Let’s talk Pregnancy in the Sims.....
Let’s talk about pregnancy in The Sims!
Whilst we often criticise the Sims 4 for missing features/ lack of gameplay (sometimes deserved), I’d like us to appreciate how much pregnancy has improved in the franchise and offer suggestions on how it could be made even better.
Pregnancy chance 🤷🏼♀️
I know we have that trait which makes Sims more fertile; but I think it cold be an idea to randomly make Sims more fertile than others? So whilst one Sim gets pregnant after 1 attempt; another takes 15 attempts that kind of variation and a couple could visit the hospital to find out which of them is more/ less fertile.
Clothing 👗
The biggest improvement in TS4 is that Sims can wear any & all clothing whilst pregnant instead of a few restricted maternity options which makes a big difference! (TS2 & TS3 could never) In Sims 1; they couldn’t even get pregnant, a baby just appeared after kissing a few times so the clothing freedom is very much welcomed!
Discovering Pregnancy 🤰🏼
- The ‘take pregnancy test’ is a wonderful feature; it really adds to the gameplay. However, if I could suggest an improvement; it would be that sometimes the tests could be inconclusive or give a % chance of the sim being pregnant but they’d need to visit the hospital for confirmation.
- As mentioned the Sims could visit the hospital to check symptoms and find out they’re pregnant by visiting hospital or asking someone in the medical profession to check them over
Symptoms 🤒
In general, the symptoms haven’t really changed much since TS2. There’s still sickness as the primary symptom which is fine. However, I’d like more variation; for example, some Sims get severe sickness and symptoms whilst others don’t have many at all. Dizziness, craving certain foods, flu-like effects could be added like headaches and mood swings.
Length of pregnancy ⏳
Again, the 3/4 day window has been the same since Sims 2. I think this time-scale works for the majority of players. However, it would be cool if they added an option in the gameplay settings to increase or decrease the pregnancy time for that particular save file.
Additionally, it’s kind of monotonous having the same 24 hour countdown for each trimester and the labour; id like to see more random variations for each Sim so we couldn’t predict when the next stage or labour would start.
Size of Sim 👩🏾🦱
As well as the ‘bump’ increasing; it’d also be cool if their face swelled slightly as well as maintaining some of their pregnancy weight after birth rather than just going back to their normal size immediately after giving birth. That would be more realistic.
Modern Pregnancy options 👬🤱🏼
I’m not sure if the Sims team would regard surrogacy, Donors & giving up children for adoption as too controversial but that would be a great feature. It’s only stuff we see on TV soaps & dramas anyway and it what happens in real life.
Labour 🥵
I think the labour is pretty good in Sims 4, I don’t think I’d change much about it other than maybe having the option to call a doctor to your Sims home or a community lot so that anyone with medical training can deliver the baby.
Scans & appointments 🌡
Having your Sims attend appointments to find out the gender of the baby, see images of the baby growing as well as have the doctor advise you how well the baby is doing would be awesome. For example, the more healthy foods a sim eats will result in the baby having better traits/ being more well-behaved newborn.
🤰🏼 Variation 🤰🏽
Finally, I think I’d like to just see more variation between my Sims pregnancy, the way she reacts to it, the level of symptoms she has. I’d like to be able compare how my 1 Sim had different pregnancies with her children, how big her bump got every time.
What do you guys think?
Whilst we often criticise the Sims 4 for missing features/ lack of gameplay (sometimes deserved), I’d like us to appreciate how much pregnancy has improved in the franchise and offer suggestions on how it could be made even better.
Pregnancy chance 🤷🏼♀️
I know we have that trait which makes Sims more fertile; but I think it cold be an idea to randomly make Sims more fertile than others? So whilst one Sim gets pregnant after 1 attempt; another takes 15 attempts that kind of variation and a couple could visit the hospital to find out which of them is more/ less fertile.
Clothing 👗
The biggest improvement in TS4 is that Sims can wear any & all clothing whilst pregnant instead of a few restricted maternity options which makes a big difference! (TS2 & TS3 could never) In Sims 1; they couldn’t even get pregnant, a baby just appeared after kissing a few times so the clothing freedom is very much welcomed!
Discovering Pregnancy 🤰🏼
- The ‘take pregnancy test’ is a wonderful feature; it really adds to the gameplay. However, if I could suggest an improvement; it would be that sometimes the tests could be inconclusive or give a % chance of the sim being pregnant but they’d need to visit the hospital for confirmation.
- As mentioned the Sims could visit the hospital to check symptoms and find out they’re pregnant by visiting hospital or asking someone in the medical profession to check them over
Symptoms 🤒
In general, the symptoms haven’t really changed much since TS2. There’s still sickness as the primary symptom which is fine. However, I’d like more variation; for example, some Sims get severe sickness and symptoms whilst others don’t have many at all. Dizziness, craving certain foods, flu-like effects could be added like headaches and mood swings.
Length of pregnancy ⏳
Again, the 3/4 day window has been the same since Sims 2. I think this time-scale works for the majority of players. However, it would be cool if they added an option in the gameplay settings to increase or decrease the pregnancy time for that particular save file.
Additionally, it’s kind of monotonous having the same 24 hour countdown for each trimester and the labour; id like to see more random variations for each Sim so we couldn’t predict when the next stage or labour would start.
Size of Sim 👩🏾🦱
As well as the ‘bump’ increasing; it’d also be cool if their face swelled slightly as well as maintaining some of their pregnancy weight after birth rather than just going back to their normal size immediately after giving birth. That would be more realistic.
Modern Pregnancy options 👬🤱🏼
I’m not sure if the Sims team would regard surrogacy, Donors & giving up children for adoption as too controversial but that would be a great feature. It’s only stuff we see on TV soaps & dramas anyway and it what happens in real life.
Labour 🥵
I think the labour is pretty good in Sims 4, I don’t think I’d change much about it other than maybe having the option to call a doctor to your Sims home or a community lot so that anyone with medical training can deliver the baby.
Scans & appointments 🌡
Having your Sims attend appointments to find out the gender of the baby, see images of the baby growing as well as have the doctor advise you how well the baby is doing would be awesome. For example, the more healthy foods a sim eats will result in the baby having better traits/ being more well-behaved newborn.
🤰🏼 Variation 🤰🏽
Finally, I think I’d like to just see more variation between my Sims pregnancy, the way she reacts to it, the level of symptoms she has. I’d like to be able compare how my 1 Sim had different pregnancies with her children, how big her bump got every time.
What do you guys think?
