Strollerderby

Creepy Old Japanese Pregnant Dolls (with Attached Creepy Fetus Dolls!)

Posted by Cole Gamble

Apparently used to teach 19th century Japanese midwives, these pregnant dolls not only included placenta and stretch marks, but also interchangeable fetuses of different stages. At least, I hope that's what they were used for. It's kind of weird for a novelty item.

 

 

Related link:

Crocheted Doll Gives Birth

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Comments

 

Midwife said:

I really don't see why you think this is either weird or creepy.  It's an anatomical model used for teaching.  Med schools, Nursing schools, Midwives &, in fact, all health professions use them all the time.  If it really is 19th Century, they used them then too.  I think it's very well done & extremely useful.  

May 15, 2009 3:32 PM
 

Creeped Out said:

Dear Midwife,

Mr. Gamble felt this was creepy because a) it's creepy and b) it's creepy.

Sincerely,

Someone Equally Creeped Out

May 20, 2009 8:41 AM
 

Marj said:

Helpful, useful, and creepy.  A lot of medical stuff is creepy to non-medical practitioners.

May 30, 2009 12:30 AM
 

maeby said:

aww i wanna uncurl that baby and hold it.

June 2, 2009 1:57 PM
 

Larissa said:

People need to get over it.  Birth is a normal process, pregnancy is how we all start out. It is about as creepy as seedlings.  

Get. Over. It.

June 2, 2009 3:00 PM
 

Manjari said:

This doesn't seem that creepy to me. I think it's kind of cool.

June 2, 2009 3:58 PM
 

Elendy said:

I am also a healthcare practitioner (and midwife-to-be); so I feel pretty good about my credentials as far as appreciating the beauty and uniqueness of birth.

But this doll? Hello Zombie face!! I'm gonna have nightmares about her for days!

The fetus though I think is awesome. It looks like it can be bent into various positions to mimic different presentations - totally cool.

June 2, 2009 5:24 PM
 

Sarah said:

You might be interested to know that Japanese parents can buy their kids a pregnant Licca doll - their Barbie equivalent. After an appropriate gestation period, they can write away for a key to "unlock" the baby.  I'm sorry I can't post a photo... I imagine the postpartum Licca is never the same as the regular doll.  (for better and worse?) In any case, the doll in this post reminded me of it.

June 2, 2009 11:32 PM

About Cole Gamble

Cole Gamble’s writings on the crimes of Willy Wonka, man-eating beds and tales from his cringe-worthy life appear here on Babble, the humor site Cracked, The Daily Beast, The Huffington Post and Salon. He is working on a book entitled, Conquer Everything! A Self Help Book to Destroy All Other Self Help Books and Grant You Mastery in Everything.

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