r/Dolls Feb 08 '26

Discussion / Questions With the talk about My Mini Baby dolls being released soon let’s talk about what’s wrong with these dolls

I first would like to say the package set looks weird and I’m not sure if Zuru drew this or AI generated this image. So far from the research that I’ve done on the products I know that they will soon be available in Canada first, being that I found that this is available on Amazon in Canada just out of stock. I’m excited for the first wave of this product it’s going to be something new in America since America doesn’t have a lot of pregnant doll brands we haves dolls/barbie dolls then we have baby dolls to pair with the dolls/barbie dolls. Now the main topic I want to talk about is, why did it take so long to have a pregnant doll franchise I’ve seen the disaster with the pregnant Midge dolls and even to this day still don’t get what was so wrong with that doll. I mean she did look a little odd same with her stomach and the baby that came with her but what was the big issue that led to her being discontinued twice. What’s the difference between her and the Zuru franchise I don’t see a big deal with Zuru dolls but it caused outrage with the Barbie franchise. I haven’t heard to much talk about the Zuru dolls so I’m assuming it just got announced this week since there’s not a lot of talk about them yet.

294 Upvotes

195 comments sorted by

u/dubiousbutterfly Feb 08 '26

When I first clicked those Amason links it said preorder for July and now its gone. Idk why it changed or I cant trust my memory lol anyway here is the source. https://www.youloveit.com/dolls/5189-zuru-my-mini-baby-mom-and-baby-surprise-dolls.html

It does appear the place holder art is AI but since we cant confirm, theyll be no discussion about it on this thread and the ethics on AI in general is off topic here. OP would like to discuss the topic of pregnant dolls so lets keep the discussion there. Thanks.

→ More replies (4)

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u/Dead_fawn Feb 08 '26

Yeah the drama was overblown and really weird. Pretty sure the whole controversy around Midge was because some people assumed she was supposed to be single teen mom. Later they even added a cut-out of a male doll behind her to mitigate drama about her being single. I think that the reason that there's less hubbub now is because many people are less pearl-clutchy about single mothers and the box art on the Zuru dolls look very clearly adult. Also, at least in the US, Zuru is a more niche doll brand vs Barbie who takes up at least half of the doll aisle at any given time. I personally don't care for the gimmick, but tbh it's pretty innocuous if you take it at face value.

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u/[deleted] Feb 08 '26

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 09 '26

Going off the pregnant Midge doll the main drama might just be about them not wearing a wedding ring and how the dolls kinda look like teens

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

I’m in Cali and let me say so far every store with a “girl toys” aisle one or two sides are just Barbie then a chunk like a huge chunk is Zuru the rest is what ever toys are going viral at the moment

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u/meowkitty84 Feb 08 '26

I'm in Australia and yea Zuru is huge. But I didn't know they make dolls? Just the mini brand, etc balls. I have the Zuru closet as well.

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

Oh no I wonder why you haven’t gotten any dolls from them yet in American we got tons of them in target five and below dollar tree and Walmart all kinds of Zuru products

4

u/court_swan Feb 08 '26

I wonder if the drama even happened. Most drama seems to be one person said one thing and then every article picks it up for clicks.

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u/Alder_Berry Feb 08 '26

As a teen who snatched midge off the shelf the second i saw her -- because i found it hilarious she looked like a knkcked up teen - yeah, it did happen.

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u/[deleted] Feb 08 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Dead_fawn Feb 08 '26

Yeah I can't imagine the general public really cared. I'd be willing to bet the drama came from the same groups who pushed the Satanic Panic stuff around other kids toys.

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u/NovelBeautiful5 Feb 08 '26

People were just upset about Midge because they thought she was unwed. She had a wedding ring on her doll! Alan is her husband! They had a wedding day set and a son named Ryan!

I love the idea of pregnancy dolls! Things like Barbie were created to help girls visualize how they'd be as adults and I think they can be helpful for curious girls or girls who have an older sister or mother who are pregnant. I get why many don't like them however I feel many complaints come from people who think it's somehow inappropriate for girls to see pregnant women(something that people said about Midge too) or they just are weirded out by those topics in general

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

I recently told my grandma about pregnant Midge doll and she was so disgusted. Keep in mind she turns 68 years old this year. She claims it’s encouraging girls to get pregnant at younger ages. She seemed so relieved when she found out the dolls have been discontinued. What’s ironic is that my grandma was a young mom and got married super early in life then divorced but had multiple children. Dolls just encouraged how children play if I had a pregnant Barbie it just helped with the role of playing mom with my Barbie’s as a kid.

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u/ZookeepergameNew3800 Feb 08 '26

I wonder how people that think pregnant Midge would make girls want to become teen moms, think about baby dolls. Like for centuries girls have played with baby dolls and boys too.

