Congratulations, You're Gonna Be a Sim-Parent! Now, How Do You Not, You Know, Break the Crib?
So your Sims did the woohoo (or whatever aliens get up to) and now a bun's in the oven – a digital bun, that is. But fear not, fellow Simmer! While childbirth in The Sims 4 is thankfully less messy than the real deal, there are still a few hurdles to jump (or waddle over) before you can welcome your bundle of pixels.
Step 1: The Try-Not-to-Panic Pre-Pregnancy Phase
First things first, you need a Sim who can get pregnant. This might seem obvious, but hey, sometimes your Sims get a little too friendly with the mannequins (don't ask). Young Adults and Adults are your only options here, sorry teens, maybe try writing angry poetry about your existential dread instead. ★★★
Also, make sure your house isn't already overflowing with Sims. The game has an eight Sim limit per household, and a stork carrying a crib just isn't efficient. Unless you're going for that "Lord of the Flies" vibe, maybe evict creepy Uncle Goblins before the stork arrives.
Step 2: The Mood Swings and Weird Food Cravings Phase (Thankfully, Virtually!)
Now comes the fun part (well, kind of). Your Sim will experience the joys of pregnancy, complete with mood swings that would make a toddler blush and cravings for that truly horrifying clown-shaped pizza. Embrace the chaos! Make them eat ice cream for breakfast, listen to nothing but polka music, and cry over the beauty of sunsets – it's all part of the magical Sim-pregnancy experience.
There's also a handy pacifier moodlet that tells you which trimester your Sim is in. Just because it's virtual gestation doesn't mean you can't get all sentimental, right?
Step 3: The Grand Finale: Birth Day!
Ah, the big day (or rather, a few in-game hours). Your Sim will waddle around in discomfort, likely moaning about the state of the world's socks (Sims are weird). This is your cue to decide on a birthing style.
Home Birth: The classic option. Let your Sim waddle around the house in their underwear (because, why not?) until a crib magically appears and – poof! – a baby Sim! You can also speed things up by clicking on a bassinet (if you're the impatient type).
Hospital Birth (Get to Work Expansion Required): If you have the Get to Work expansion, your Sim can hightail it to the hospital with their partner (or whoever they feel like dragging along). You can even watch the glorious delivery (though it's mostly just your Sim flailing around on a surgery table).
Congratulations! You Did It! (Kind Of)
And there you have it! A healthy (hopefully) new addition to your Sim family. Now comes the real challenge: teaching them not to walk through walls and yell about needing to pee every two seconds. But hey, that's what parenthood is all about, right?
Bonus Tip: For some extra fun, try using cheats to influence the baby's gender (search online for how – but be warned, it can get a little wacky!).
So there you go, soon you'll be a pro at Sim-birthing! Just remember, relax, embrace the weirdness, and don't forget to stock up on diapers (those virtual explosions can get messy). Happy Simming!
