Meet the couple who are 'mum' and 'dad' to 13 fake babies - and change their nappies, take them out in a pram and say it is preparing them for parenthood.<br /><br />Jess Ellis, 27, started collecting reborn dolls - realistic dolls modelled on infants - in May 2020 after feeling "lonely" during the pandemic and coming across them online.<br /><br />She bought her first doll, Rebecca, a one-month-old baby girl, for £250 to keep her company and became obsessed growing her brood.<br /><br />Next came Sam, a newborn, for £560 in November 2020 - followed by June, a one-month-old, Sam, a newborn, Brooklyn, an eight-month-old, Manuela, a newborn, Zain, a three-month-old, Lilly, a newborn, Annalese, a newborn, Aria, a newborn, Cookie, who is premature, Charlie, a one-year-old, Pippa, also one, and June, four.<br /><br />In total, Jess has spent £6k buying her 13-strong collection - with her most expensive addition, Cookie, a premature baby-size girl, costing £1.7k.<br /><br />Jess says her fiancé, Avery Raassen, 33, a pastry chef, is "incredibly supportive" of her passion and even helps to get the 'babies' dressed and change their nappies.<br /><br />The pair would love a real child of their own one day but for now the reborn dolls are preparing them for parenthood.<br /><br />Jess, a HR business partner, from Plaistow, East London, said: "I have always loved babies - there is something very calming about holding a baby.<br /><br />"We have had a few babies in my family - I have a goddaughter and that was always my favourite stage when someone had a baby - being able to hold a reborn is really special.<br /><br />"I love looking at them and yes, sometimes you can look very quickly and fool yourself into thinking they are real.<br /><br />"It is very therapeutic holding them, if I have got stressed or anxious it is very calming.<br /><br />"In some ways, they help prepare you for being a parent.<br /><br />"My fiancé had never changed a diaper or held a baby until I introduced him to reborns, and so I made him change one of them which definitely increased his confidence for changing and holding a real baby.<br /><br />"I also recognise that these are not real babies and I often leave them in places you definitely should not leave a real baby - like a table or sofa."<br /><br />During the pandemic, Jess was anxious to leave the house in case she contracted covid and taking her dolls for a walk around the local park helped get her outside.<br /><br />Jess said: "I do take them out in the pram - just for walks around the local park.<br /><br />"During the pandemic I became very, very anxious about leaving the house and so my fiancé actually bought the pram for me to encourage me to go outside.<br /><br />"It worked really well and after a few months, I was able to go outside on my own without the pram as well.<br /><br />"I still take them out occasionally in it because it's really fun to push a pram around."<br /><br />Jess says the pair would "love a baby in the future" but both recognise it is a huge responsibility and one they are not ready for just yet.<br /><br />She said: "In a way, they are a placebo to help with baby fever. I do change them quit
