These little full body silicone reborn dolls are nearly as delicate as a real newborn. They need to be handled with care otherwise their soft little limbs can get damaged. Silicone is a funny material. It gives the soft feel of real skin, but it can become sticky after a while and then fluff from clothes or from the air can stick to the doll’s body.

To remedy this, you have to bath your doll occasionally. With the 6” size dolls it is easy. I usually use a clean, empty, plastic take-away food container. It is the perfect sized bathtub for my baby dolls. I fill it with warm water and submerge the doll in it – with the exception of its hair. You can wash the hair, too, if you wish, but it takes longer to dry. I do not use any detergent. With gentle, sweeping motions I then wash away the fluff and dust from the doll’s body. Do not rub, just let the water do the job.

When you are done, put the wet doll on an absorbent but not fluffy piece of cloth (cotton or linen is best). You can let it air-dry, or gently pat it dry with the cloth. It is important to dry the creases – places like the ears, the open mouth, the armpits and in between the fingers – well, otherwise mould can start growing on your doll. For this, you can use cotton buds.

When the doll is completely dry, get a soft make-up brush, and lightly powder its surface with baby powder. In general, the purer the better, as harsh chemicals can get into reaction with the silicone. I just use a neutral baby powder from the supermarket. You will feel the amount of powder that you need: gradually the silicone looses its sticky quality and becomes more silky and smooth, similar in texture to a real baby’s skin.

You do not need to bathe the doll every time when it starts to get sticky, if there is not too much fluff and dust on it, you can just re-powder it.

And you are done. Your baby is ready to be dressed. Of course, that requires care and attention, as well – you would not want to damage the soft little body parts by dragging them too forcefully through sleeves and other openings on clothes…

It is a bit like bathing a real baby and getting it ready for bed. Gentleness does it. And it is fun!