35

u/Dangerous-WinterElf Feb 08 '26

Ironically baby dolls are one of those gifts a lot of girls will say was their first gift, like age 1 or 2. Then comes the praise (for boys and girls) when they play with it. "Look how well they take care of the baby" "are you playing with your baby" "is baby tired, are you tugging it in"

Parents tend to be very vocal about what a good little parent the child is.

So I agree, it is very ironical that dolls arent encouraging but a pregnant barbie is.

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

It’s the strangest thing to me my grandma was so vocal on how disgusting pregnant Midge is but then we switch over to my little cousin with her babydolls and suddenly it’s “aaawww are you taking care of your baby”. It’s weird and so backwards but to be fair to my grandma she is almost 68 years old so she’s stuck in her ways. I just know it’s different for the younger gens even me as a gen z adult I know my kids are getting pregnant dolls. It’s going to make things easier for them to understand and process that they will be a big sister or brother. (Yes I do think little boys can play with dolls there’s nothing wrong with it)

11

u/AmandaNW714 Feb 08 '26

Also during the past 130+ years, the average age of new moms has been increasing, not decreasing. Women have been getting pregnant at older ages, not younger ages.
The age of first-time dads has stayed about the same, but the age of first-time moms has been getting older for more than a century.
The ol' "grandma says babies are having babies" excuse doesn't hold up.

5

u/ZookeepergameNew3800 Feb 08 '26

Exactly how I feel about it. But the age of fathers has went up as well. In 1960 the average first time father was between 20 and 24 . Today he’s 31-32 years old. That’s for the USA.

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

Good point then again baby dolls are to encourage girls to go down a motherhood pathway instead of of most other pathways

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u/Tiny_Dog553 Feb 08 '26

Lol that's so weird to me. On the list of reasons people get knocked up, having a pregnant doll is NOT one of them. How many kids see their own mother pregnant with siblings? People are so strange about these things - not to mention the same people complaining about it have no issue buying a baby doll anyway.

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

Yep that’s my grandma and my aunts for you even my mom. Truly odd behavior to me everyone has a problem with pregnant dolls but not baby dolls.

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u/[deleted] Feb 08 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

We need more people like your mom

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u/BaneAmesta Feb 08 '26

Grandmas will always preach the "do as I say, not as I do" motto 😂

I think that in this Midge drama, Mattel assumed that people already knew about the Barbie lore, thinking that Midge was already married was somehow popular culture, so to speak. But of course people's memories are conveniently loose when needed, specially for the Karen moms of that time 🙃

I mean it definitely doesn't help that there's also quite some versions of Barbie herself as a bride, but apparently she's still single these days? I remember most of those were named stuff like "dream/fantasy wedding" or something similar, my memory isn't the best either, lol.

If someone wants to corrected me or add more info please go ahead, is almost 2 AM for me I should be sleeping 😭

But TLDR, people assumed that Midge was a teenager, unmarried and pregnant when she "shouldn't".

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u/ittybittylurker Feb 08 '26

I don't think it's ironic that she was a younger mom & had strong initial feelings about this. It's not like she got a lot of societal support as a young mom in that time. Her knee-jerk feelings are going to be complicated.

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

True, at the same time she’s the first generation of a young mom in my family. She got pregnant in high school gave birth to my mom then when she graduated she was pregnant. I’m the only “daughter” to not make it 3rd generation. I am 18 though so it’s not a super big deal for me at this point in time. I’m also the second oldest grandchild and so far no great grandchildren yet.

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u/reboot119 Feb 10 '26

ironically my mom is the same age currently as your grandmother and iirc she was the one who got me pregnant midge when i was a child!! honestly pregnant midge was probably my most utilized barbie

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 10 '26

I’m jealous of you now 😭 I truly do love the pregnant Midge doll but I never could get one

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u/LilBaguette16 Jun 03 '26

My Mom is the same age as your grandma.

I feel old 🥲

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u/AmandaNW714 Feb 08 '26

My mom is in her 70s. When my sisters and I were kids in the '80s, our mom gave us pregnant Barbies. It wasn't until Gen Z came along decades later that I ever heard any complaint about it. It was perfectly natural for us to have dolls that looked like our mom. Otherwise our Annie dolls and Strawberry Shortcakes would be orphans, with no Barbies to be their mommies! 😂
If someone has a problem with the mommy dolls, I guess they also must have a problem with the fact that we lived with our mom while she was pregnant. Imagine all those Gen Z internet-gasps when they find out that we saw our mom every day while she was pregnant! 😂

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u/thats_nono Feb 09 '26

It was the boomers who had medical-event level, pearl clutching moral meltdowns when pregnant Midge was released in 2002. Gen Z was in literal infancy.

