Best Lifelike Baby Dolls (2023)

If you’re in a hurry and just want to find out what the best lifelike baby doll is, I’d recommend the Baby Alive Real As Can Be Baby.

Are you looking for an interactive doll for your child? Lifelike baby dolls have made incredible advances in recent years. You can now find incredibly realistic models that move, cry, and open their eyes. As a result, kids are having more fun than ever playing with dolls.

Here are the lifelike baby dolls I will be reviewing:

• Baby Alive Real As Can Be Baby
• Luvabella Newborn
• BABY Born Interactive Doll
• Zapf Creation Baby Annabell
• Adora Interactive Doll
• Baby Alive Sweet Tears Baby
• Baby Annabell 18″ Doll
• Bella Rose Baby Doll
• Corolle Mon Grand Poupon Lila Chérie
• JC Toys Missy Kissy
  

My Lifelike Baby Doll Reviews

We’ve taken a look at all of the different lifelike baby dolls out there, and reviewed the best ones below.

Baby Alive Real As Can Be Baby

The Real As Can Be Baby is as good as a lifelike doll can get. It has over 80 different expressions and sounds, including giggling, babbling, and slurping sounds.

The doll is truly interactive and responds to your child. When they rock the doll, she falls asleep. They tickle her, and she giggles. When your kid talks to her, she turns her head. She even starts fussing when she’s hungry.

This baby doll comes with all the necessary accessories for baby care, some of them interactive. When you use the pacifier, the doll will start making sucking sounds. You can put on her bib and feed her with the bottle that includes disappearing milk. After feeding, you put her on your shoulder and burp her—just like a real baby.

The doll also has a removable outfit and hat, and a blanket you can wrap her in to snuggle her to sleep. And she does fall asleep when you rock her. 

The sounds this baby makes also won’t drive you crazy. They’re soft and sweet, and even the crying is tolerable. This is crucial because your kid will love the doll and take it everywhere with them.

If you’re looking for a soft and cuddly toy, this is the right choice. Her arms, legs, and head are silicone-type plastic, not hard to touch, and the torso is soft.

However, the doll doesn’t necessarily have a realistic look, as the eyes are wide and cartoon-like. To use it, you’ll need four AA batteries that are included, and one set of batteries will last you about a month of play. 

Overall, this doll does have quite a high price point, but it’s definitely a good investment.

Luvabella Newborn

The Luvabella Newborn has lovely, realistic facial expressions and sounds. She opens and closes her mouth and her eyes when your child plays with her.

This doll cries or gets fussy when she’s hungry, and yawns when you need to put her to sleep. She also responds with a giggle when you tickle her stomach. Her expressions are natural, and when you snuggle her to sleep, her tummy moves in the rhythm of her breathing. She even has a heartbeat!

The Luvabella doll comes dressed in a onesie and a headband with a bow. The hair is painted on with a vinyl paint that may eventually start peeling off. If you should run into any problems, the manufacturer’s customer service is great.

In the package, you’ll also find two accessories, a heart-shaped pacifier, and an interactive bottle. When you put them on her lips, she starts sucking. When you rub her back, she makes gurgling sounds.

The on/off switch and sleep mode activation are easily accessible at the back of the doll. It does turn off quickly if your child stops playing, but this will help you save on batteries. The doll uses four AA batteries, which aren’t included.

BABY Born Interactive Doll

If you’re looking for the best lifelike baby doll but don’t want to keep replacing batteries, this classic Baby Born model is the right choice. It has nine interactive functions, but it doesn’t require any external power source.

The doll’s body is stiff plastic, and it doesn’t have different facial expressions or sounds. However, when you squeeze the arm, the doll cries real tears. When you press the belly button, she pees and poops. So, it’s pretty realistic.

This model is great when you want to start potty-training your child. You can make them more comfortable with it by getting them a doll they can teach how to use the potty themselves.  

The baby doll comes with a three-piece outfit, birth certificate, baby plate, spoon, pacifier, bottle, diaper, and potty. The package also includes a packet of food powder you mix with water. There’s only one packet of food included, but you can buy more and even use other brands’ baby doll food if Baby Born food is not available.

The best thing is that you won’t have to replace batteries, as the doll works mechanically by pressing a button.

