The Sims 4 Infant Update in detail

After some connection difficulties, it's now installed for most of you! The infant update was released last night in The Sims 4, and at just over 3 GB, it brings a lot of changes! We take a look at this new age group and all that goes with it!

The Create A Sim

You can, of course, create infants just like any other Sims, right in the CAS!

A little baby will appear at the bottom of your screen sitting on a cushion, ready to be shaped!

You have access to more or less all the same options as the other age groups, minus the make-up. As for outfits, infants come with dozens of new outfits and hairstyles. Note that all new outfits are available for simettes, and there are a few less choices for little sims.

Tops

Bottom

Complete outfits

Accessories

Shoes

Hairstyles

Character traits

Infants have no aspiration, but can choose one of six traits.

The names of the traits are clear enough to give an idea of the behavior that will go with your Sims but here are their more precise descriptions:

• Calm These Sims like to observe the world, are less likely to cry or get angry, and tire of activities less easily than other infants; on the other hand, they are less inclined to explore the world spontaneously.
• Intense These Sims have strong emotions and are easy to entertain, but they are also harder to calm down when they are in a bad mood.
• Prudent These Sims like what is familiar to them but are slow to appreciate new experiences, places and Sims
• Stirring These Sims are always on the move and want to play and move around; however, they often have trouble falling asleep
• Sensitive These infants are prone to diaper rash, are often picky eaters and can more easily become overstimulated if there's too much play and social interaction. However, they also rest more peacefully at night when someone calms them.
• Solar These Sims spend their time smiling and chirping and enjoy interacting with other Sims, but they need more attention

Birth duties

You can choose birthmarks for your infants as well as for your other Sims. They can be applied to the face and the rest of the body.

Gameplay

Test tube babies

We've talked about going through Create A Sim to create an infant, your Sims can obviously also make a baby with the multiple methods to make a snap but that's not all. With the update, your Sim can use science to have a child. Use your phone and go to the Home menu, you'll have the choice between "Have a test tube baby alone" or "Have a test tube baby with..." which allows you to select another Sim to have a child with, whether it's a friend or a sweetheart. It just has to be more than an acquaintance, it's still a big decision!

As soon as the process is started (and you've lightened your load by 1200 simflouzs), your Sim will leave and come right back with a baby in her arms a few minutes later. No need to wait the usual three days for a pregnancy. Note that, as for a normal pregnancy, you have a certain percentage of chance (or risk depending on your point of view) to have twins or triplets. I would have been better off not writing it in this article, this is exactly what happened during my test part...

The baby that will arrive will come in the form of a newborn. This is an opportunity for you to see that newborns (formerly known simply as "babies") are now correctly using genetics for their skin color, eye color, etc...

Feeding infants

As with toddlers, you can feed your little one in its high chair (an item that has received many bug fixes if you're ever afraid to use it), but you can also breastfeed. You can define whether your Sim can give milk to his little one in the CAS.

Once you are in the game with a baby in your arms, you can give a bottle or breastfeed your Sim. You can also choose what your Sims will automatically do when the baby cries, whether he/she should breastfeed on his/her own or not.

While we're on the subject of food, as there's more to life than milk, infants can begin to experiment with other tastes. This is the very purpose of the "Explore a food" interaction on the highchair. Your baby will test the food you give him/her, and this may influence his/her future tastes!

Interactions with infants

Infants have a whole host of interactions dedicated to them. You can play with them, cuddle them, feed them, wash them, etc...

Infants don't sleep in a cradle or crib like toddlers, but in a baby carriage, which you'll need to buy from the new range added in the update. If your Sim is a handyman, note that he or she can upgrade the baby carriage to a toddler bed with a level 2 in DIY.

Speaking of upgrades, the baby carriage can be upgraded with a mobile to relax your little Sims faster and put them to sleep faster.

The needs of infants

Infants have the same needs as other Sims, except that the social need is replaced by a need for attention. Your Sims will need to play and chat with their children regularly to keep this need in the green.

For other needs, it's all the same: sleep, baths, good meals and regular diaper changes. Be careful, by the way, as the diaper will be thrown on the floor, with the associated odors, unless you take the Growing Up Together add-on that comes with a changing table, where your Sims will be able to throw the diaper directly into the trash. If you have the Laundry Day kit, you can choose between cloth or disposable diapers.

Sorting of friendly interactions

The friendly interactions were starting to have a bunch of interactions added as the expansions went on. A little tidying up was done by putting each interaction into a category.

Children's skills

Another small change is that children can now learn adult skills. They are displayed in the skills tab in a separate section and their level is maintained as they get older.

Duration of the age groups

To represent the evolution of children, the duration of the age groups has been modified. In normal duration, a Sim now stays 1 day as a "newborn" then 5 days as an infant then 7 days as a toddler and 14 days as a child.