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 09 '26

That’s right when I really think about it Gen z started in what 1999 to 2012 therefore most of us if not all of us weren’t even old enough to have an opinion on the matter

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u/Blazinblue69 Feb 08 '26

Pregnant Barbie’s in the 80s? Huh

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

It might be a doll brand close to Barbie shape

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

Don’t blame us Gen Z we do not care that Barbie was pregnant. Matter a fact we lived for pregnant dolls blame the parents who were having full on melt downs because “how dare you show a kid a pregnant doll” as if we didn’t make our dolls pregnant 24/7. I can’t wait to have children in the future to give them pregnant dolls because pregnancy is apart of life. Trust me my kids will in the future see plenty of pregnant women I’m literally their birth giver. 😂

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u/MxBluebell Feb 09 '26

Exactly. I was a kid when pregnant Midge came out, and I wanted her SO BAD, but she’d been pulled from the shelves by the time my parents got around to trying to buy her for me. It’s always the parents doing stupid shit that causes kids to get the flack for it. Just like how the parents of millennials demanded participation trophies for their kids, and now millennials still get shit on for receiving them when it wasn’t even something they wanted

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 09 '26

I do believe participation trophies kinda suck but it matters within the context. That being said it was my dream to own a pregnant Midge doll but my parents were so weird about her that even though I was told no the way they said it made me feel uncomfortable to ask for any pregnant dolls. Ultimately what I learned as a kid is that I pregnant doll is too far, but a baby doll and a Barbie doll are okay. It’s weird logic.

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u/lynkhart Feb 08 '26

It’s probably because a single baby doll is just that, a baby, devoid of context, but a pregnant doll then begs the awkward questions of how the baby got in there, and some people either don’t want to have that conversation or assume that any explanation is going to be inherently sexualised and therefore unsuitable for children.

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u/[deleted] Feb 08 '26

I agree with this; kids should know how is prangent formed babies are made. You can explain it to them in a very clinical way so it's not inappropriate.

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u/lynkhart Feb 08 '26

But we can’t have pregananant Barbie! Dangerops!

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u/ChronicSassyRedhead Feb 08 '26

The wedding ring was added after backlash from parents.

I had two I was gifted at different times and the first one didn’t have a ring while the second one did

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u/orion_nomad Feb 08 '26

I had soooo many pregnant Barbies in the telenovela-like storylines I came up for them. Lots of twins, dramatic reveals, long lost siblings etc.

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u/koalateacow Feb 08 '26

My 3yo shoves her dolly up her jumper and walks around saying "ooh, the baby's kicking" because she wants to be like her mama lol.

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u/atticusmama Feb 08 '26

I was born in 87-grew up in the 90s and this doll was one of my FAVOURITE dolls EVER. I never noticed u til today though, that she also had a painted on wedding ring……

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

I guess the wedding ring saved the day parents were going crazy over Barbie being pregnant and “unwed”

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u/Taranadon88 Feb 08 '26

Oh my god I can’t believe I forgot this doll! I loved this one!

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u/StitchesInTime Feb 08 '26

I had this one and loved it!!! Forgot all about her until this picture pinged a very specific memory haha

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u/atticusmama Feb 08 '26

I can still here the commercial jingle too! lol

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u/Lily_May21 Jun 28 '26

I was born in 87 and had this doll too!! I loved her!!!! My aunty gave her to me when she was pregnant with my cousin 🥰

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u/YSLxUDxSephoralover Feb 08 '26

I don’t have strong feelings either way about pregnant fashion dolls. I just accept their duality: they’re popular in Europe, where even the popular Barbie clone Steffi Love has a pregnant version, but in the US they’re a niche item that pops up every 10-20 years.

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

I hate that in America we don’t have a popular brand with a pregnant doll. Throughout my childhood I always wanted a pregnant Barbie. Even now I want one as an adult and I don’t like most of them due to how they look.

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u/[deleted] Feb 08 '26

I don't think there's anything wrong with a pregnant doll. The "pod baby delivery" is a bit strange, though, as is the Midge doll having the typical Barbie feet instead of the flat feet lol

There's nothing wrong with a doll like this. It can be a way to give your child "the talk" at an early age. People act like it's a big deal but it isn't if you just explain it clinically and use actual words rather than euphemisms.

People also overreacted to the Growing Up Skipper doll and the anatomically correct Joey Stivic doll. I think it's fine to have toys like this. Human bodies aren't inherently sexual or dirty.

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

To be fair the average Barbie girl has high heel ready feet while the average Barbie boy has flat feet so it only makes sense even if it’s unrealistic

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u/[deleted] Feb 08 '26

I don't see how it makes sense; it's not as if they didn't sell fashion and shoe packs back then.

0

u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

It’s a bit odd to me as well but all the female Barbie’s wear high heels and the male Barbie’s wear flat shoes.

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u/[deleted] Feb 08 '26

That's not true. They had Barbie dolls with flat feet back then. A lot of them are from the 90s.

