relief. For others, it’s pure curiosity or even a quirky new hobby. A local seller behind a UAE-based Instagram page said many buyers treat them like collectibles, while some use them in therapy sessions or even role-playing scenarios. Yep, really.
Taking the Dolls Out on the Town
It doesn’t stop at home. Scroll through Instagram and you’ll find reborn fans out and about with their dolls, carrying them in strollers, posing at landmarks, the whole nine yards. One proud owner posted a picture near the Burj Khalifa showing off their newest “baby,” the fourth in their growing collection. Some people bring pets on vacation. These folks bring their reborns.
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A Parenting Hack? Sort Of
Then there are the parents turning reborns into teaching tools. One Sharjah mom said her daughter had been begging for a baby sibling for years. So she handed her a reborn instead. Now the nine-year-old is changing diapers, bottle-feeding, and rocking it to sleep like a mini parent-in-training. Talk about a creative workaround.
The Global Reborn Craze
It’s not just the UAE. Reborn dolls have sparked fascination and raised eyebrows all over the world. In Brazil, they’ve made headlines for being used in everything from grief therapy to parenting classes. Some people even bring them to hospitals expecting actual infant care. Yep, things have escalated that far. The trend has gotten so big that politicians have even started debating whether there should be regulations around it.
Creepy or Comforting? You Decide
Love them or find them a little too eerie, reborn dolls are having a moment. And whether they’re tucked into a stroller, chilling on an Insta feed, or helping someone cope with loss or loneliness, there’s no denying, they’re more than just dolls. They’re tiny, painted masterpieces blurring the line between toy and tiny human.
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