Support her torso. Never lift her by the neck, wrists, fingers or ankles. This one rule prevents most of the avoidable damage we see, and most of the avoidable back strain too.
A full-size silicone doll weighs 30–40 kg depending on her build. The weight is spread awkwardly, and nothing on her is designed to be held. Lifting her is more about technique than strength.
Why her limbs are the wrong place to grip
Holding her by the limbs puts all of her weight on the thinnest parts and on the joints.
- Her fingers have thin wire inside that wears out and can eventually snap. A broken wire can also push through the silicone from the inside and turn a small problem into a tear. See the repair guide.
- Her wrists and ankles take her full body weight through a joint that wasn't made for it. This is how joints become loose.
- Her neck is built to carry her head, not to hold up her body. The one exception is a proper hanging bracket, which spreads the load through the mount on her skeleton.
Support her torso with one arm under her upper back and one under her thighs. This puts the weight on the part of her that is built to carry it.
The basic lift
- Let her warm up to room temperature first. Cold silicone is stiffer and more likely to be damaged when you handle it.
- Get close to her before you lift. The farther away she is, the more strain her weight puts on your back.
- Put one arm under her upper back and one under her thighs.
- Lift with your legs, keep your back straight, and don't twist while you lift.
- Hold her against your body instead of out in front of you.
- Set her down on something soft. Never set her down on a hard edge.
Repositioning: where most of the work is
A single lift is easy. What people underestimate is repositioning her: moving her from the bed to a chair, changing her pose, sitting her upright, or dressing her with one hand.
Roll her instead of lifting her whenever you can. On a bed, rolling her onto her side takes a small part of the effort of lifting, and it puts almost no strain on her joints.
Use the surface. Slide her along a bed or a padded bench instead of carrying her.
Move her in stages. Moving her from the bed to a chair with a rest halfway is easier and safer than carrying her the whole way at once.
Work at waist height. Working at floor level is how people hurt their backs.
Stairs and doorways
Always use two people. This is not the time to prove anything.
- Clear the path completely first, so there is nothing to step over and no doors that can swing back
- One person holds her shoulders and the other holds her thighs
- Agree on who is leading, and go slowly
- Watch her head and hands at door frames, because that is where they get caught
- Rest at the landing instead of pushing on
If you have to move her alone
Sometimes there is nobody else to help. In that case:
- Put a blanket or sheet under her so you can pull her instead of carrying her. It is much easier and puts no strain on her joints.
- Use an office chair or a cart for anything longer than a few meters.
- Move her in short stages with rests, instead of trying to do it all in one go.
- Never carry her down the stairs alone. This is the rule to be strictest about. A fall can hurt both of you, and neither of you recovers well.
What damages her most
| Mistake | What it causes |
|---|---|
| Lifting her by the fingers or wrists | Worn wires, loose joints, tears |
| Dragging her across a rough surface | Scuffed skin that can't be fixed |
| Setting her down on an edge | A pressure mark or a split |
| Forcing a joint through a tight gap | Joint damage, sometimes to the frame |
| Handling her while she is cold | Stiffer material and a higher risk of tears |
| Jewelry, watches and belt buckles | Scratches while you carry her |
Helpful tools
- A hanging system. This is the best solution, because it removes most of the need to reposition her. See the storage guide.
- A moving blanket. It is cheap, and it makes moving her on your own much more manageable.
- A low, wide bench or table at waist height for dressing and cleaning her.
Look after yourself
We want to say this plainly: people hurt their backs doing this, usually by twisting while they lift or by trying to catch her when she slips.
If 30–40 kg is at or beyond what you can comfortably handle, better technique won't solve it. A lighter build will. The weight guide explains how to test this before you order, not after.
Common questions
Can one person manage it?
Most physically able adults can, with the right technique. The initial unpacking and any stairs are much easier with two people.
What's the safest way to carry her?
Support her under the upper back and thighs, and hold her against your body.
Can I pull her along on a blanket?
Yes. On a smooth floor it is often the safest way to move her alone. Never drag her directly on carpet or a rough surface.
Is a hanging system worth it?
For most owners it is the best purchase after the doll herself. It solves storage and removes most of the need to reposition her.
Already an owner? The full owner guide covers care, storage, repair and moving her.