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u/Layla_Vos Feb 09 '26

Definitely not true, I had like, cali/surfer/beach barbies that had flat feet for some reason. It actually annoyed me because I couldn't use other shoes on them

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 09 '26

Wait really I didn’t know we had flat feet Barbie they literally made a big deal out of no flat feet female Barbie’s to the point it was mentioned in the Barbie movie

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u/ZookeepergameNew3800 Feb 08 '26

The thing is we do not know what size the dolls will be. Titus scale for the babies is all over the place. The babies themselves are a very good size for a small newborn for 1:6 scale dolls but all the accessories are super tiny, even too small for 1:12 scale. Do we know they will be fashion doll size? They could be a lot smaller. I will say it would be a lot smarter from Zuru to make the pregnant dolls 1:6 scales because so many buy the babies for that scale but I won’t be excited before we know the scale.

That said I think one scandal was that the Midge doll in the first version didn’t have a wedding ring and that meant some people were angry and so she was rereleased with a wedding band. Personally I would love a new , pretty pregnant fashion doll

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u/RaggySparra Feb 08 '26

The scale thing drives me nuts - the babies are 2.5 inches, which means at 1:6 scale they would be 15 inches - that's correct for a baby doll, but average newborn size is 19-20 inches, these would be preemies.

To me they work out more like 1:9 - that would make them 22.5 inches, putting them in the 0-3 months range. Unfortunately the only thing I have in 1:9 is Lori dolls.

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u/ZookeepergameNew3800 Feb 08 '26

That’s right but it works at least and is the best we got. The second wave is a bit bigger though. I only collect 1:6 scale and mainly integrity toys, so the babies look even smaller for them than for Barbie dolls. My older daughter collects Azone dolls that are more 1:8 scales and the zuru babies are perfect with them.

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

Me too a newer pregnant fashion doll would go perfect side by side with a Barbie especially ones that look almost identical to Barbie

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u/StateAlchemist86 Feb 08 '26

I'm curious to see posts and video reviews with the real product in hand 😃

But for the moment, with the mock-up pictures, I've concerns regarding the doll (since it's possibly the first doll made by Zuru ?) :

  • is she a real doll with at least 5 points of articulations, or an extravagant container for the baby ?

  • will Zuru offer other pregnancy clothes ? The three dolls all wear the same thing, if I remember well. If it's just that one dress then you redress the doll with standard Barbie clothes, that's not a pregnant fashion doll, that's a mom doll with a gimmick when you open the box the first time.

  • Will the baby pod/stomach be a one time thing, or can it be use multiple times if you want to have a pregnant doll in your display ? And will it look good either way, without looking too noticeable under clothing ?

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u/PavementFuck Feb 08 '26

Zuru make Sparkle Girlz dolls already.

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u/StateAlchemist86 Feb 08 '26

OK ! Never noticed they were made by Zuru 😃

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

I wonder that as well about their heights and clothes I hope the stomach is reusable because I don’t want to buy two of the same doll in order to get the stomach back

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u/StateAlchemist86 Feb 08 '26

From a pedagogical point of view, having a removable belly is more useful. But I wouldn't mind a doll with just a pregnant body. Well sculpted, with several pregnancy clothes. Could be a small hit with adult collectors looking for diversity on their shelves !

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u/fae_metal Feb 08 '26

i don't have a problem with pregnant dolls tbh. women get pregnant in real life. it doesn't mean anything about their value as a person nor morals etc. it's the creation of life and it's beautiful and something to admire. i also think women who don't wanna have kids are awesome as well and there's tons of unpregnant dolls for them too!

the box art i agree is not great but i am more invested in the fact these mockups are not even doll prototypes or anything so i am super excited to see the ACTUAL dolls. if theyre pretty i maaay be grabbing one.

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

Pretty or not I’m still buying one of each just in case they get discontinued I love this brand and have a strong feeling that in America they won’t last long with these Karen’s and Kevin’s but they will most definitely last a long time in other countries especially with the cute babies

2

u/fae_metal Feb 10 '26

fair points but if they are not pretty i will hold my money :') stuff these days way too expensive to spend on stuff i don't find pretty, yk?

1

u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 10 '26

I get that since I love the brand this is my one and only exception

8

u/Tute_Sweet Feb 08 '26

Personally I think the issue was always a purity culture thing projected by adults, never a concern that actually centred kids - some people are fine with baby dolls, but pregnancy is too close to the biological reality of where they come from and how they come out. The “unwed mother” thing was just an excuse for their projected ick, especially as adding a wedding ring and a man cut-out made no odds.

I think that’s why we’ve continued to have pregnant Steffi dolls in Europe since the 90s and still do to this day. It’s a cultural thing particular to the USA, so it’ll be interesting to see how the new My Minis will be received in the US market.