The functions may be limited, but not having crying sounds can also be a blessing in disguise, as any parent who has experience with noisy toys can confirm. Since there are no electronic parts, your child can even take the doll in the bath with them or clean it in a separately sold tub.

All the feeding, peeing, and pooping can still get messy. If your child is not old enough to be careful, you may get tired of finding pools of water around the house. 

The diaper is plastic and may rip easily, so you’ll likely have to replace it at some point.

Zapf Creation Baby Annabell

The Baby Annabell doll is an interactive and versatile design. It combines battery-operated sounds and facial expressions with peeing and pooping functions. This doll also cries with both sounds and real tears.

The body is soft and cuddly, and the doll’s eyes are big but realistic. She reacts to touch and sound naturally, and sometimes gets in a bad mood like a real baby. When she gets fussy or starts crying, your child can soothe their baby doll with the pacifier or the bottle, or by holding them.

You can give her the bottle, and the doll will start making sucking motions. After eating, she will start crying, and you’ll need to put her on your shoulder to burp her. She giggles and when tickled, gurgles and may even let out a little fart.

Apart from the pacifier and bottle, the package also includes a bib and a necklace. The baby is dressed in a onesie and a hat, and one plastic diaper.

The doll’s sounds and expressions work with four AA batteries, which aren’t included. The mechanical peeing and pooping function requires quite a lot of pressure, so smaller kids may have a problem with it. The good thing is that there’s not a lot of accidental leaking.

Adora Interactive Doll

The 15-inch Adora doll comes with silky hair in pigtails. The design is cute and adorable, but more of a toddler than a newborn baby. The doll has even learned her first word: it says “Momma” when you pat her on the head.

This design doesn’t respond automatically to sound but will react to pressing a couple of different pressure points. These functions are quite basic compared to some of the more high-tech models, but for most kids, these sounds are enough.

The Adora doll lets out a giggle when you tickle her tummy, and when you press the left arm, she’ll start crying. You can soothe her down and get her to begin cooing by patting her on the back. When you kiss the doll’s cheek, she makes a kissing sound. 

Adora comes with a two-piece outfit, pants and a t-shirt, but no other items are included. It also has a nice baby powder-like scent.

The on/off switch is at the back and easy to maneuver, and two AAA batteries are included. Her body is soft and cuddly, and her limbs and head are smooth vinyl. The pigtails are bound to get messed up when your kids play with the doll, but you can sort them out with a regular hairbrush.

This doll’s sounds are quite loud, especially the giggle and the crying, and the doll is very sensitive to tickling. Kids usually love it but consider how much noise you’re willing to tolerate before buying.

Baby Alive Sweet Tears Baby

This doll is a smart option for kids who are afraid of going to the doctor. The Baby Alive Sweet Tears doll comes with medical equipment, including a stethoscope and thermometer, so your child can practice taking care of their doll’s health. It also includes bandages to fix a boo-boo, and a tissue to blow her nose.

The nose lights up red when the doll is not feeling well, and she frowns and cries real tears. Your kid can nurture her back to health with the medical equipment that comes included in the package.

An impressive feature is that the toddler doll can say over 35 phrases in English and Spanish. It’s also great for both girls and boys to play with. With the switch in the back, you can change the doll to call for either “Mommy” or “Daddy.”

The doll comes with silky hair in a cute braided hairstyle. It also includes a hairbrush to comb out tangles and change the hairdo. 

Baby Alive Sweet Tears has a cute, floral dress on. The design is more cartoonish than realistic, with big eyes and a round face. This is not a bad thing in itself, but it depends on your personal taste.

This doll requires three AA batteries for the sounds to work, which are included. The crying will work without the batteries, and sometimes the water may even start pouring out of the doll’s mouth when your child is moving it around.

The packaging this doll comes in is frustration-free, but that means it’s not very attractive. It’s basically just a brown box, but your kid will likely not pay as much attention to the box, anyway.

Baby Annabell 18″ Doll

This Baby Annabell is a bigger doll compared to regular Baby Annabell, and even more realistic in weight. The body is soft and great for your kid to snuggle with, and it feels much like a real newborn baby.

The doll’s mouth moves when you give her the bottle or the pacifier. If you remove the bottle from her mouth too soon or rock her too hard, she cries real tears. The sound of the cry is very natural and sounds like a real baby, which can get tiring for the parents.

