Falling face first into dinner!

[Emma]

Ok I thought this was quite cute and funny the first few times I saw it-but I am finding it very hard to keep my pregnant women alive! They are knackered and starving and they keep falling into their food...is there a hack planned that will stop this happening? I am currently using the maxmotives cheat to stop them dying, but I am not a fan of using cheats like that...I much prefer hacks 

[Witches]

I've found that with pregnancy you can't wait until they're past the halfway mark to take care of their needs. For example, if their bladder is at half full, then is the time to use the potty, the reason being that they will most likely also become very hungry and tired soon. Don't wait until a need is in the yellow before taking care of it. If they're alone during the day, make sure they talk on the phone to get their social up, but only if they're well rested (I wish they could talk sitting down, like in RL ... oh well ...) Or, have someone over for a nice game of chess.

Treat pregnant women like the infants they are going to have, at least in terms of taking care of their needs. Make sure they take naps as soon as they're allowed to "sleep" instead of "rest." If they're not doing anything and everything's in the green, have them study or read a book, relax and daydream, meditate, stuff like that that isn't energy taxing. If they live alone get them a maid. If they can't afford it, invite someone over and influence them to clean, then let Mom go take a bubble bath. Make sure her enviroment stays nice and clean. Order out instead of making her cook, and always have gelatin at the ready for sudden snacking needs.

In other words, pamper the hell out of her.

That seems to work for me. Actually, it works in real life, too, speaking as someone who has given birth. Building a baby is hard work.

In households with lots of kids and teenagers and others running around it gets more hectic, but it's still doable. Pause the game. Assign each kid a chore while Mom takes a nap. Have the teenagers take care of the toddlers. Have someone else order a pizza or cook dinner for everyone.

[RainbowTigress]

I always tend to the most critical needs first, such as hunger, energy, and bladder.  The other ones aren't as critical.  I've never had a sim die of being stinky or not having fun, and if social gets too low, all that happens is the social bunny comes.  So if it comes to a choice between which needs to tend to, I always go for the ones that can have fatal consequences if they fail.  Even bladder isn't as important as hunger because if she pees in the floor, that may embarrass her and cause the environment and hygeine to plummet, but it still won't kill her.  Once the critical needs are satisfied, then you can tend to the not so critical.

[nectere]

I generally have sims meditate through pregnacy since they arent really good for much else during that time.

[C.S.]

I have mine use the energizer a lot in their third trimester. I have Merola's Multi-painting, but I prefer not to use it unless I have to (save somebody on death's door or embarassment).

[pet_peeve]

Two things make pregnancy a snap:

1) "Mommy's little helper", a/k/a the mysterious energizer.

2) Meditating for as much of the pregnancy as you can get away with. This is especially true if you're permaplat - just sitting there gathering dust is a good plan if you don't have anyone else to take care of.

[Regina]

I like to take full advantage of the time they have off from work when they're expecting so I really don't like to have them meditate.  The problem is, when they're meditating their aspiration meter goes way down, and while they're sleeping it doesn't.

Of course some sims are a lot worse than others based on personality.  If they're not real active they need a lot more sleep.  If they are real active they need a lot more to eat.  When I have a sim with a more extreme personality I'm much more prone to using the Eclectic Energizer to keep them going.  Most of my pregnant sims don't end up with critical needs because like Witches said I keep a close eye on them and make sure their hunger, bladder and sleep motives are taken care of first.  Also, if they're getting hungry and are fairly tired I'll have them drink a cup of espresso.  Sure, they're going to have to run to the toidy, but they're also going to get enough energy to be able to eat before they have to go to bed.

I also keep a close eye on them while they're sleeping and if it looks like their sleep isn't filling like it should I get them up and make them go back to bed.  Usually their sleep meter starts filling like it should.  Generally speaking my sims transition during the early morning hours, so once they're up I have them go eat and toidy, then go back to bed.

In their 'spare' time they either play chess or paint.  And one of the fastest ways in the game to bring up a fun meter is a good game or two of Red Hands with another sim.  And this has the added bonus of filling social as well.

[Emma]

I also keep a close eye on them while they're sleeping and if it looks like their sleep isn't filling like it should I get them up and make them go back to bed.  Usually their sleep meter starts filling like it should. 

