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During your search for a reborn or silicone doll, you will likely come across many dolls described as “cuddle baby”.
When I first discovered the reborn and silicone doll community, I had absolutely no idea what a cuddle baby was.
As I scrolled through the pictures of similar listings, I noticed a difference in these dolls quite quickly.
They were missing realistic limbs.
Instead, they had cloth limbs.
So, what is a reborn cuddle baby?
A reborn cuddle baby, as it sounds, is a baby doll designed for cuddling and comfort.
Cuddle babies have:
- a silicone or vinyl head,
- a soft, cuddly body,
- and soft arms and legs without normal hands and feet.
Cuddle babies are also more affordable than regular reborn babies because they require fewer parts and less work from the artist.
These dolls are perfect for cuddling as the only “hard” part of the baby is his or her head.
Cuddle babies are a great introduction to reborns for younger children.
They also bring great comfort as therapy dolls.
Holding a weighted, lifelike doll has been proven to decrease stress or anxiety levels as well as comfort those suffering from Alzheimer’s or Dementia.
How Much Does a Reborn Cuddle Baby Cost?
Because these dolls are not made with vinyl arms and legs, they are one of the cheapest reborn dolls you can adopt.
This is for a couple reasons.
First off, to purchase a blank kit with vinyl limbs will cost an artist more than purchasing extra cloth or doe suede to create these limbs.
Next, the amount of time to paint multiple layers of realistic looking paint on these limbs as well as the attention to tiny details such as the nails takes quite a bit of time.
This time and the artist’s skill level will be reflected in the price.
Reborn cuddle babies are great options for those with a small budget but still are seeking a very realistic looking baby.
A reborn cuddle baby can cost anywhere from $125 to $600.
This price varies due to the varying prices of vinyl kits, differing artist skill levels, as well as the type of hair and eyelashes on the doll.
A great place to find a quality reborn cuddle baby is directly from an artists website or Facebook page, www.reborns.com, or www.etsy.com.
Here are a few of my favorite reborn cuddle babies and the different features that affect the price.
Actual Reborn Cuddle Baby Costs
- Painted hair, Magnetic pacifier, Vinyl Head, Macpherson cuddle body, Weighted with fine glass beads and polyfill.
- Bald, Rooted Eyelashes, 19-inches Long, Weighted with Glass Beads.
- Life-like, 5lbs, Cloth Jointed Body, Glass Bead Fill.
How Much Does a Silicone Cuddle Baby Cost?
If you are interested in owning a silicone doll but have a limited budget, a silicone cuddle baby is a great option for you.
These dolls have silicone heads and cuddle baby doe suede or cloth arms and legs.
As with the reborn cuddle babies, the silicone cuddle babies are cheaper due to the absence of costly silicone legs and arms as well as artist skill and time used to paint those limbs.
A silicone cuddle baby can cost anywhere from $199 to $750.
A great place to find a quality silicone cuddle baby is directly from an artists website or Facebook page, www.reborns.com, or www.etsy.com.
Here are a few of my favorite silicone cuddle babies and the different features that affect the price.
Actual Silicone Cuddle Baby Costs
- Platinum Silicone for Soft Skin, Alpaca or Delta Dawn Hair.
- Silicone Head, Soft Fabric Body, 12-inches Long
Is a Cuddle Baby Right for Me?
So you’ve read all about these special dolls and are wondering if it’s a doll that’s right for you.
Let me help by laying out a few Pros and Cons.
Pros
Super Cuddly – As I stated above, these dolls are extra cuddly due to the absence of vinyl or silicone arms or legs.
Therapeutic – As cuddle dolls are soft and weighted with a realistic-looking head and face, these babies provide therapeutic benefits.
Holding or rocking a reborn or silicone cuddle doll brings about a natural parental or naturing instinct that calms us down.
Pose-able – Many cuddle babies are made with pose-able limbs.
You can usually move their arms or legs and they will stay in place.
You can squish them up like a newborn, or choose to stretch them out.
Easy to Hold – Because these dolls are squishy, lightweight, and pose-able they are very easy to hold.
Can Wear Dark Clothing – With a normal silicone or reborn doll, color bleeding or color transfer onto the skin from towels, blankets, or other clothing items is always a concern.
With cuddle dolls, color transfer or color bleeding won’t occur onto the cloth limbs.
Low Cost – As I mentioned above, these dolls are cheaper than dolls made with vinyl or silicone limbs.
Holds Up Well – With silicone or reborn vinyl dolls, it is always wiser to be cautious about the number of times you change their clothing.
This is because the silicone or vinyl will begin to wear over time and the paint can start to peel.
With a cuddle doll, you can change clothes as often as you’d like, there’s no paint to wear down.
Cons
Less Clothing Options – As cuddle dolls lack arms, legs, hands, and feet, it is more difficult to dress these dolls if you want to maintain a realistic appearance.
This means no summer clothes such as dresses, shorts, tank tops, romps, or short sleeves.
Slightly More Difficult to Dress – As these dolls lack some rigidity or structure, it is harder to push the cloth arms or legs into clothes.
Less Detailed – Many people who collect reborn or silicone dolls love to admire the artistry that goes into creating them.
With a cuddle baby, there are less details to look at or photograph as there are no cute fingernails or arm or leg creases.
Wrapping Up
Some people are not fond of cuddle babies as they lack realistic limbs, but with the right outfits or accessories, you can’t even tell the difference.
In my opinion, the pros outweigh the cons.
So whether you’re a seasoned collector looking to add to your collection or brand new to the reborn community, a cuddle baby may be a great option for you.