================================================================================
7 Babies and Children:
================================================================================

Babies are created when a male and female sim 'try for baby'. The female sim
will usually run to the toilet upon waking and vomit (gross I know - wait until
you see what happens to the toilet!). A dummy with a question mark next to it
will appear above the Sim's head, basically 'could I be pregnant?' So far my
Sims have had seven babies, with another on the way (no not the same two Sims, 
my first baby is grown with a family of his own) and there does not appear to 
be a set number of times the pregnant sim vomits. The current pregnancy was 4
times, but usually it is only twice. Just be sure to have a maid handy to clean
the toilet, it gets pretty disgusting!

Twenty four hours after 'try for baby' the female Sim's stomach will grow, and
she will realise that she is pregnant. Unlike the Sims where the baby just
appears with its cradle, a sim is pregnant for 3 days, and then she gives 
birth. You will need to buy a bed (crib/cot) for the baby. This is all the baby 
will need until it grows into a toddler (after 3 days). 

You can tell if your baby has it's needs fulfilled by the colour of the 
background behind it's head. If it is green, the baby is happy, yellow and it 
needs something (usually food or a diaper change) and I guess there would be a 
red colour also, although I have not let any of my babies get to this stage.
There are no aspirations for a baby.

The baby will cry to let you know it is awake and needs attention. You can not 
select the baby as you do with other Sims to see what their needs are, like the 
Sims, you just have to guess, although you have more interactive options in the 
Sims 2. You can now 'get bottle for baby sim' by going to the refrigerator, 
'cuddle', 'play with', 'put in crib', 'hold baby sim', 'let baby sim out' (of 
crib), 'change diaper' (only when it needs changing) and 'bath baby sim' (in 
the hand basin or kitchen sink).

Word of warning; do not 'play with baby sim' just after feeding, the result is 
usually the baby vomiting over the other sim and their hygiene reducing to 
zero. It is best to play with the baby when you first take it out of the crib, 
or prior to feeding.

Your female sim will also get 3 days maternity leave from work, which show up 
as leave days. You can not make your female sim go to work and leave the baby 
home alone. (I have managed to leave a toddler at home alone and this was by 
getting the female sim to go to work first, the male sim followed after and 
poor toddler sim was left all alone until her teenage sister came home from 
school at 1pm, however I did call for a nanny and she never showed up). You can 
hire a Nanny which will then allow your sim to go to work, however if you 
select the option to have her go on your schedule, she will come on the days 
the sim who made the phone call is at work only, even if another adult sim is 
home).

Information on toddlers through to teens to follow.