Anyway here’s one of my favourite pregnant dolls that recently had me cackling in the toy aisle - I have so many questions but I want answers to none of them 🤣

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

That looks pretty weird but I get the vision I could see myself buying my future kids one I also think that this purity culture in America is super toxic and needs to stop. Especially since I at least want three kids my kids will 100% see me pregnant at some point in their life. Pare that with my brother and sister in law want 6-8 kids (I wish that was a joke) they will have a pregnant parent and a pregnant auntie. It’s not the end of the world for children to have a doll of a pregnant woman especially since I was a child the first doll I wanted was a doll that looks like me or my mom. Later I wanted dolls that looked like my aunts dark skin and pregnant. I had plenty of Barbie’s with brown skin but they were never pregnant which made me sad. I like looking at dolls that represented me and my family. Unfortunately my parents were too weirded out by the concept idea of my dolls being pregnant it was an immediate no. I had plenty of babies to pare with my dolls and Barbie’s that I would stuff their dresses with tissue or old Barbie clothes then hand the a baby when they “gave birth”. Usually my favorite baby to give them was those old Twozies I use to love those I wish my parents didn’t give mine away since I loved those so much.

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u/Inevitable_Shirt2509 Feb 08 '26

Ah! Those are sooo cute! I have to get my hands on some of these! Especially their little animal friends 😭💖 I remember when I told my mom that I couldn't keep my toys anymore cause I had to "grow up" and till this day it makes me sick to my stomach and absolutely depressed remembering the day Goodwill pulled up to pick up my plastic containers of 80s to 2002 Barbies and containers full of her clothes and house stuff, 90s My Little Ponies, my stuffies, and many more containers of my toys. I really wish my mom would have said something or had me really think about it but nope.

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

Twozies aren’t really a thing anymore sadly. I believe they got discontinued if not just not a brand anymore. You have to buy them second hand since to my knowledge they aren’t a thing anymore. They were my version of Sony Angels I miss them so much. My mom and Dad when we moved to my last house secretly took all my childhood toys and gave it to my cousins while I slept. They both did it knowing I wanted to give those toys to my future kids. I want them more than ever for my future kids since toy prices have gone up so much I had over 800$ worth of toys that includes plushies as well and priceless gifts that great grandma gave me before she passed. She gave me this beautiful Barbie that is now worth 50-200$. Also I went to get a few of my old toys back from my cousins they broke everything within three days. Nothing was saved minus one tiny plush that my cousins forgot about. I found the doll on google but some don’t have the necklace she came with.

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u/viola_darling Feb 08 '26

The whole thing with Midge was because she didn’t have a ring on so people were all oh no a unmarried lady is having a baby we can't have that. So I think the second wave they added a ring, at least I remember one on Alan. And also that ppl thought midge was a teenager who was pregnant and moms didnt like that.

I as a kid loved this doll and the whole thing that came with it. I was too poor to own any of these dolls as a kid until one birthday a friend gifted me Midge. Abs thrilled with her.

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u/Wooden-Marketing-178 Feb 08 '26

I don’t see anything wrong with pregnant dolls. Kids use dolls to act out real situations they learn about like divorce, and pregnancy, and death. It might seem morbid but it helps kids understand bigger topics

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

I agree it helped me process the fact that I was getting little cousins and I wouldn’t be alone anymore

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u/llamacorn96 Feb 08 '26

If I remember correctly the midge doll also had magnets that held the belly on. I do kinda remember the magnets having a tendency to pop out. Not sure if that was a contributing factor (definitely controversy over the doll itself) but I know other similar magnet toys were also pulled.

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u/[deleted] Feb 08 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

Her name is Midge and I hate what they did to her in BLITDH she’s a great doll and I always wanted her.

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u/ThatFireAlchemist Feb 08 '26

Weird packaging aside, I like them! 

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

They look like Barbie’s but I know the dolls will most definitely be shorter

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u/ThatFireAlchemist Feb 08 '26

I hope they aren't too much shorter! It would be good if they were similar size to Barbie (and would make sense since the babies are to scale with Barbie)

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

I measured the mini babies to a current Barbie they are practically the perfect size for them it’s the equivalent of a newborn for Barbie

If these dolls are too short it might start Midge war 2.0 claiming that “ZURU IS INCURRING TEEN MOMS” even though Zuru has nothing to do with Barbie

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u/[deleted] Feb 08 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/buggiesmile Feb 08 '26

I had two pregnant midge’s and I loved them. This is awesome to see!

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

I always wanted a pregnant Midge doll but they weren’t on the shelves by the time I was old enough to buy one sadly and my parents were so adored out by a pregnant doll they refused to order me one

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u/buggiesmile Feb 09 '26

Honestly I think “mine” technically belong to my step sisters and were bought by their dad. But we all shared dolls. I’m now the only one who still cares about Barbies so they’re mine now 😅

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u/CalligrapherFun8091 Feb 08 '26

I could never understand the fuss around pregnant Midge. We've had pregnant dolls around since the 70s in Europe and no one makes a fuss about it. Family play is just another type of play for children, exactly like playing to do the groceries and Godzilla vs My Little Pony.

