Weighted Doll
For Demonstrations and Teaching
Body Techniques for Perinatal and Early Childhood Care
What Is a Weighted Doll?
It’s a realistic doll with a weight.
It’s almost as heavy as the real baby it replaces during a demonstration.
An indispensable tool for teaching positioning, movement and how to hold a baby.
Enhancing the Value of Our Work Tools
At École Porter la Vie, we’ve chosen to make the most of our expertise by offering ourselves the best possible working tool.
One Doll per Student
As a result, every student in the instructor or consultant training program receives one as compulsory course material.
It will be the main tool for her learning period and then for all her workshops with new parents.
Non-Negotiable Quality
Anatomically realistic
Natural weight and dimensions. Unlike toy or reborn dolls, these are repositionable.
Articulated with a fabric body
They demonstrate precise positioning. Carefully padded and weighted with sand and synthetic fill.
Flexible plastic ends
Hands, feet and face are made of vinyl for pleasant handling.
Non-toxic
Dolls and components made in Germany. Vinyl and paint conform to European toy safety standards. BPA- and phthalate-free.
The Weight that Changes Everything!
"Because a realistic doll that elicits the right gestures is invaluable to the transmission of know-how through imitation.
Janie, pioneer of babywearing in Quebec
Appreciated for These Different Uses:
- Baby care
- Baby massage
- Different breastfeeding positions
- Pediatric physiotherapy exercises
- Mother-baby dance or yoga
- Fitness with baby
For the Elderly and Children Too
They are also popular as empathy dolls, used therapeutically to enhance the well-being of elderly Alzheimer sufferers and others.
Big sisters and brothers (aged six and over) are also very proud to handle a heavy doll that they have to pick up, hold and put down, just like their parents do with the real baby.
Our Different Formats
Baby 0-6 months
This 55 cm, 3.2 kg size allows you to demonstrate the carrying positions specific to newborns and 6-month-olds: front, hip and back.
Low-weight babies
This 48 cm, 2.7 kg format better represents the smaller, lower-weight newborn baby.
Breast-feeding baby
This 55 cm, 1 kg size helps to demonstrate a good latch and to make the positioning of a baby during breastfeeding more concrete.
What Customers Say...
" Thanks for the doll, I'm really glad I made the choice to buy one, as it makes all the difference! "
" Thank you, I received it and it's beautiful! "
#poupeelestee
#ecoleporterlavie
Frequently Asked Questions
What's your favourite format?
The most popular dolls are the 55 cm and 3.2 kg sizes. The Lisa, Willi, Moritz and Julchen models are ideal for babies aged 0 to 6 months. This is the format we recommend for babywearing instructor training, as it allows you to demonstrate and practice both newborn and back-carry knots.
Is the weighted doll really heavy?
Baby 0-6 months weighs 3.2 kg or 7 lbs, the average weight of a newborn at birth. However, as the doll is lifeless and has little tone, it often appears heavier than a newborn baby. It’s not a toy. With children, it should be used under supervision, with guidance and education on the correct way to pick up and set down a baby.
Should I dress my doll? How?
Yes! Dressing the doll allows you to personalize it, make it even more realistic, and encourage more realistic movement of its articulated limbs. What’s more, you can wash the clothes from time to time and keep your doll clean.
Dress your doll in baby clothes (from the thrift store)
- For low-weight babies, choose clothing for premature or newborn babies.
- For babies aged 0-6 months, prefer 3 months (sometimes 6 months).
- For the Toddler, try 12 or 18 months.
Tip: choose an outfit that lets your feet out. For portage demonstrations, this is preferable. We’ll explain why in training.
Are these dolls easy to care for?
Yes.
Use a damp cloth with a mild soap (such as dishwashing soap) to clean the fabric or vinyl on your head, hands or feet. Don’t rub her face too hard, as her features are hand-painted and you could mute the color of her cheeks and lips.
NEVER immerse your doll in water.
When your little rascals attack your doll with crayons and markers while your back is turned, a magic eraser on vinyl can help, or, on fabric, an instant stain remover such as Tide to go crayon.
Do I have to hold my weighted doll in a particular way?
Yes, it’s very important to handle it like a real baby. Not only because it’s heavy and fabric and seams don’t last forever, but also becauseyou’ll be seen doing it!
The doll is realistic, so your example is all the more important . Becausewe learn by imitation.
Taking the doll by the head or by a limb, or letting it be taken by your customers or children in this way, greatly reduces its lifespan.
What is the expected lifespan of a doll?
This depends on how it is handled, transported, stored and how often it is used.
Personally, I, Janie, founder of the school, don’t want to have to change my doll before 10-15 years. So I take care of it!
It’s always dressed, and I always tell the people who are going to use it how to take it properly. It is never left unattended by children who have not passed my trust test.
Sitting on the shelf in my office, she smiles at everyone who visits.
Do I have to buy the weighted doll recommended by Porter la Vie to take the instructor training course?
No, this is not an obligation. On the other hand, it is a compulsory tool for following the course.
You can try to find a used doll, or weight one down yourself.
We recommend it after all the comments from our students.
To save time and be trulysatisfied with your work tool, this is the doll for you.
It’s well-balanced, realistic, solid and beautiful. In short, it’s perfect for your professional activities and training.
What is your warranty?
We guarantee that you will receive your doll in perfect condition. In the event of a manufacturing defect that has escaped our radar during handling, you may choose between a replacement or a discount proportional to the imperfection discovered, provided you notify us within 7 days of receipt.
As improper use could quickly damage your doll, we offer no warranty beyond the doll’s original condition. However, in the event of an accident, don’t hesitate to contact us for repair advice.
Where do you deliver? How long does it take?
We ship to Canada only.
For the purchase of doll(s) without training:
When we have your model in stock, the average lead time is three business days for Purolator shipping in Quebec. This could take up to 7 to 10 days, depending on the region of Canada.
You will receive a Purolator tracking number by e-mail.
If we don’t have your model in hand, please allow 10 to 12 weeks for delivery.
When will I receive the doll included in my training?
We send the doll and the carrying manuals to each student when a cohort is opened.
Depending on stock turnover and transport times, your favorite model may not be available in time for the start of your training session. In this case, we’ll contact you to evaluate the best solution; take your2nd choice of model or practice with a substitute for a few weeks while you wait to receive the one of your heart’s desire.
Where do dolls come from?
The dolls come from Germany, where they are handmade in a family-run business. They travel by boat and arrive in a big box. They take 8 to 10 weeks to arrive in Quebec. Sometimes it takes less time, but we can’t guarantee that.