Taking your reborns out in public

If you are new to taking your reborns out in public, it can be really intimidating! The first time I took one of my reborns for a walk, I had an incredibly awkward encounter with a shop owner who assumed she was real. I didn’t know how to respond, so went along with it as though she was real. Later, my boyfriend (who had not seen this interaction), told her that it was a doll. I was mortified, and from then on I always told anyone that spoke to me in public that this was a reborn.

Here are some recommended ‘do’s and don’ts’ for taking your reborn out!

Do:

• Dress your reborn for the weather

• Use a stroller or carrier appropriate to the size of your reborn

• Use a shade (such as a Snoozeshade) if you’d like to avoid people looking in

• Pose your reborn realistically

• Be prepared to fold down your pram if using public transport. I’d personally recommend not taking a pram on public transport, if you can avoid it.

Don’t:

• Feel obliged to answer people’s questions! It’s up to you whether you tell people that it’s a reborn. If I don’t have time for a chat and someone asks me about the baby, I’ll usually just say “thank you, I can’t stop!” and move on.

• Let people shame you for doing something you enjoy. Pushing a pram is fun! Having your baby in a carrier can be calming and reassuring. I like using a wrap around carrier sometimes, and it feels like I’m being given a hug. This can also give me something to focus on if I’m feeling overwhelmed when out and about.