An influencer labelled as “Human Barbie” has revealed that she bought a reborn baby so that she doesn’t get empty nester syndrome.
Marcela Iglesias spent £350 on the lifelike doll.
The model was left feeling “empty” now that her son, Rodrigo, 23, is all grown up.
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Whilst he still lives at the family home, Marcela wanted something she could “nurture” again.
She did her research and came across a reborn doll shop in the UK.
While it’s helped to satisfy her maternal needs, it’s left her husband, Steve, 57, feeling “confused” and quite “weirded out”.
“I’ve always felt a strong maternal instinct, even after my own children grew up,” Marcela, who has 1.2m Instagram followers, told Need To Know.
“I started thinking about getting a reborn doll when I began to feel a sense of emptiness at home.
“I wanted something to nurture again, without the demands of a real infant.
“I actually discovered them by accident.
“I was scrolling on Instagram and saw a video of someone holding what I thought was a real baby – but it was a reborn doll.
“I went down a rabbit hole after that, watching videos, reading forums, and eventually looking at artist shops on Etsy.
“My husband was a little confused at first and felt a bit weirded out.
“He has now come around to the idea.
“He sees how happy the doll makes me.”
Marcela used photos of herself as a baby to inspire the doll’s look.
She chose a baby girl, which she has named Sofia, but is open to the idea of changing the name to Cleopatra.
The influencer now spends each day changing her outfits and pretending to feed her tot with a bottle.
In the next few weeks, she hopes to take Sofia on walks in a pram.
Marcela said: “It was a big decision, but many of these dolls are handmade with incredible detail.
“I saw it as a bit of an investment in my emotional well-being.
“Opening the box felt like meeting someone I already loved.
“I held her for a long time, just taking in the detail and weight.
“It was strangely calming, and I was actually quite emotional.
“It’s not exactly like having a real baby – but the motions, the care, and the attention feel very real and comforting.”
Marcela, who is originally from Buenos Aires but lives in Los Angeles, US, says her son, Rodrigo, thought the idea of having a reborn sister was “cool”.
She added: “Rodrigo thinks it’s cool in a weird way and even asked to hold her once, very gently.
“It already has been a life changing experience for me.
“It gives me a routine, something to focus on that feels peaceful and grounding.
“It’s not for everyone, but for me, it fills a little emotional space I didn’t realise was so empty.
“Whether it’s grief, anxiety, or loneliness, these dolls offer a form of comfort that’s very real.
“I just want people to understand that for many of us, reborn dolls aren’t toys – they’re emotional companions.”
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