New mum: “My 43 ‘babies’ keep me up all night”
Single Victoria Andrews has spent thousands on her lifelike dolls. Now, she has a baby of her own – but says her other “children” won’t be neglected
After settling her A four-month-old son to sleep, you might expect Victoria Andrews, 26, to collapse into bed herself. But instead, the single mum turns her attention to her other “children” – her collection of 42 “reborn” dolls.
Victoria spends her evenings changing their nappies, dressing them in cute outfits and brushing their hair. She even has an exact replica of her son, Toby – his twin – who she loves to cuddle.
LONGING TO BE A MUM
Victoria, from Newbury, says, “I love Toby unconditionally, but I won’t neglect my other children. After I put Toby down, it’s my responsibility to look after his brothers and sisters. And then I have to get up to feed Toby during the night, too. But getting just four hours’ sleep is a sacrifice I’m willing to make.
“I want to be a good mum to them all and I make sure that if I buy one of the dolls a toy, I’ll buy one more for Toby too, so no one is left out.”
Despite sharing their clothes and toys, Victoria won’t allow Toby to play with his brothers and sisters – even his own twin.
She says, “Each doll can cost up to £1,500. They’re very fragile, and they’re weighted to feel like a real baby. I wouldn’t allow Toby to play with them as I’d be so worried that he’d damage them.”
Victoria began collecting reborn dolls at the age of 16 when, due to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), she learned it was unlikely she’d have children of her own.
Victoria says, “When I found out I probably wouldn’t have children, I was devastated. I was still so young, but it was hard to process – I always thought and hoped I’d become a mum one day. I’d always loved playing with Barbies and Cabbage Patch Kid dolls. Then, one day, I stumbled upon reborn dolls on ebay. They were so cute and I couldn’t believe how lifelike they were. If I couldn’t have my own, I thought a fake baby was the next best thing, so I bought a little girl and named her Charlotte. She was beautiful, with a mop of brown hair, and I loved cuddling her. When I felt down, she made me feel better.”
Over the years, Victoria splashed out an incredible £60,000 on her fake brood, missing out on moving out of home and clubbing with her mates so she could spoil her babies with new outfits, bottles and accessories. She’d take them out in baby carriers and they even accompanied her to the pub where she worked as a barmaid. Living rent-free at home with her parents meant all her wages and tips went on the dolls.
PREGNANCY SHOCK
She says, “The dolls did affect my love life. One guy I dated was embarrassed when I took a baby out with me and he complained I spent too much money on them. Another branded them ‘creepy’. But I wasn’t willing to change for anyone. I loved my dolls and they did come first. Thankfully, my parents have never minded my collection – as long as I keep the dolls in my bedroom.”
Then, in November 2017, Victoria began feeling unwell. She says, “I’d only been dating a guy for a couple of weeks when I started feeling sick. Pregnancy never crossed my mind – I assumed I’d got a stomach bug.
“I went to the GP, who asked me to do a blood test. When the results came back and he told me I was pregnant, I was speechless. Having spent so long assuming it would never happen, it was
❛EVEN THOUGH I HAVE TOBY, I COULDN’T IMAGINE LIFE WITHOUT MY DOLLS❜
a dream come true.
“When I told my family and friends, they assumed I’d sell all my dolls – but I was horrified by the idea. Just because I was going to have a real baby, I still loved my reborns. There was no way I could get rid of them.”
LACK OF SLEEP
Luckily, with 42 of her own dolls, Victoria was already prepared when Toby was born in May 2018.
She says, “I already had nappies, clothes, toys and even a Moses basket. All I needed to buy was a pram.”
Since falling pregnant, Victoria and her partner have separated. Now, as a single mum, she’s forced to split her time between Toby and her 42 reborn dolls.
She explains, “Living at home, Mum is happy to help out a lot, but Toby is quite a handful. He doesn’t get to sleep until around 11.30pm, and then I have to start looking after my other babies. I want them to be perfect, so I’ll comb their hair, and change their outfits. It’s the early hours of the morning before I get to bed myself, and then I’m up again at 5.30am with Toby. I survive on just a few hours’ sleep, but it’s worth it.”
As Toby grows into a toddler, Victoria will always have a baby version of him too, thanks to a replica doll. She says, “I had Toby’s twin made by a friend – I cried when I received it, he’s so beautiful. It means that even when Toby’s sleeping, I can cuddle the twin version of him instead. And even when he’s a moody teenager, I’ll still have him as a baby.”
Now, Victoria, who is currently unemployed, is looking for part-time work so she can start spending money on her collection again, while her mum looks after the children.
She says, “Even though I have Toby, my dolls still make me so happy. I couldn’t imagine life without them. I’d love to fall in love one day, but whoever I marry will have to love me and all 43 of my children.”