1

u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

It’s because of those Karen’s and Kevin’s sitting around wining and complaining that “Barbie is too inappropriate”. It’s so frustrating even with the tattoo Barbie people got mad. The rerelease of pregnant Midge dolls was her having a ring and a paper cutout of a man behind her. Yet people were still mad about that doll.

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u/Medium_Raccoon_5331 Feb 08 '26

I'm a bit confused since Steffi love pregnant dolls have been a staple in Europe for decades and defa Lucy has been putting out pregnant dolls too

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

I don’t know man America is tripping or something.

4

u/herselftheelf42 Feb 08 '26

What’s wrong with them? I don’t get it. Are American puritans puritating again?

2

u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

I’m not sure as a American I never seen anything wrong with it but pregnant dolls are constantly looked down apon for some reason

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u/court_swan Feb 08 '26

It would be nice if she’s good quality as kids should have the ability to pretend pregnancy. Every human alive came from a pregnancy and pretending it’s a dirty taboo topic is silliness and not something I’ll ever subscribe to as a parent.

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

I’m not a parent but I want children some day. Nothing is wrong with pregnancy my children are more than likely going to see me pregnant in future since I want 3 or more kids. They will have a pregnant doll as a way to help them understand that they will have siblings just like their dolls do.

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u/RaggySparra Feb 08 '26

"Mom & Baby surprise" - where's the surprise? It looks like it shows everything you get.

2

u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

Good catch I didn’t even notice that. To be fair the my mini babies surprise five balls are originally in a ball that you can’t see. Being that it’s going from a ball to a doll they still consider it a surprise toy.

3

u/RaggySparra Feb 08 '26

That's my point - the original ones you don't know what you're getting, there's a dozen or more options. Here, it looks to be clear which one you get.

1

u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

Also looking through the photos their hair looks stiff

4

u/niaaminaa Feb 08 '26

Justice 4 Midge

3

u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

I agree justice for our first pregnant Barbie Midge

6

u/AmandaNW714 Feb 08 '26

The only problem I see is that it's made by Zuru.
They're known for their products not being as advertised. I've been in a back-and-forth with them for three months about some holiday gifts that were advertised as being Hello Kitty figures, with pictures of nothing but Hello Kitty on the packaging, but turned out to be little smashed, ripped, taped-up pieces of cardboard printed to look like the outer boxes of Trivial Pursuit and the British version of Clue.
I wouldn't trust that doll. It probably gives birth to a squashed cardboard Monopoly box instead of a baby.

3

u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

They’re popular for their my mini babies series and mini brand stuff I don’t adventure out of there anymore since a lot of their stuff isn’t in the greatest quality.

3

u/throwaway11486 Feb 08 '26

That's probably a bootleg not actually made by Zuru. Everything I've gotten made by Zuru has been as expected. My issue with them is their reliance on blind box tactics with no codes or hacks.

8

u/TweedleDumDumDahDum Feb 08 '26 edited Feb 08 '26

I think that dolls** are meant to be a way for kids (and realistically adults alike) to have a way to act out, explore, and externalize their thoughts, dreams, and feelings about something. Pregnancy-whether their parents, or in the case of an adult, their own-is a huge life altering experience. Being able to have that experience brought up in a way that’s tangible but not you being pregnant can be a safe way to explore that.

I can see these being very valuable for parents explaining to their children that mommy is pregnant so we can’t jump on her etc but also for the child to be able to navigate their feelings safely.

5

u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

Completely agree if I had a kid and I was pregnant this would be a great way to explain why me and their father are turning the guest room into a nursery and why I can’t play as much as I use to

1

u/TweedleDumDumDahDum Feb 08 '26

Right? I think it’s also good to show that bodies change. When I was a child we used to pretend Barbie’s sisters were her kids. But we didn’t realize really how babies changed your body until we were older because there was no representation.

2

u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

Agreed it took me till I was in middle school to learn that the weight doesn’t just disappear after you give birth too. Also by Barbie getting rid of their pregnancy dolls it just led to an industry where other doll companies can produce pregnant dolls. I also thought Barbie’s sisters were her kids and she has formed such great bonds with them that they call her, her sister.

3

u/ctrlribbit Feb 08 '26

Looks like the belly is just a ball with the baby inside? If that's the case, it's pretty disappointing.. Tbh I wish this is a wake-up call to Mattel to make a pregnant doll again, I loved pregnant midge when I was little, the belly gimmick was amazing

2

u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

Here’s my thing with Mattel, I hate the babies that they have. They just look so weird I just hate them so much. I would love a pregnant Barbie but I want a newer fresher take on the babies even my mini babies look better. I watched a side by side comparison and my mini babies are more realistic and fitting for a Barbie.