Another great addition is that the doll can be rocked to sleep. She will even make cute snoring sounds! For some parents, these sounds can be quite loud, too, and it takes a couple of minutes for the baby to stop making noise after playing.

This doll works with four AA batteries and is very responsive to touch. Even smaller kids won’t have a problem figuring out what to do when their adorable little baby starts crying.

You can feed the doll with a bottle, but the water only comes out of the eyes and will not wet the diaper. This can be a good thing since you won’t have to clean up pee all the time. However, the bottle can prove to be problematic since it doesn’t stand on its own and may leak, so make sure you teach your child to be careful with floors.

On the other hand, making the baby drink enough to cry real tears can be challenging for small kids. Make sure you teach them how to push the bottle far enough in the doll’s mouth, and it should work.

Bella Rose Baby Doll

This Bella Rose baby doll is incredibly realistic. It’s so lifelike that many people who buy it fall in love with her like she was a real baby. And it’s no surprise. Apart from the lifelike look, she breathes, coos, and even has a heartbeat.

The doll is 19 inches long and weighs much like a real baby. Even the hair is very fine, exactly like a real baby’s, but you can see the spots where it’s inserted if you look closely. 

Her tummy rises and falls while breathing, but the sound is a bit mechanical. Still, if you go out with this doll, people may think it’s a real baby.

The body is made of soft cloth, so the baby is cuddly for your kids to sleep with. The limbs and head are vinyl and quite stiff, and you can’t turn her head from side to side. Even the arms can be hard to move around to switch poses.

Bella Rose is loved by many kids, especially those already at school age. However, she doesn’t have as many fun functions for play as other models and she doesn’t open her eyes. This is why this model may not be as great as a toy for young kids who need more fun features to play with. 

Still, it’s one of the best models for use as a therapy doll or for collectors.

Corolle Mon Grand Poupon Lila Chérie

The Lila Chérie is a 17-inch baby doll with five interactive functions. When you give her the bottle or the pacifier, she will make sucking noises. If you press her left hand, she will start babbling. Press again, and her cheeks will light up, and she’ll start crying.

She will also start crying if you leave her on her stomach. You can soothe her by giving her the pacifier or waiting about 20 seconds for her to stop. 

Lila Chérie will also giggle when you press her stomach. You do need to use a bit of force, just tickling her will likely not be enough. The sounds are natural and don’t have a metallic tone to them.

Some parents can find that this doll cries quite a lot. If you need to turn her off, the on/off switch and the battery pack are at the back. They require three AA batteries which aren’t included.

The doll is loved by collectors and kids aged two years and up. It has the realistic look of a newborn baby, with small eyes and a lifelike size and weight. The body is soft, and the arms, legs, and head are vanilla-scented vinyl.

This doll comes with a pacifier, a bottle, and a bib. She is dressed in an adorable pink pajama onesie with a headband.

JC Toys Missy Kissy

The Missy Kissy is a realistic, 15-inch newborn baby doll that’s amazingly versatile for its low price point. The doll moves her head and opens and closes her eyes when you cradle her to sleep. She also sings different songs and repeats 12 different phrases, from asking for her bottle or pacifier to telling her mommy she loves her.

Missy Kissy also comes with daytime and bedtime outfits, both with hats. One is a pajama onesie, the other outfit is a dress and shorts. Your child can change the clothes every night as they put the doll to bed.

When you press her left hand you activate the tickle game. You can tickle her feet, her belly, and under her arms to see which one makes her giggle. 

If she’s hungry, you can give her the bottle, and the doll will make sucking sounds. When she’s full, you’ll be able to burp her.

When your child is ready to stop playing, they can cradle her to sleep by putting the pacifier in her mouth. Missy Kissy slowly closes her eyes and falls asleep in their arms, while playing a lullaby.

When you turn on the doll, she will start speaking and singing until you give her the pacifier or press her left arm to activate the tickle game. This doll’s body is soft cloth, and her head is painted with dark hair in the back. 

This doll is fun for kids, but the tickling feature and realistic eye and head movement also make it great as a therapy doll.

What You Need to Know Before Buying

Before we find the best doll that cries and moves for you, let’s go through some of the things you should know.

Why You Should Get a Lifelike Baby Doll

There are other reasons for buying a lifelike baby doll apart from just getting your child a new toy.

