Woman who fakes pregnancies with ‘reborn’ DOLLS and now has ten ‘kids’ is slammed by internet trolls
Kathryn Barnes, 21, has TEN 'babies' and even has twins with Down's syndrome
A WOMAN who treats her lifelike dolls as babies and even faked pregnancies and scans has been forced off social media by internet trolls.
Kathryn Barnes owns ten ‘reborn’ dolls and would post images of her fake baby bump on Instagram as well as using an editing app to recreate ultrasound images.
The 21-year-old saw it as a bit of fun as she excitedly counted down to each new dolls arrival – but sadly, others did not feel the same.
But after being bombarded with abuse she has now closed her account.
She said: "Reborn parents use the term 'reborn pregnancy,' when they're expecting a new doll and role-play the 'pregnancy' by posting photos online of tests and hospital rooms where they would go in to 'labour.
"This informs followers that you're expecting a new doll in the post, and it gets you excited about your new arrival. It makes the waiting process go quicker.
"I learned the term when I joined the reborn community on Instagram and I started posting photos because I decided it was a cool way to let my followers know I was receiving a reborn.
"However, I no longer have an account due to bullying and harassment. I hope I can have another account in the future.
"People were private messaging me criticising me and what I was doing.
"It confused me as others did it too, but I didn't want a fight so I deleted my account."
Kathryn, from Chicago, was inspired to start collecting the lifelike dolls after her grandmother Marie Romano, bought one on a family holiday back in 2002.
Just seven at the time, she said she thought the doll was cute.
The aspiring special needs teacher started collecting herself in November 2015, purchasing her first doll – a girl named Sailor – for £350.
Since then her collection has grown and her dolls, Harper, Ludovic, Ariel, Xavier, Gracelynn, Kelly, Gabriela, Owen, Aurora and Jaxson, range from newborns to three-year-olds.
Her three-month-old twins Aurora and Jaxson have Down's Syndrome.
Kathryn and her wife-to-be Kelly Fitzpatrick, 30, hope to adopt children with the condition, so she felt it important to have Down's dolls to bring awareness and will one day pass them down to her future children.
Over time, she has encountered some negative comments from people who thought she was "too old for dolls."
But, she took these in her stride.
"I think anyone should be allowed to collect what makes them happy, no matter what age they are," she said.
"I love my reborn babies. Each one of them brings me joy.
"My family and fiancée like my dolls and support my hobby."
Although she previously documented the dolls' lives online, Kathryn revealed she doesn't take them out in public much, preferring to keep them at home.
I love my reborn babies. Each one of them brings me joy.
Kathryn Barnes
She continued: "Once I took Harper to the hospital when I had to visit. I have a fear of needles so I had her to hold onto in case they needed to do blood work.
"She's so lifelike people thought she was the one who needed medical attention.
"I would like to take Kelly out too. He's a sleeping reborn and that makes him look super realistic."
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Miss Barnes is sharing her story as she would like more people to know about reborns, believing them to be therapeutic.
"A friend of mine lost her baby four years ago. I told her about reborns and she now has them, and finds them helpful," she explained.
"They helped me overcome depression too.
"I was bullied at school from the age of nine to 18, called names and made fun of because of my appearance.
"But my dolls comfort me when I see them. Their smiles ease my pain.
"People might think my dolls are strange but I adore them."
