The Phenomenon of Reborn Dolls in Brazil

A New Craze in Brazil: The Rise of Reborn Dolls

A young woman recently shared a video that has captured the attention of millions. In the clip, she is seen holding her incredibly lifelike doll, Bento, packing his bag as if preparing for a hospital visit. She describes it as “one of the busiest and scariest days for me.” With meticulous care, she gathers onesies, a bottle, and medical documents, tucking the doll securely in the back of a car. At the hospital, the doll is weighed and placed on a bed, where she tenderly removes its pacifier, bottle-feeds it, and gently wipes away a few drops of formula.

This scene, however, was not a real medical situation. Instead, it was a role-playing scenario by a content creator using a reborn doll. These dolls, crafted with extraordinary attention to detail, are designed to resemble real babies closely. The video, amassing over 16 million views on TikTok, showcases a social media trend that has evolved into a significant cultural and political topic in Brazil.

Online, countless videos depict women taking these hyper-realistic dolls for strolls in parks, celebrating their ‘birthdays’ with cake and song, and even simulating childbirth. Some content creators take it a step further, portraying the dolls experiencing nosebleeds or undergoing potty training.

Well-known YouTuber Gabi Matos was photographed with her collection of dolls in Campinas, Brazil, showcasing the popularity of this trend. Credit: Nelson Almeida/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Juliana Drusz Magri, a 36-year-old human resources professional from Curitiba, the capital of Paraná, is one such enthusiast. She noted, “The ones I like the most are the newborns.” Since she began collecting these dolls in 2018, her collection has grown to include 22 reborn dolls.