Technically, the name of the toy is “Midge Hadley”, but everyone knows the doll as “Pregnant Barbie”. The doll was first released in 1963 by Mattel. Midge was released at the same time as “Skipper” to avoid criticism. Midge Hadley is Barbie’s best friend (as advertised by Mattel). Due to the controversy, Mattel stopped making the pregnant Barbie after the 1960s until 1988 when Midge was thrown back into the “happy family line” where she has a boyfriend, Alan Sherwood, and three children: 3-year-old Ryan. , Newborn Nikki and (age unknown) Cassandra. Midge Hadley came loaded with a magnetic tummy and a baby Nikki that could be inserted into her stomach. Because Alan was not packaged with Midge and she did not have a ring, this “Happy Family Line” again received criticism saying that it promoted teenage pregnancy, inappropriate for children and promoted unmarried childbirth. Parents criticized the toy, saying it “looked too young to have children,” prompting retail stores to remove the Happy Family line from shelves.
Not everything is negative. Later, Midge was packaged with a photo of Alan and Ryan on the packaging. Midge was also redesigned with a ring! However, Mattel took over production once again and only released a special edition of the vintage version of Midge in 1993 and 1998. Mattel decided to reintroduce Midge in 2013 as Barbie’s best friend, but single and without children. Midge Hadley is one of the most controversial toys out there.
Now in the present, the only thing close to finding a toy like Midge is buying generic or finding the vintage doll online. The average price of a vintage Midge Hadley is in the hundreds. The doll is a classic and is packed with years of controversial history. The generic version of Midge Hadley usually comes with a shirt / dress, shoes, detachable pregnant belly, baby, and doll. Sometimes you can find a stroller and crib with the generic version of the doll depending on where you are looking for the doll. The generic pregnant doll comes with a detailed face and the same hair material used by Mattel. The generic version can be a “quick fix” to finding a worthy pregnant doll for your child’s playtime. The doll is educational and could promote children’s learning experience. It can be said that these pregnant dolls can be a great educational tool for children with an expectant mother who is expecting a new child.