Getting Used to a Baby

A lifelike baby doll is helpful when a new family member will soon be joining your home, and you want your toddler to be comfortable with another baby around. They teach your child about being gentle around a baby and what it means to take care of them.

Having a lifelike baby doll can also help reduce some of the jealousy bigger siblings often have when a new baby arrives. Your toddler will understand that having a baby around is a fun experience.

Potty Training

A lifelike baby doll that pees and poops will also be a help for potty training. Some baby dolls even come with a potty, so your kid can practice and lose their fear of it. They’ll teach their doll to use it, like you’re teaching them.

When your child is ready to move on to the potty, they’ll be used to it and see it as something positive.

What to Look for in a Lifelike Baby Doll

These are some of the features of the best lifelike baby dolls. Not all models are the same, so pay attention to these attributes and think about which would be the best choice for your family.

• Peeing and pooping
• Crying
• Opening and closing eyes
• Mouth movement
• Cleanup
• Hair
• Extra items
• Size and Weight

Peeing and Pooping

Some baby dolls pee and poop when you feed them with a spoon or their bottle. It doesn’t get more realistic than that!

The food is usually a powder you can mix with water that can be included with the doll or bought separately. Using real food is not advisable since it will be difficult to clean the inside of the doll.

The bad part about pee and poop is that it can get messy. Especially if you have younger kids, make sure that they know when and where it’s okay to play with this mechanism. Still, prepare to do some cleaning. If you have wooden floors or carpets that can be ruined, consider a baby doll that doesn’t include water.

Crying

Some dolls cry real tears; some only include the sounds. Tears make the experience more realistic, but they do include the same cleanup problems as the peeing.

Loud crying sounds can also be exciting and make the experience more realistic for your child to play with. However, they can also turn nerve-racking, especially if you have a real-life baby or lots of kids in your house.

Opening and Closing Eyes

Many regular dolls will close their eyes when you lay them on their backs. Some of the best lifelike baby dolls today are battery-operated and will both open and close their eyes.

The automatic opening and closing of the eyes is a realistic feature, but some do find it creepy. If that’s your case, check out the more traditional models that are less interactive.

Mouth Movement

Non-battery-operated dolls don’t move their mouths. They do often include a mechanism for the doll to drink water when used with the right type of bottle.

The best lifelike baby dolls today, however, are so realistic they’re able to smile, frown, and suck on a bottle or a pacifier.

Cleanup

Toys, especially your child’s favorite doll, will get dirty. They will take it everywhere with them—from the outdoors to the bedroom and the dinner table, so you’ll need to be able to clean them properly.

Dolls that don’t use batteries can be taken everywhere, even to the bath. If you want your little one to learn about bathing a baby or are worried about them submerging the doll in water and breaking it, a model like the BABY Born Interactive Doll will be the right choice.

For battery-operated baby dolls, you can usually clean them with a wet cloth and neutral soap. Make sure you don’t rub them or use any abrasive materials or products that might take away the paint on the baby’s face or head.

Hair

Some models of newborn baby dolls have no hair; others have it painted on. The paint can scratch and start coming off with rough use. If that’s something that bothers you, a hairless model will be a better fit.

Toddler baby dolls can also have doll hair your child can brush and practice some fun hairdos on.

Extra Items

Many dolls come with at least a pacifier and a bottle; others include even more extra features to take care of the doll. These can include spoons and plates, additional blankets or tissues, or even medical equipment like a thermometer. There are also baby doll strollers and other accessories that you can get to go with the baby doll.

Make sure your kid is old enough to use the small items and knows how to take care of them. Most baby dolls require a specific pacifier and bottle for the feeding and peeing mechanism to function. If you lose them, you’ll likely be able to find a replacement, but they’ll cost you extra.

Size and Weight

Depending on the doll’s size, you can dress it in clothes meant for newborn babies. Smaller baby dolls often fit into clothing intended for “preemies,” or premature kids.

The best lifelike baby dolls often weigh as much as a real baby, which adds to the realistic effect. Many of the models designed just as toys for kids can be lightweight.

The Winner

The Baby Alive Real As Can Be Baby is the winner of our review of the best lifelike baby dolls. Its unbeatable variety of more than 80 sounds and reactions make it the best interactive baby doll out on the market.

This doll also comes with all the necessary accessories for your child to play with.