A Pennsylvania woman has turned to roleplaying with hyper-realistic dolls to process the grief of losing her first child, and her husband and daughters have embraced the hobby too. Christina Keeler, 36, from Wyalusing, bought her first 'reborn' doll in January 2021 after watching a documentary about the practice.
Christina and her husband Bill, 41, lost their first baby in 2015. Although they later had two daughters, Grace, four, and Joy, two, Christina still longed for a newborn to hold. She began researching reborn dolls on Instagram and purchased Hannah Hope, her first doll.
Initially nervous about Bill's reaction, Christina was relieved when he supported her. He even helped set up a YouTube channel to document her journey. The family now owns four dolls: Isabella 'Izzy' Sage, Isaiah Scott, Lennon 'Lenny' Levi, and Princess.
The hobby has become a family affair, with Bill filming unboxings and the girls taking the dolls out in public, where they are often mistaken for real babies. Christina said the dolls helped her talk about her loss, which she previously found too difficult.
Christina was diagnosed with endometriosis and told she might never conceive, making her first pregnancy in 2015 a joy. But after finalising a name, the couple lost the baby. She now aims to inform others about the reborn community through her videos.