Ahh! This is my problem! They can go to bed, and the sleep meter will never fill-I'll try what you suggested. Thanks!

[Regina]

Yep--I'm thinking this is supposed to be a simulation of having a hard time sleeping.   Problem is, they'll be dead by the time their sleep meter's filled at that rate!

[J. M. Pescado]

I just slap them on Power Idle and ignore them like everyone else. Macrotastics is quite aggressive about maintenance already.

[RainbowTigress]

I have never heard of the sleep meter not filling.  Of course, it seems like it isn't filling when you have the cheap beds.  They seem to fill slowly at first and then a little faster near the top, but I always buy my sims the best beds and scrimp on other things in the beginning.

[Regina]

Yes, I always try to buy them an expensive bed, too--it's well worth the money spent.  Even so, once in a while there will be a pregnant sim who's not getting the sleep meter filled.  It doesn't happen all the time but when it does it's a real pain in the wazoo.

[Emma]

Oh I forgot to say-she had twins too..like every other sim I have in my downtown neighbourhood who has got preggers. 
Oh well-this will put an end to the 'How do u get twinz !!111!!' threads on the bbs Good old maxis.

[Vesca]

In other words, pamper the hell out of her.

That seems to work for me. Actually, it works in real life, too, speaking as someone who has given birth. Building a baby is hard work.

I like your advice, Witches.  I couldn't have said it better myself.

[Brynne]

Actually, in my experience,"building" the baby was pretty easy. Now, "birthing" the baby was a pain in the ass. Literally. Especially when the baby is over 9 lbs. I seriously begged my obstetritian for a c-section, no joke. My mom and husband overheard his phone call to another ob/gyn, and he was saying "I have a healthy mom and a healthy baby, and the mom is refusing to push! What should I do???". He was making arrangements for an emergency c-section, when I decided to go ahead and push. I've always been a bit stubborn.

I always have the husband or another sim in the household do all the cooking and cleaning for the pregnant sim, so all she has to do is whine continuously. When I got the game a year ago and had little experience in sim-pregnancy, my pregnant sim died because she was in a deadlock: too tired to eat, too hungry to sleep. I didn't have hacks installed in the game, yet, either, so it was frustrating. Never leave pregnant sims to take care of themselves!

[Emma]

Actually, in my experience,"building" the baby was pretty easy. Now, "birthing" the baby was a pain in the ass. Literally. Especially when the baby is over 9 lbs. I seriously begged my obstetritian for a c-section, no joke. My mom and husband overheard his phone call to another ob/gyn, and he was saying "I have a healthy mom and a healthy baby, and the mom is refusing to push! What should I do???". He was making arrangements for an emergency c-section, when I decided to go ahead and push. I've always been a bit stubborn.

I have had 4 kids-and with each birth I have decided enough was enough and got up to go home.... I had to be pinned down by my husband and the midwife!

[Brynne]

Funny how at the time it makes sense to just change your mind. "I'll just have this baby another time. I would like to go home, please."

[windy_moon]

I have never heard of the sleep meter not filling.  Of course, it seems like it isn't filling when you have the cheap beds.  They seem to fill slowly at first and then a little faster near the top, but I always buy my sims the best beds and scrimp on other things in the beginning.

It's that sneaky "relax" action.      I had a hell of a time with my first couple Sim pregnancies...I thought the mother was sleeping when she was "relaxing" on the bed, straight into orange...at the same time her hunger had plummeted dangerously and I needed her to eat and she was too tired to.

I'm not entirely sure if I had sent her to sleep and she'd woken up to "relax" when I wasn't paying attention, or if she'd relaxed on her own and I just thought she was sleeping.

Now I'm just paranoid and keep checking on the mother constantly to make sure she is really sleeping. 

[Vesca]

I had a pregnant mother who had a cold and she died immediately after giving birth.  I was heartbroken because, of course, the entire family was watching the birth and suddenly they were all crying because she was lying on the ground.  At first, I didn't know what was going on, and when I couldn't click her and make her do anything, I realized she had died giving birth because of her illness.  (The husband failed the grim reaper's test also.)

