Doll set:Dy-Dee Baby: The Almost Human Doll

First among the drink-and-wet dolls, Dy-Dee Baby appeared in 1934 with a bottle and several diapers. The novelty of her consuming water and wetting her diapers made her very popular and much imitated. Dy-Dee was unique among the drink-and-wet dolls in that the patented valve in her torso prevented the water she drank from leaking out immediately. In other words, it took some time for the water to work its way through the length of the doll's torso and escape into Dy-Dee's diaper. The feature made the doll more realistic and prompted its manufacturer to promote the baby as "The Almost Human Doll." The accompanying pamphlet, "What Every Young Doll Mother Should Know," warned that "Dy-Dee may need two or three changes after each feeding, and her little mother should be ever watchful for her baby's comfort . . . so be ready to change her diapers whenever necessary". The pamphlet, written by "Aunt Patsy" also instructed young mothers in bathing, powdering, and feeding their babies, and it gave the advice that "You should treat her like a real baby." The popularity of the drink-and-wet dolls reached its zenith among girls of the baby boomer generation. Young mothers of the 1950s had not only Dy-Dee Baby but Betsy Wetsy, Tiny Tears, and others. Later generations of little mothers played with more sophisticated dolls that could eat and poop, talk, and respond to a child's voice, crawl and play pat-a-cake.