This is an update of a post I had on my doll blog, researched when I was pregnant. I always remember the pregnant doll I had as a kid, and all the happy hours of play she provided. Some people say that pregnant dolls are dangerous as they encourage young girls to get pregnant, but I don't believe that for a second. Little kids love playing with toy vaccuum cleaners and shop tills too, but you don't see teenagers clamouring to help out with the household chores or get a Saturday job, do you? ;)
The most (in)famous doll is pregnant Midge, Barbie's childhood friend from Willows High. Midge and high school sweetheart Alan married in 1991, via a range of themed dolls, and in 2002 a pregnant Midge was released as part of the 'Happy Family' line. A married mother-to-be was too much for some people however, and when Wal-Mart customers complained that Midge lacked a painted on wedding band (perhaps the poor woman's fingers had swelled through water retention?) the store's stock had to be replaced. Midge, unlike most pregnant dolls, has her baby belly attached by magnets - you can read a review of the doll HERE.
At first Midge's baby was a girl named Nikki, later pregnant dolls came with an unnamed baby whose sex was a mystery until the box was opened. Midge also came in an AA version.
But, if you're looking for a pregnant doll, Midge is far from your only option. Read on for the alternatives.
*Note: All pictures come from Google image search. I claim no credit for them.*
- cdlitestudio. Gorgeous BJDs by artist Connie D'Angelo DiMichele, including pregnant dolls such as THIS pregnant Lady in Waiting doll.
- Forgotten Hearts. Aidamaris Roman, the artist behind the brand, has made a few pregnant dolls like Mimosa. (Though be wary if you want to buy, the site has a bad reputation.)
- Natasha Yaskova. Talented doll artist who has made pregnant dolls in the past.
☆ Angel.
☆ Beka Toys Fashion Girl.
☆ Belle.
☆ Bessie.
☆ Come Baby.
☆ Educate The Girl. Despite the promising name, ETG's main selling point is that she comes packaged with eight pairs of shoes.
☆ Elegance Girl.
☆ Eunice 'Happy Family'. (My bookmarks are failing me right now, but still. Where do they get the names??)
☆ Feeling Mother. Lucy, the 'Feeling Mother', comes with twins. Her box states: 'When the baby was hers, Lucy dresses up to buy the milk formula for it.' Indeed.
☆ Gina. She even comes as a pregnant bride, so you can recreate the shotgun weddings of yesteryear.
☆ Happy Family. Some versions of Happy Family (and its Ameiya and Bertha / Clara counterparts) come with a paddling pool for the toddler doll - perhaps it could double as a birthing pool for the mum-to-be? You can also get just the pregnant doll on her own, as HERE.
☆ Lianyi.
☆ Mother Love.
☆ Sabrina.
Heart Family: Mattel's Mrs Heart wasn't exactly pregnant in the 1986 Heart Family New Arrival Set, at least not in the plastic baby bump way most of the dolls in this list are. What she did have was a maternity smock, so her owner could pretend she was pregnant. Mattel explain their reasoning HERE, and you can watch the original TV advert HERE.
Mommy's Having a Baby: This Tyco doll was launched in 1992, and stands 18" high. The baby, once born, drinks and wets - just like the real thing. She was also available as a black doll, as seen HERE at the excellent blackdollcollecting blog.
Sally: It's a little hard to see in the photo, but Sally's box reads 'Teen Pregnancy Beautiful' across the top. The best thing about this unfortunately named Shantou A2Z clone is that not only is she available in the expected places (alibaba), there are reports of her being sold in physical US stores. You can also get pregnant Sally without the moral panic inducing tagline.
☆ Baby Care Boy. Baby Care Girl.
☆ New Born Baby. Variations: one. two. three.
☆ 2011 - present. Happy Family. Variations: one. two.
☆ 2011 - present. Welcome Baby. Variations: one. two. three.
Susy: Not content with just one baby, Susy fell pregnant with twins in the early 1980s - and continued being pregnant with one or two babies right through the early 90s. I had this doll as a child and loved it, though I wasn't much into dolls then at all. She spent her days sitting in Barbie's Crystal Carriage, sleeping in Barbie's Outdoor Fun camping playset, and coming to terms with the fact I mislaid one of the twins within a few weeks of owning her. For more info on the Susy range of dolls, check out THIS awesome partial reference site. Lots more Susy reference pics are to be found at dollplanet.ru, HERE. The pregnant dolls I came across are:
☆ Blue dress with white lace and single baby.
☆ Neon dress with twins.
☆ Pink dress with twins.
☆ Pink frilly dress with single baby.
☆ Another pink dress with twins.
☆ Pink polkadot dress with single baby.
☆ In the US Hasbro repackaged the above pictured version of Susy as Mommy's Secret Surprise in 1993. That doll too used batteries so the babies could 'cry' as they were being born.
Lammily: When it's all over you can even get stick on stretch marks - Lammily sells them as part of their 'Lammily Marks' set ($7).

For further reading I recommend "Your Kids Say 'Mom', Your Clothes Say Otherwise ": Pregnant Fashion Dolls and Visual Culture by Sara Wilson McKay and Denise Baxter, which is available to read online HERE.
Song of the Day:
I didn't even realise that you could buy 'pregnant' dolls, I like the idea of them but some look a little scary #ToyTuesday
ReplyDeleteHehe, yeah, some aren't the most child friendly! They had a bit of a fad in the 90s but you don't really see them now outside of the cheap clone dolls x
DeleteI LOVE these, definitely remember my sister having something like this, thanks for linking up to #ToyTuesday
ReplyDeleteThey seemed to be a fad for a bit! :)
DeleteHahahahaha these are brilliant. I especially like the ones where the baby is in the tummy. What a shame they don't come out the right way, complete with a ring of fire for the sake of it being totally true to life :D thanks so much for linking up to #MaternityMondays
ReplyDeleteHehe, I just keep seeing it now as one those gooey alien toys they used to do - you just kept squeezing until they burst free!
DeleteWow, not seen these before. I think my girls would love a pregnant doll to play with. I see no harm either let kids be kids and use their imagination
ReplyDeleteI used to love mine, though she got to be a pregnant soldier with worrying frequency! Lol.
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