Polka in the list of the most influential women in the world. He helps women who have suffered the loss of a child

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* The BBC has been selecting the world’s most influential women since 2013. This year, among the hundred honored, there were, among others actress Rebel Wilson, the youngest Nobel Peace Laureate Malali Yousafzai, and philanthropist Melinda Gates. Barbara Smolińska – the founder of Reborn Sugar Babies – was also in the prestigious group. Polka creates dolls that look like real babies. In this way, it helps, among others, people who struggle with anxiety disorders, as well as women who have miscarried or lost a child.

Natalia Kondratiuk-Świerubska, woman.gazeta.pl: Congratulations on such a prestigious award! Were you surprised at the choice of the BBC?

Barbara Smolińska: Thank you very much. I really didn’t expect it at all. I also did not think that the ranking would be on such a huge scale.

How did it even start?

The BBC approached me with a proposal to take part in the “One Hundred Women” documentary series. Of course, I was very happy that a foreign station became interested in my activity. However, I did not think that it is such a prestigious project. It didn’t reach me until December 7, when I saw my face in the list of “100 most influential women in the world”. However, I still don’t really believe that I have received such an honor.

What was the cooperation with the BBC like?

As I mentioned, the station contacted me some time ago with an offer to participate in a series of documents. Each episode is about a different woman. I had the opportunity to appear in one of the hundred films this year. It was shown not only how I work, but also the owners of the dolls I made.

Who are these people?

The media usually reports about women who have miscarried or lost a child. But it is actually the smallest group of my clients. However, I am aware that this aspect is the most controversial, which is why it is mentioned so often. And the group of clients is very wide. These include doll collectors, medical schools, birthing schools, film studios, people who deal with newborn photography. These are also people who lead a stressful lifestyle or suffer from anxiety disorders, neuroses. Interacting with dolls has a calming effect on them.

What prompted you to take care of this?

I’ve always had a passion for handmade items. But I am a cosmetologist by profession and I had nothing to do with drawing before. It all started when I found reborn dolls while looking for a gift for my daughter. I was fascinated by this realism and the craftsmanship of their execution. It was an amazing experience. So I started collecting dolls and then creating them for fun. With time, I found out that they also have a different meaning. When I saw how women treat them and how being with them affects them, my passion also became a mission.

What is the therapeutic role of dolls?

I have been in contact with many clients for years. They are usually very sensitive and empathetic people. Dolls have a calming effect on them. In some cases, it is enough just to know that she is at home and has her own corner. In difficult moments, they approach the doll and just look at it. And that helps them already.

Is such a doll a good solution for everyone who has experienced the loss of a child?

From the beginning of my activity, I emphasize that this is not a solution for everyone. Simply put, you just have to feel it.

I noticed that opinions on this subject are divided.

Yes. Some women, after losing a child, say that in life they would not even look at such a doll. And that, in their opinion, it would worsen their condition even more. In such cases, it is better to look for other ways to deal with the trauma.

Others, on the other hand, as soon as they saw the dolls, knew immediately that they had to try. They felt it would comfort them. And it actually happened after buying the doll. There was also no such person returning their purchase.

Has a client ever asked for the doll to look like her deceased child?

Yes, but I must admit that I do not like such orders very much. This is a very difficult task, because newborns often look completely different in each photo. For example, I get several photos. And each of them fits a completely different model of the doll. In such cases, it is difficult not to disappoint customer expectations.

Has any story of the client touched you exceptionally?

There were a few of them, but one of them was especially memorable. It was a woman who had been trying to have a baby for years. However, the doctors did not give any chances of it. Eventually, however, she managed to get pregnant. Unfortunately, my son, who was a premature baby, died two months after giving birth. The woman broke down, fell into depression, her marriage began to fall apart because she could not talk about it with her husband. She told me that at one point she even had thoughts of suicide. At a critical moment, she accidentally found my YouTube channel, where I was showing one of my latest works. This doll seemed to her to resemble her deceased son.

And how did she react?

The woman then felt that the doll could help her in some way. And despite her initial fears, she finally decided to buy it. Thanks to the doll, she got used to losing her child overnight. She had time to say goodbye to him and come to terms with his death. Even though she had avoided baby stores before, she would buy doll clothes.

How was her fate?

The woman noticed that all this helped her a lot. At one point, she stated that she no longer needed the doll and resold it. Her relationship with her husband also improved. They adopted two children. In this case, the trauma was worked from A to Z. After some time, she wrote to me that I had saved her life. She sees it that way.

This is an extremely touching story with a happy ending. Thank you very much for the interview and I wish you all the best!