Imagine celebrating your “baby’s” birthday at a fancy hotpot restaurant, dressing them in designer outfits, and taking them for sunbathing strolls. Sounds wild? In China, young Gen Z women are living this dream with cotton dolls—life-sized stuffed toys they’re raising as their own kids. No diapers, no sleepless nights, just pure nurturing joy. According to South China Morning Post, this “painless parenthood” trend lets women experience motherhood’s warmth without career pauses, financial stress, or societal pressure. Forget traditional family paths—these “doll mums” are rewriting adulthood, and how!
The hotpot birthday that broke the internet
According to a report in South China Morning Post (SCMP), in October 2023, a Chinese woman walked into Haidilao (China’s service-obsessed hotpot chain) cradling her precious cotton doll. She asked for a baby chair for her “child’s” birthday. But the staff froze; she got confused stares, missed orders, no water refills, and a flat-out refusal to sing the birthday song. Furious, she posted online: “Is Haidilao discriminating against doll owners?” The internet exploded. Comments flooded: “Doll bias!” vs. “This is ridiculous!” Her saga spotlighted a hidden subculture thriving among China’s young women.
From K-pop obsession to doll mania
The craze traces back to 2015, when EXO fans smuggled a Chen (Kim Jong-dae)-inspired doll to his concert. Asian fandom went nuts and custom idol dolls spread like wildfire. By 2018, China’s market split into two camps:
1. “Attributed” Dolls: Modeled after real celebs, anime heroes, or K-pop stars
2. “Non-Attributed” Dolls: Pure designer imagination—your dream baby
“Doll mums” (or cheeky “mummies”) treat waiting periods like pregnancy.
And unboxing day is pure delivery room drama. Then the real work begins…
All about doll parenting
Buying the doll is step one. Then:
Hours styling wigs—perfect beach waves or sleek updos
Miniature makeup sessions—eyeliner sharper than ours
Designer wardrobe hunts—H&M kids’ section raided
Photo shoots galore—Instagram-ready family portraits
Outdoor adventures—park walks, café dates, even sunbathing!
“It’s motherhood without the mess,” one doll mum shared. No midnight feeds, colic cries, or college tuition—just cuddles on demand.
Why China’s young women are choosing dolls over diapers
Considering the skyrocketing housing costs, 996 work culture in China (9am-9pm, 6 days), plus “leftover women” stigma by age 27, many young women view real motherhood as career suicide.
On the contrary, dolls deliver:
1. Emotional fulfillment—nurturing heals inner child wounds
2. Zero judgment—no in-law drama about “when’s the baby?”
3. Creative freedom—design your perfect companion
4. Affordable love—dolls cost $200-800 vs.
raising a kid to 18 costs over $250K+.
This has lead to a market boom: Taobao lists thousands of custom dolls. “Pregnant” mums refresh shipping obsessively. And, ‘doll’ birthday parties at Haidilao are now standard.
The backlash—and the deeper truth
Critics call doll parenting as “childish escapism!” But psychologists see it as emotional healing. In a society demanding perfection—perfect job, perfect husband, perfect offspring by 25—dolls offer safe nurturing space. No risk of failure. Pure unconditional love.
China’s doll mums aren’t delaying adulthood; they’re redefining it. When real motherhood feels like a trap, who wouldn’t choose a cotton baby who never grows up, never rebels, and always fits your dreams perfectly?
What are your thoughts about it? Tell us in the comments below.
