my amazing MamAmor birthing and breastfeeding doll

I've recently stumbled across an amazing handmade creation called a 'MamAmor' doll - there is a facebook page and a blog and a store if you wanted to check them out too. Basically, these incredible creations are cloth dolls with very clever detail that allow them to birth and breastfeed their babies in a tastefully blend of stylized realism. Which is just a fluffy way of saying 'I love this doll'!

This is my doll 'Pamela'. I should really correct that and say Chelsea's doll.... but I think i bought her just as much for me as for Chels. Chelsea's only 3yrs old, so the birth questions haven't really begun yet. She knows she grew in my belly and then she 'got out' - but that's about as much detail as we've gone into so far. She was too young when Byron was born to understand (she though everyone had babies in their bellies)... so i figured this could help me answer questions when the time comes.

Plus, I just had to have one. Handcrafter to handcrafter!

(doesn't she have amazing hair!) 

So this is what these gorgeous dolls look like undressed. I love that she looks like a woman - real mumma curves. The genius of this design for me are the press stud nipples - meaning the baby can actually 'latch on' (photo to come).

The photo above shows the mumma with the baby in her belly. There is an extra piece of fabric, kind of like a pocket that the baby can be slotted inside of like a real belly. The baby can also emerge as if being born as well.

I also love the detail of the placenta and umbilical cord - also attached with a snap clip so that it can be removed after birth (the base of the clip then acts as a belly button! So cute!). I think this really appealed to me after my attempt to make a pregnant mumma and baby bear back in 2010 who also had a removable umbilical cord).

Then mumma and baby can get down to the nursing. 

And cuddling. 

The doll was going to be a christmas present for Chels, but I couldn't help myself from showing it to her when it arrived. She had a mixed reaction - all wide eyed with wonder at first - then got distracted by a toy her brother was playing with (that was hers). So I think I might put her away for now with all the chaos of christmas and the many commercial, plastic toys the kids will get over the next week or so... I think Pamela will be overlooked. So she can be my doll for now. Until I hear those curious words 'Mum, when i was a baby, how did i get out of your tummy?'...

He's Here!!!

Byron Chris Nicholson was born at 6:59am on Tuesday the 1st February after a very fast 4 hour labour! He weighed in at 9lb 12oz (4.42kg) and measured 56cm long! (head circumference of 36cm).

He's a very easy going little guy so far. He has wispy dark hair, and what appears to be quite dark eyes at this stage. He's still really sleepy, so we don't get to see his eyes open much.

Chelsea has been fantastic. She's very interested in him, and has been very accommodating of his presence in the house. She slept through for us last night, which made being up with Byron a lot easier to cope with.

We're home already (we got back yesterday lunch time) as the hospital was needing to make room for the many pregnant ladies being evacuated from the latest north Queensland disaster - a category 5 cyclone!



We're all doing well, and I thought I'd share these pictures.