Photo: Wally McNamee / The Image Bank Unreleased / Getty Images
Kelly White from Long Island, NY considers herself an “adoptive mom” to eight realistic dolls, treating them like her children. She used to breastfeed her younger dolls but now bottle feeds them — making “milk” from flour and water. "I’ve wanted to be a mom since I was eight," Kelly shared, explaining how she became attached to her first doll, Jennifer, after initially buying it as a prop. Since then, she has expanded her collection, spending over $2,000, and keeps the dolls in cribs around her home.
Kelly enjoys taking her dolls out in a stroller, even to restaurants and parks, and follows a daily routine that includes dressing them, watching movies, and putting them to bed by 7 p.m. Despite facing some criticism, she finds comfort in caring for her dolls, saying, "I’m living my truth of the life I want — as if I was a mom." Although she hopes to adopt real children one day, the dolls currently fulfill her desire to nurture.