Infertile woman cares for dolls to fulfil dream of becoming a mother

An infertile woman in Poland has found an alternative way to become a mother, by caring for fake babies as her own children. Photo / BBC

An infertile woman in Poland has found an alternative way to become a mother, by caring for fake babies as her own children.

Reborn doll collector Marta shared her story in the documentary Mothers Reborn, available to stream on Flash.

Marta and her husband Grzegorz were unable to have children.

The couple then tried to adopt, but were informed by the adoption agency that they did not have a healthy child available.

They could not afford to adopt a sick child, so they turned to parenting their dolls, Bartus and Olenka.

Marta and her husband Grzegorz can't have children: Photo / BBC

"I use the dolls as therapy as I can't have children. I treat them like they're not dolls but as if they were children," Marta said.

"Because of Olenka (youngest doll), I feel as though I were a real mother, as if they were my own children. Holding Bartus (eldest doll) in my arms, I feel his heart beat as he has a built-in heartbeat when I cuddle him.

"For me, it's like a living doll in my arms. It's hard to explain as it's obvious that it doesn't breathe and its heart doesn't actually beat.

"When my husband picks Bartus up, my heart breaks that we can't have our own."

An infertile woman in Poland has found an alternative way to become a mother, by caring for fake babies as her own children. Photo / BBC

Mothers Reborn explores a group of women in Poland who are taking control and becoming mothers to fake babies.

The country has one of the lowest fertility rates in the world, with just 1.4 births per woman.

The parenting method serves a purpose helping women through infertility and the loss of a child.

Mothers Reborn explores a group of women in Poland who mother fake babies. Photo / BBC

Clinical psychologist Dr Elżbieta Sobolewska said these dolls can help to fulfil needs such as trauma processing.

"I think a doll can be a good way to work through trauma," Dr Sobolewska said.

"On one condition. That these dolls do not replace real life."

'Reborning' began in the 1990s, and prices for dolls now range from $50-$22,000.

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