Queensland mum-of-three Annette Kravchenko, 41, has spoken out about how creating dolls has helped grieving mothers cope with their loss.
Ten years ago, Annette stumbled across Reborn dolls and began making the amazingly lifelike vinyl dolls from a kit.
‘After ordering one for $300 and creating her from scratch, I was hooked,’ explains Annette.
‘I’d make baby after baby while my kids were at school.’
With more baby dolls than she could ever need herself, Annette started selling them online and that’s when she stumbled across how she could help grieving mums.
‘One lady’s son was stillborn,’ said Anette.
‘With a photograph of her angel, I put my heart and soul into creating her baby as she remembered him.
‘I felt privileged to be able to help this mum work through her grief.’
Other customers had miscarried or suffered from depression, and ordered the Reborn dolls as a way to cope. That’s when Annette began making the ‘birth’ of the dolls as realistic as possible.
‘Dressed in a white doctor’s coat with a pink stethoscope, I’d video every step of their ‘pregnancy’ and upload it to YouTube.’ said Annette.
She’s even do gender reveals and ultrasounds so the women felt like they were having a realistic experience of all of the important pregnancy milestones.
Annette was so busy, that in one year she made an amazing 50 babies for ‘expectant’ mums.
Today she doesn’t make so many dolls herself, but teaches other people how to create the lifelike bubs.
‘A midwife of sorts, I’ve got the best job in the world,’ says Annette.
For more great real-life stories see issue 17 of that’s life! magazine – out in shops now!
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