Babies are sims too! Ideas to improve this lifestage.

EDIT: Edited this post to make more sense in 2019.

We finally had some attention from the developers when it comes to family play. We got our beloved toddlers back, as well as packs like Parenthood which improves family gameplay a lot. But there's still a glaring issue for me, and that is the baby lifestage!

I love to decorate nurseries when my sims are pregnant. Granted, I have to use mostly CC because the game lacks baby objects, but I don't mind. What I do mind is that when the baby arrives, he/she pops into the bassinet and that's it, that's the baby lifestage for you. They stay there for the rest of their baby days and the nursery is just decor that will never be used. The current babies we have on the game are literally just another piece of furniture. As a player who loves to play with families and cherish every single lifestage, this is heartbreaking, just like it was when toddlers didn't exist.

Considering TS4's version of toddlers are a bit more grown up and independent than previous games (which I love!), I think it would be a great opportunity to have the babies a bit more fleshed out too and be a more meaningful lifestage. So here are my ideas!


https://i.imgur.com/glxFtLy.jpg
- New event: baby shower!
Oh, the joy of being pregnant and sharing that joy with your friends and family! I think a baby shower would make for a really fun and different event in the game.
https://i.imgur.com/i3up5zA.png

• Guests: Everyone should be welcomed. Only females, the whole family, it's up to the player. Guests could come up to the pregnant sim, congratulate her, ask to feel the belly, etc.
  
• Gifts: Similar to the pile of presents we have in the game already. Guests would leave a present on the pile when they arrive. Gifts could be anything from the "kids" category. When the pregnant sim decides to open the gifts, everyone could gather around to watch and go "aaww".
  
• Other activities: A gender reveal balloon! This could be especially cute if we could do it with the father too, and it would be a great way to find out the gender of the baby.
  

https://i.imgur.com/Ud9h1Vj.jpg
- Meaningful gameplay: learning how to sit up, roll and crawl.
Toddlers no longer crawl, so I miss having a little rascal crawling all around my sims' houses. I think this is the perfect opportunity to give babies more meaningful gameplay too, and have those little milestones that are so important in a person's life.

https://i.imgur.com/ZoHmvKk.png

• Learning how to sit up: They could do this with the help of another sim on a baby mat, or on their own. It could be a hidden skill.
  
• Learning how to crawl: Once they learn how to sit up, babies could try to roll over on their own and start to gain the crawling skill. Once they gain a few levels they could start to crawl away from the baby mat. Once they max the skill, there's no stopping them!
  

https://i.imgur.com/glxFtLy.jpg
- More baby furniture/objects and freedom to move the babies around!
I think we should, at the very least, have more options of where we can put the babies, instead of them always being glued to the bassinet. These could be great gifts for the baby shower too. ;)


https://i.imgur.com/uj5HCs6.png

• Baby mats: They could play with the hanging toys, move their little arms and legs around, chew on their foot, and sleep when they get tired. We could have a special baby mat (without the hanging toys) where babies could learn how sit up and crawl with or without the help of another sim.
  
• "Sit-me-up" seats: They could use them once they learn how to sit up. They could play with toys around them and some seats could bounce around. They could also eat on them.
  
• Baby swings: Kind of like the ones we had in TS3. Babies could also sleep in them and sims could come over and interact with them, playing peekaboo, for example.
  
• Strollers: We could go for a walk around the neighborhood with the baby. Maybe walk the dog at the same time? If we encounter a family member or friend, they could coo at the baby on the stroller. We should also be able to travel to other lots with the baby on the stroller.
  

https://i.imgur.com/Ud9h1Vj.jpg
- Let us take care of them.
It saddens me that babies barely need any attention. We can't give the little ones a bath and we have to change their diapers in the bassinet. Please fix that.


https://i.imgur.com/Xu9LOA7.png

• Changing tables: It would be cute to have a few little interactions while changing the diapers, like kissing the baby's feet, tickle them and make them laugh, etc. This could work for toddlers too since it's weird seeing their diapers being changed while they are standing up.
  
• Bath time: Instead of bathing them in the sink, there could be an option on the changing table to bathe them there on an infant tub. Sims could get a moodlet when they give their baby their first bath.
  
• Rocking chair: A new object that would allow sims to sit down with the baby to feed them. I love that we have breastfeed in the game, but it bothers me that the sim does it standing. I really want a rocking chair where you can do this and also rock the baby to sleep and sing for them (it could also work for toddlers). It would be cute if a tired parent would fall asleep along with the baby.
  

https://i.imgur.com/glxFtLy.jpg
- More interactions with other sims.
We have a few with adult sims, but after a while they all feel like the same thing. We need more.


https://i.imgur.com/UDyCLHp.png

• With children and toddlers: Children should be able to interact more with the baby. Maybe ask the parent if they can hold the baby, and the parent would obviously help them. Children and toddlers could play peekaboo with babies, tickle them, kiss them, hug them, etc.
  
• Between two sims: I loved that in past games when someone was holding a baby, another sim could come over and start playing with them. I really want both parents to be able to interact with the baby at the same time.
  

If you have ideas of your own, please share. :)