In order to make your new reborn doll last for as long as possible, take a look at our tips below. It is however always a good idea to start by reviewing the information provided by the artist.

Please note - a reborn doll is no a play doll. You won’t be able to throw it around the garden, and it certainly won’t like a battle with the dog. It takes some time and dedication to care for the baby properly. Do you have it in you?

Young children should not be permitted to play with him/her either - supervised play is ok and even they are curios you mjight want to consider laying down some ground rules, as you would with your own baby.

Your must keep your doll away from extreme heat and cold. Heat is the more dangerous of the two, because the vinyl will become very soft and pliable which can cause it to warp or even melt in some cases. Never leave your reborn baby in a hot car either - after all - a reborn doll is for like, not just for christmas. In contrast, Too much cold can cause it to crack.

Dust is every collectors worst enenmy - as hamrless as it might seem it is one of the main destroyers of collectibles, and you should be wary of your doll in the same manner as they are no exception. It is generally recommended that you lightly dust your reborn baby on occasion and do not leave it laying around in a corner - in these cases you should consider keeping it in a display case.

In many cases the reborn baby’s hair is hand rooted mohair. This will have been coated with sealant on the inside of the head to help keep it in place so it doesnt fall out. Should the baby’s hair become dusty, a gentle brushing will remove the dust and keep it looking fresh. Use a gentle brush or comb and gentle brush the hair in one direction making sure any knots or matting is out.

Care should be taken when moving your baby for different poses. In particular, never use force as this can cause pressure on the seams of their body which can cause tearing, or cracking in some cases. Your reborn dolls head can be turned from side to side, but again, do this gently.

Most reborn dolls will have eyelashes, lips and nails. These are usually sealed in place for protection. However, they will be quite brittle and should not be handled with any foce. The lashes can be pulled off and the nails may become chipped.

NOTE: If the lashes do ever come loose - this happend to me last week - you can reapply them. You will need a toothpick or small kebab stick and some clear glue. (dont use superglue as this can ruin other parts if it leaks). Soak the end of the toothpick to prevent it from sticking to the glue, and spread a thin layer of glue into the eye crease. Then, gently press the lash in the glue on the doll. Allow enough tikme to dry but also be sure to mop up any excess glue before it does!

These should help you getting the most of your reborn baby doll - if you are still unsure then a good rule of thumb is that you should not handle your reborn doll in any way you would not handle a real baby.

Perhaps not a laughing matter, as this could have easily been the real deal, but more of a testament of how lifelike the dolls can be.

In July this year, police in Australia broke the window of a car to rescue what they thought was a real baby, when in fact it was a reborn vinyl baby, created by doll maker Vynette Cernik. A similar incident happened in the U.S. when a reborn doll was thought to be a real baby and left in a Hummer.

Before going into detailed descriptions on how to reborn your own doll, this video is quite good at showing the processes of making your own head.




 The technique of reborning has evolved over the past five years, as hobbyists and doll artists have refined the painting techniques and added technical enhancements, such as a heartbeat simulator. More recently, special reborn doll kits are available, as are mechanical enhancements such as a battery powered breathing mechanism to simulate the breathing movements of a sleeping baby.