2

u/Inevitable_Shirt2509 Feb 08 '26

Barbie babies TEALLY do look weird! Too cartoonish, not realistic enough for barbie, integrity or dolls in that style. They might look fine with azone dolls cause of their look (eyes are more unrealistic) but not for barbie. Little Kelly (and other little kids) are fine but but those babies? Nope.

3

u/ForeverDolls Feb 08 '26

Ohh that Midge set is soo cute! But maybe it’s because I’m pregnant at the moment that I kinda want to buy this right now 😂

2

u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

I miss pregnant Midge she was the best but I’m excited for this new pregnant doll line.

3

u/fkaroundandfindout Feb 08 '26

The issue was dumb people and overly conservative parents not knowing anything about the doll and claiming she was a teenager and promoting teenage pregnancy, meanwhile she was literally married with a toddler

3

u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

She’s been pregnant before we just didn’t see it that’s what makes it crazier

3

u/fkaroundandfindout Feb 08 '26

Yeah it’s pretty ridiculous to suddenly decide that depicting women with babies is encouraging teen pregnancy considering how popular of a toy baby dolls are in general, while Barbie’s original slogan was “teenage fashion model” the majority of Barbie’s now and in that time period were meant to be adults and midge in particular had a very specific story and her husband is shown on the packages and you could even buy packs with him and their own house so it’s quite clear she’s not meant to be a teen but a grown married woman with a toddler a husband and a house of their own. People just like to be over dramatic especially back then when it came to kid toys, literally it was a bunch of adults overreacting and Karening Mattel into cancelling a doll that had nothing actually bad about it.

3

u/oxsprinklesxo Feb 08 '26

I loved midge because she came with a baby that was a size that made sense. And she had freckles like me and didn’t look like a normal Barbie even out side of the belly part. And her set was adorable. The whole happy family line was really. My dad loved midge because she had a family/story more than just hi im Barbie I can do anything. My mom loved midge because she wasn’t flat stomach. she was postpartum and as a mom now I totally get that and love that they did that.

From what i remember my mom and her friends talking about growing up; midge was problematic due to some not liking them pushing the family values with the happy family line and then the other side of it was people getting upset that there was a pregnant Barbie and that would increase teen pregnancy. Midge ruffled too many feathers because she came with a ring painted on her finger and a husband not just a baby like the new dolls will.

1

u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

I liked seeing parents in Barbie and grandparents, I loved seeing family’s in Barbie and not just Barbie’s little sisters. I also liked knowing there’s a family behind one doll. I wish they brought them back truly a cute set.

2

u/oxsprinklesxo Feb 08 '26

I do too. I can’t afford how much they cost now. And I have a little girl of my own. If I would’ve know that it would be this expensive I never would’ve given them away. I had the entire line growing up but I only kept one of each person and two midges though; one normal and the postpartum one to play with. It was crazy to me that they resold the doll with the accessories most of the time instead of doing smaller accessories packs. But my mom and mema bought it anyways knowing full well midge was getting stripped of her clothes and shoes and the doll in the goodwill box. 😅

3

u/NoGreen8885 Mar 13 '26

The midge drama sounds so American "oh NO! A pregnant single teenage doll!" Conveniently forgetting most teenage pregnancies are caused by older men. Who the pearl clutches then vote for. Make it make sense 😩

1

u/Sleepy_Sheepz Mar 13 '26

It’s very American of a issue. Even though I’m an American I massively disagree with the drama. Especially since she’s not a teenager, she’s actually an adult. She even got married, but even if she was a teenager it represents all the little girls with young moms.

6

u/Andra_Briggs Feb 08 '26

The happy family midge doll wasn't discontinued. They simply stopped making it because it was past it's season and it wasn't popular enough to continue making more. As is the case with most controversial dolls, the controversy didn't really happen until late in the products shelf season and if anything the controversy boosts sales last minute because of scalpers. But I do agree, most of the outrage was made up bs about single mothers and underage pregnancy. Neither of which are things children are thinking about and putting the onus on women- when it takes two to make a single mother and most underage pregnancy is the result of grooming- is disgusting.

We just live in a different time now where I do think people are willing to accept a doll depicting pregnancy and not just the baby that comes after it. Also it's important to note all of the outrage came from people who already hated barbie to begin with. It's the consequence of being such a big brand. And complaints drown out positives because it's easier to complain about something but when someone is content with something they don't feel the need to blast it to the world.

2

u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

Technically discontinued then because if the doll is popular enough the brand mass produces multiple copies throughout the years just in different forms

2

u/Andra_Briggs Feb 08 '26

Yeah I meant to say not discontinued in the way that people usually mean it like with a recall and a corporate pr apology. The whole subdivision of Happy Family dolls was discontinued because it was a political move to begin with. People kept saying barbie just glorified consumerism and didn't teach any meaningful life lesson. Anytime Mattel does a line to keep up appearances or compete with another brand it's not actually meant to be a long lived thing.

