Why China’s Gen Z are choosing to parent stuffed toys over real babies

 Young Chinese women are embracing “painless parenthood” by raising life-sized cotton dolls, offering nurturing joy without the financial and career burdens of real motherhood. This trend, fueled by fandom and a desire for emotional fulfillment, allows them to experience motherhood’s warmth and express creativity in a judgment-free environment, redefining adulthood on their own terms. Young Chinese women are embracing “painless parenthood” by raising life-sized cotton dolls, offering nurturing joy without the financial and career burdens of real motherhood. This trend, fueled by fandom and a desire for emotional fulfillment, allows them to experience motherhood’s warmth and express creativity in a judgment-free environment, redefining adulthood on their own terms.