When mum of two Melissa Gleeson’s youngest child started school, she desperately missed feeling needed - so she started collecting dolls to mother instead.
And now she’s also mum to four fake babies – including three newborns and a toddler – who she treats like real children.
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She says: “I’ve always loved babies and since my two started school, they don’t need me like they used to. So while they’re at school I play mum to my fake babies. I’ve even got a toddler, Bailey, who keeps me on my toes.
“I take her to play on the swings at the park and pop her into her pushchair for a trip around the shops. I like filming her too, so I’ll put on a childish voice and pretend she’s having a tantrum and have to calm her down. It sounds crazy but it makes me happy.”
Melissa, 34, who lives in West London with her husband, Mark, 36, and their children, Shannon, 11 and James, 14, found out about the realistic looking dolls, known as ‘reborns’, in 2008 after watching a TV documentary about them.
“I thought the ‘reborns’ were cute and so real looking, and I could understand why women bought them. I missed having a baby around the house so I thought I’d get one for Shannon to play with,” explains Melissa.
“I went online and found a little newborn called Olivia. She only cost £40, which is cheap as they can cost up to £800. But when she arrived, I spent more time with her than Shannon did.
“I kept cuddling her and rocking her, and treating her like a real baby. It sounds strange but it made me feel like I was needed again – Shannon had just started school so I was at home all day on my own. I was soon caring for Olivia like a real baby – regularly feeding, bathing and changing her. It made me feel fulfilled again.”
Then in November 2013, Melissa began making the dolls – from ready-made kits brought online, costing £25– and started selling them for the same price as she doesn’t want to make a profit.
“I do it for fun,” says Melissa.
“Ruby was the first reborn I ever made – I’ve still got her but I’ve made three others, which I’ve sold online. I practiced on Olivia but I messed her up, so she had to go in the bin.”
Since then, Melissa has spent over £2000 on her collection, which includes the dolls, their clothes and their accessories, which she buys from Poundland and charity shops.
And although she’s had ten baby dolls in total, she currently has three, Ruby, Chloe, and Liam.
She says: “I’ve bought reborns and sold them on again. If I don’t bond with them, they can’t stay. I had one little boy called Pheonix, he looked strange because he was badly made, so I got rid of him.”
And last month Melissa decided to expand her collection again and bought an 18-month-old fake toddler for £215.
She says: “The babies are great, but apart from feeding, changing and pushing them around in the pram, they can’t do much. So when I saw Bailey I knew I could do more with her. She’s got her own cot in the babies’ room and sits in her baby bouncer with the family downstairs – I often mock up toys and pretend she’s playing with them in the lounge.
“Now every day, after I’ve fed and dressed the babies, I take Bailey out to play, or to the shops. I’ll talk to her as I walk around and if we’re alone I put on voices so it’s like she’s speaking to me too. She loves it when I push her down the slide but has tantrums – no is her favourite word!”
She adds: “We went to get her feet measured for new shoes the other day and I didn’t tell the shop assistant she was a doll. Her jaw nearly hit the floor when she realised, but after she’d got over the shock she carried on and was really good about it.
“I haven’t had any negative reactions from strangers – most people think my dolls are sweet. It’s just nice to be out with other mums and talking about babies – even if mine aren’t real.”
Melissa also shares videos and photos of her reborn collection online and has an impressive following on YouTube. However, not everyone approves of her unusual hobby.
She says: “My husband and son think the dolls are weird and refuse to touch them. But I don’t care what anyone else thinks – being a mum, even to fake babies, is the best feeling ever.”
You can watch one of Melissa's videos here, and subscribe to her channel.