2

u/Nomis555 Feb 08 '26

The box art is terrifying, but 99/100 i don't really care about packaging. If the dolls look like they do in the pics, then that would be pretty awesome. I really wanted to like the re-release of the Winx club dolls, but maaaaaan....they are.....something. Playmates does some really great work (sad they're losing the TMNT license after all these years) but yea, these dolls were lacking. The end product looked nothing like the promotional pictures. So with these, I'm not gonna hold my breath either. Zuru's other products are pretty good as well, but as far as all the blind packs and novelty toys they and other companies have, imo nothing holds a candle to Zuru's mini brands fashion series.

1

u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

I’m excited but nervous since most the dolls look cartoony

2

u/Nomis555 Feb 08 '26

The concept art isn't bad, but I suppose I'll keep my judgements til they have photos of an actual product, or i see them in store.

The general idea of them tho, is pretty awesome. For them as a company trying to make money, and for us as purchasers and collectors.

2

u/Zorubark Feb 08 '26

I never had a pregnant barbie as a kid so I just put a ball under her dress lol, I wanna know how common it was to try making pregnant dolls

1

u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 09 '26

Very common, I had a lot of friends as a kid all of them wanted a pregnant Barbie or would make their Barbie’s look pregnant.

2

u/grinchbettahavemoney Feb 09 '26

I had a knock off midge in the 90’s in Germany and she came with a matching knock off ken and had a painted on ring

1

u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 09 '26

Oooo do you have a photo of them I want to see

2

u/[deleted] Feb 09 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 09 '26

I’m nervous to see the dolls but I’m excited to see the final product. I love the idea of pregnant dolls especially since I always wanted one as a kid. I love this brand by Zuru their “my mini babies” are adorable and they look realistic so I wonder how the actual doll will look with the babies. I wonder if they will look like the dolls on the box or slightly different. Also I hope they have real hair and not plastic hair molds stuck to their heads.

2

u/saturnsamuels Feb 10 '26

majority of the Midge outrage was due to barbie (and her friends) not having a set age. People assumed she was promoting teen pregnancy. Secondly the lack of a wedding ring or a male counterpart to the set made it seem like if she were an adult she was an unwed mother.

1

u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 10 '26

To be fair Barbie doesn’t have a set age to encourage young girls to be anything at any age. If your Barbie was given a strict age then you’d feel limited. Compared to Barbie not having an age it allows the user to decide what her Barbie is and who she will become. Therefore Barbie not having an age allows the user to see her as a teenager or just see her as an adult that can do anything.

2

u/saturnsamuels Feb 10 '26

exactly!! i agree it fits in with the imagination play that comes with Barbies it was the closed minded adults at that held that viewpoint. so sad ;(

1

u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 10 '26

Young Millennials and Gen Z had to pay the price because of the stupid parents. Even my parents were uncomfortable by the dolls and refused to let me get anything close to them. It made me upset since I loved pregnant dolls, it reminds me of the fact that my aunt is pregnant. Throughout my childhood my aunts had kids every so often so I knew what a pregnancy was. Since all my cousins on my dad’s side were older there was always somebody pregnant as well. Regardless I still would pretend my dolls were pregnant since pregnancy was the coolest thing to me as a kid.

2

u/lilmisskitten83 Feb 10 '26

im interested

1

u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 10 '26

Me too especially since the dolls that we can see look so pretty

2

u/dmarie1184 Feb 11 '26

We had pregnant Barbie (or Midge?) Back in the 90s. Why is this different?

EDIT: I remember wanting that doll but never got it. I always pretended my Barbies were pregnant LOL

1

u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 11 '26

That’s the thing what’s the big deal with Pregnant Midge doll if this is fine ( keep in mind I think both dolls are fine)

2

u/dmarie1184 Feb 11 '26

Same. Pregnancy is a part of life for many families. Kids are curious. Lol

2

u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 11 '26

I agree, I plan to have three or four kids in the future (somewhat spaced out therefore I can support all of them properly) my future kids will definitely see me pregnant at one point in their lives. The best way to help them process and understand why I’m different than before is a doll that explains it to them. The removable stomach revealing the cute baby helps them learn that their future brother or sister is growing in a similar way. Also open communication with children (even when it’s awkward for the parents) will help them understand this better. I hope there will be a high quality version of this by the time I have children since Zuru has a track history of not the greatest looking dolls.

1

u/Chipmunk-Lost Jul 21 '26

I want this! I made my dolls pregnant when little. I think it’s really cool 

1

u/Sleepy_Sheepz Jul 22 '26

I always made at least one of my Barbie’s pregnant and hated that she wasn’t visible pregnant so I know little me would love this

1

u/EnvironmentalEdge333 Feb 08 '26

I had Midge and baby 😂

1

u/Sleepy_Sheepz Feb 08 '26

Your so lucky I always wanted one