It would be pretty cool if they introduced gradual ageing for babies - only subtle size differences like with the way pregnancy works. Each day, they get a bit bigger. If it was only 3/5 stages, it could work. They could be days or if you play on a very long lifespan, two days per stage. Babies are so different month by month, more than any other life stage. Now I've had three, I can see how stuffed full that life stage could be if the team took that angle.
This is pipe dream territory - but if it were a whole game-pack, they might have the resources to do some of this stuff.
Day 1: Newborn - Baby is tiny and sleeps a lot. It's bald (all mine were born with hair, but this would make it seem younger in game). Wears a sleepsuit.
What might happen in this stage:
- It can be placed in safe surfaces where it either lies there or sleeps - crib, cot, pram, play mat, baby swing, in the middle of a double bed
- The baby might cry if it is left on its own awake for a long time (a poster above had the good idea of baby personalities - fussy babies may need constant attention)
- Dirty nappies - would be great to get the change table back
- Breastfeed or bottle-feed, sitting down please! By my third I'd mastered standing breastfeeding, but it was difficult, awkward and exhausting. It would be great if a sim could sit in a chair, on the sofa, in bed, on a lounger etc. to feed the baby.
- Interactions are pretty limited to what we have now - snuggle, talk to, show off to, cuddle etc. - but they would be able to take place away from the crib. A sim could sit with their baby on the sofa to do all those interactions for instance.
- You can bath the baby in the sink or in a baby bath that sits inside the normal bath or on the floor.
- Wearing the baby in a sling/baby carrier, around the home lot if the sim chooses or if the baby is fussy, or to go to other lots.
- Put the baby in a pram if they're fussy and rock them forwards and backwards, or take them to other lots.
- Baby items: crib; bedside crib that attaches to Sim's bed to conserve energy if the baby wakes in the night - the sims can stay in bed and feed/settle the baby, will drain less energy that way; pram; twin pram; baby sling/carrier; baby music/white noise machine that helps them sleep; baby play mat (that has more features for older stages, but the newborns can lie on them); baby automatic swing to help baby sleep and keep it entertained; nappy changing table; baby bath.
- Sims can hand baby between each other (rather than placing it on the floor in order to switch - here's looking at you Sims 3)
- Children can hold babies if they're sat on the sofa with an adult helping.
- Possible milestone: hold head up - if its held by sims enough.
Day 2: Young baby - the baby would seem up to around 4 months. It's a bit bigger, still bald, has started smiling/laughing, gurgling, moves a bit more, can hold its head up and shows interest in the world around itself. Reaches for things and sims. Sleeps less. Still wears sleepsuits.
What might happen in this stage:
- The baby might hit a milestone: rolling over - if it spends enough time on the play mat or out of its crib.
- It's outgrown its crib and would need a cot, but it can still sleep in a pram, on a play mat, in a baby swing, in a baby carrier etc.
- Still breastfed or bottle-fed the same as newborn.
- The babies at this stage are still pretty immobile, but they reach for the toys on their play-mats/jungle gyms, baby swings etc. They can also play with toys placed next to them on the floor by rolling to play with them. Or sims can hold them in their lap and interact with them with toys.
- A baby might have a jumperoo/bouncer type toy where sims can put the baby for them to bounce and play.
- Sims can also play games with the baby - peekaboo, round and round the garden etc. - or sing songs with actions with the baby. Child and toddler sims might have slightly different interactions/games that they play.
- Baby can still be held in the baby sling/carrier or pram around the house or out of the lot.
- New baby items for this stage: baby toys, cot, baby jumperoo/bouncer type toy.
Day 3: Mid-baby - the baby would seem around 7/8 months. It's bigger again and now has short hair. It does baby talk now, chattering away with baby sounds. It has more clothing options. It sits up now (not as a milestone, it just does). It sleeps less.
What might happen in this stage:
- Possible milestone: crawling - if it spends enough time on the floor playing - maybe babies with pets or other children/toddlers to chase around would crawl quicker
- The baby could be weened at this stage - first foods, going in a highchair for the first time. But they are still also bottle/breastfed.
- The baby will start exploring sims' homes and your Sims could have an option to baby proof the home. If they don't, the baby will break things (not get hurt). If they do, the baby won't break things.
- Baby gates/playpens to keep the baby from going where they shouldn't.
- They interact with pets now, crawling after them, chasing them around. Maybe sensitive pets would run away more - our cat certainly moved in with our neighbour after our third and screamiest baby was born. He's never come back.
- They could move into a stroller at this age, outgrowing the pram, but still be carried in sling/carrier
- The baby would have more games/songs interactions with sims, with different ones for different age groups (i.e. different games for toddlers, kids etc.)
- Babies start to be distracted by TV if they're fussy - a sim could put them in a baby beanbag or chair in front of the TV for a (limited) amount of distraction.
- New objects: Highchair, stroller, baby beanbag/chair, more toys, baby gates, playpens, stairgates, baby proofing items.
Day 4 (final stage): Older baby - the baby would seem around 11/12 months. It's almost as big as a toddler. Hair hasn't changed, still short. It does more baby talk now. It wears tiny versions of toddler clothes.
- Milestones: Walking, talking - if the other sims spend enough time with the baby encouraging and teaching them. Kid sims could encourage babies to walk too.
- Babies start getting into mischief, purposefully breaking things to find out about them. - or breaking out of the playpens etc.
- Babies can use a wider range of toys - push along, pull along, ride ons, blocks, balls etc.
- Babies have a lot more interactions/games with other age ranges.
- Babies use strollers and baby carriers
- They eat a wider range of foods now - but they might be fussy
- Babies get separation anxiety from sim caregivers
- Outgrown a lot of the younger baby items, but can use some toddler ones
- Baby playdates - they actually pay attention to other babies now, though they often snatch toys from each other etc.
- Big event could be the first birthday party - a special new event with baby party items.
- New items: Ride ons, new toys, first birthday party decor/activities.
Random things:
- Maternity/paternity leave - sims could apply for it to have more time off. Here in the UK, you get 6 months paid (though not nearly your full salary) and 6 months unpaid entitlement. I know it's not necessarily the same in the US, but the option could be there to apply for it. Some professions (maybe lower rungs of the career ladders) might say no.
- Baby groups - you could meet other pregnant sims while your sim is pregnant and then form a baby group with them. It would essentially function like a club.
- Play cafe new venue type - this would be great in general. Only sims with babies and toddlers spawn there (possibly kids too). There could be new baby/toddler soft play equipment (ball pits, foam etc.), that could be built into custom soft play areas in cafes - or just a wider range of baby/toddler toys. These could be great places for baby groups to meet up.
- New active career - nanny. You could follow your sim to work with other families. They could have super fussy kids or loads of them (or awful parents - rude and hotheaded) to make it more challenging.
- Photo albums - you could have a new item on a bookshelf, display shelf, that you as the player can fill with the pictures your sim takes and when you click the item, you as the player can look through it. The sims can show them off to people or gift them (to grandparents for instance). There could be a special baby book one maybe.
- Health visitor/nurse - comes to check on baby's progress.
Okay, this was supposed to be brief, but never mind. It's massive! Oh well.
I would love a more detailed baby stage. We've never had most of the stuff mentioned above. I always skip the baby stage and have done in each iteration of the game. It's boring and the babies are so bland. The toddler stage in sims 4 is far too advanced - they just feel like needy/over emotional children - they can even put themselves to bed and grab their own meals for goodness sake. I used to love family play till sims 4. I'd like for them to go a bit more in that direction, but I'm not holding out any hope!
