Babies ..... Part One

 

I'm going to start with Barbie (Mattel) babies but I can pretty much guarantee I will go off topic and there will be a lot of babies from all eras and places.

The first Barbie baby was the Babysitter Baby in 1963. Love that Kewpie hair. A rubber doll

 I also had this doll from waaaaay back I think it's celluloid from 50's maybe?

(Please excuse that cat hair I have seven cats and they love my baby dolls???? strange little critters?)

For me I did not have this baby I had little rubber babies that I think were made in Germany. I was an avid Barbie player as a child in the sixties along with my cousin Clare we spent most weekends together and Barbie play was always top of the list.

 

I remember if I had been good mum would take me to a shop next to the train station in Enfield (I think she made paper flowers for them) and I could get a little rubber baby. I think most were given away but I still have a few. As an adult I have collected a few more.

There are a couple of other babies I had as a child. Tiny baby Eve was a big favorite of mine. (if only I could find her)

My cousin and I both had the blue Sindy pram set. I still have mine but it disappeared around the time Clare died? I know it must be someplace but I'll be danged if I can find it? So for now I have purchased another one and when I find the first one I will give this one a re-paint. The Sindy pram came with a baby and a dog.

(not my photo)

Strange but the baby in the picture is not the baby I had

(not my photo)

I also have a generic burgundy pram with curtains? and a child seat. The pram piece can be removed and convert into a pushchair.

Now back to Barbie, her next dalliance with babies was a good few years later. She as we know is as pure as the driven snow and has a lot of 'sisters' plus a brother. Mind if you have seen the film this might not be the case anymore.😉

Just going a little of topic(ish) she had Skipper who started out a child of I guess about ten. Then she got a little taller when Mattel brought out the strange skipper who when you turned her arm her boobs popped out. YEP!

 (not my photo)

Then in 1997 teen Skipper came out. she even almost became an adult at one stage before reverting back to a mid range teen.

Oh, and Skipper has done a bit of baby sitting in her time too.

Now going back again (sorry I hope you don't end up with whiplash) Barbie had two younger twin siblings Tutti and Todd in 1966. I guess they were around six year old? Later on Tutti vanished but Todd came back as a twin to Stacie they were now a little older (about ten I guess) as Skipper was now a teen they came out in the early 90's.

Then we had toddler Kelly who was called Shelly in some counties and later became Chelsea. Even though at one time she had a friend called Chelsea? She came out in 1995 and changed name in 2011.

 (back left is Tutti)

But that's not as small as the 'sisters' go in 1999 baby Krissy arrived.

My OOAK Krissy's by Dawn OSS
 

Meanwhile back in Mattel land Barbie's best friend Midge became pregnant in (2002ish) but shock horror she had no wedding ring even though she did marry Alan (name changed from Allan we know not why) in 1991 maybe her fingers swelled up and she had to take her ring off? Anyway that was to much for some and she was discontinued only to return with Alan plus grandparents in the 'Happy Family' sets. These came out in 2002.

The other 'horror' of the Midge doll was her hollow removable belly with a baby inside. This gave a few people mostly in bible belt America another reason to hate on the evils that are Barbie. But on the most part this all worked out fine and added a tiny baby to the Mattel doll line. Plus, a few sets that included tiny babies.

Also generated a whole bunch of knock offs some are still in production.

 And this one

An ugly baby I know, but have to seen his mother? This is Turleen

There was also a First Birthday Krissy giving her a more toddler look

A couple of OOAK Babies

Here are a couple of the stranger Mattel babies

This one came with a baby bottle (I think she is missing her hymn sheet)

These three came in a set with I can be a baby photographer Barbie. Don't you just love those faces.

Not my photo
Next up a few generic babies I accumulated over the years.

I did a body swap with the first one of these

In 2017 babies were back with Skipper and friends starting up Babysitters Inc. With a new group of nameless babies that are still sold. While these babies are OK, they are not as detailed as the older one and are more 'clown' like in appearance.

Most of these babies came either naked or just a nappy on. Only baby Krissy  came with a range of clothing. These are what I have dressed most of the larger babies in. Along with a few knitted outfits.

I also find baby dolls on E. Bay and Etsy, most are 1/12 scale but you can find 1/6 (fashion doll) sized dolls too. 

These are basic doll house dolls.

The baby sucking his thumb was part of a set of four (I can't find the others?)

Below are OOAK dolls

 

These dolls on the most part came dressed.

And just before I go off on what sent me down this rabbit hole.

Baby one I call my premi baby, just look how small he is. The little hat can be removed and the doll comes with the back of his head as a separate item. I have not tried removing it. I'm amazed at those joint on one so little and I'm still to attempt making him some clothes ... but then if he is a premi maybe still in hospital so does not need clothes? I found him on Ali Express. 

Baby two is jointed but still pretty small again no clothes and I have no idea where she came from?

This third baby I broke the body so I put the head on a Barbie (Midge) baby body. I need to do a bit more repair work .

Now here comes a game changer from Zuru. Zuru make Mini Brands most of which fit in with the 1/6 scale (Barbie sized) world. They have just started making babies called My Mini Baby coming in three colours and a choice of four items so 12 in total.These are blind balls so you have no idea what you will be getting.

Pink have a brown baby, yellow have a slight blush white baby and green is a little lighter skinned baby. The babies are made of silicon and the details are very good. 

They come with either a cot, changing table, pram or bouncer/ rocker this is the only item that is the right size to use with fashion dolls. Other extras include nappy, hat, hair bow, blanket, toy etc. Not everything comes with each baby. I have been able to buy 12 so far.

I was also sent this box that comes with each case of balls.

It's interesting they have a white baby with the pink when it's the brown baby that comes with the pink?

I paid £7.99 for these on Amazon and EBay but I noticed they are asking double now? I think I will wait until they go back down before I try to complete my collection.

I do hope we see a My Mini Baby series two....

Will they use the same baby mold but different skin colours, maybe other hair colours? Same furniture in different colours?

I would like to see babies with open eyes, maybe red hair and a very dark skinned baby? Other furniture colours... red, black, lilac? And what about other furniture, a highchair if there is an away baby, a bath and what about a Moses basket? Then there a boxes of nappy's or baby food. Then one I think we can all agree on CLOTHES let us dress these poor naked babies.

There will be a part two showing sizing with Barbie and IT dolls.  

Also a part three with nursery furniture.

Just looked on Tesco (for those in UK and they have them for £9.00 Smyths Toys look like they will have them in soon £7.99

And for those that have a Marshalls near them in America $9.99 for a TWO PACK!!! (YEP, how did they turn up in Marshalls?)