[windy_moon]

I had a pregnant mother who had a cold and she died immediately after giving birth.  I was heartbroken because, of course, the entire family was watching the birth and suddenly they were all crying because she was lying on the ground.  At first, I didn't know what was going on, and when I couldn't click her and make her do anything, I realized she had died giving birth because of her illness.  (The husband failed the grim reaper's test also.)

Oh, that's so sad!!!   

The game seemed determined to kill my favorite Sim (the one who was "relaxing" herself into orange).  On her last day of pregnancy, that happened, her husband came home with a cold (which I was terrified she'd get) and they had a big fire!

I'm sorry about your Sim!

[cwieberdink]

Funny how at the time it makes sense to just change your mind. "I'll just have this baby another time. I would like to go home, please."

That's why I do it at home in the first place Brynne ;-)   Everyone prefers to be there.

C

[Brynne]

Really nowhere to escape to if you do it at home!

[MissDoh]

This never happened to me yet and I had 5 woman pregnant since I got Nightlife.

I normally make the husband "serve meal" before he goes to work so the pregnant mom won't have to cook.  If it is alone or the husband works late and it needs to eat fast I make it have an "instant meal" and then make it a normal meal.  Depending on how hungry it is I either make or serve a meal (cereal get wasted too fast so in the morning it is not the best one to "serve").

I buy a bed with at least 4 in comfort and 4 in energy which is the minimum for a pregnant Sim in my opinion.

Once she is up, I make it go to the bathroom, take a bath and then eat or eat 1st and then do the rest.  I always hire a maid which is not that expensive.  I make it watch tv, study in books or read a book and wathc tv.  I also make it write in the diary if it is a shy Sim so it will get comfort, fun and social while doing it.  Relaxing and "daydreaming" on the bed will do about the same for more outgoing Sims.  If the needs are high I make it call a friend and talk for not more than 1 Sim hour at a time.

As soon as 1 need get too the middle level, I make sure to fulfill it except for energy, I wait until it is 1/3 full and send the sim to bed.  So far this technique have worked for me.

[Witches]

Actually, in my experience,"building" the baby was pretty easy. Now, "birthing" the baby was a pain in the ass. Literally. Especially when the baby is over 9 lbs. I seriously begged my obstetritian for a c-section, no joke. My mom and husband overheard his phone call to another ob/gyn, and he was saying "I have a healthy mom and a healthy baby, and the mom is refusing to push! What should I do???". He was making arrangements for an emergency c-section, when I decided to go ahead and push. I've always been a bit stubborn.

I always have the husband or another sim in the household do all the cooking and cleaning for the pregnant sim, so all she has to do is whine continuously. When I got the game a year ago and had little experience in sim-pregnancy, my pregnant sim died because she was in a deadlock: too tired to eat, too hungry to sleep. I didn't have hacks installed in the game, yet, either, so it was frustrating. Never leave pregnant sims to take care of themselves!

LOL! My baby was 8.5 pounds so I can relate ... didn't mean to imply that birthing was a snap. I didn't use drugs, and I've never screamed so much in my life. Lamaze, in my experience, was a waste of time. You've got to breathe deep and scream through those contractions. It helps. Very satisfying. Panting, my ass. I think the "I want to go home now" is a very normal reaction. I think every mom thinks at some point, "what the hell have I gotten myself into?" 

Actually, I've had lots of single sim moms that lived by themselves get through pregnancy relatively easily. They just order pizza and sleep a lot. One trick I use if a lot of needs are heading toward orange is send them to bed until sleep is at least in the yellow, then get up, use the potty/eat something/take a shower before going back to bed again. Repeat as needed.

The energizer machine works too, of course, but they have to be at least in the gold, of course, or you could kill Mom and Baby.

I agree that a comfy bed is a plus. I always splurge, now, on at least a comfort 4, for everyone unless they're completely broke. Lazy sims, especially, wake up much more refreshed after a long shift at the hospital, for example. 

[Vesca]

Sim moms want to eat more, sleep more and use the bathroom more (just like in real life), so those are the three things you really have to keep an eye on.  If they even start nearing the half-way point, get them taken care of right away and make hunger your first priority, unless, of course, she is going to wet herself or pass out.  I'm constantly feeding my sim mom - never letting her hunger get to the half-way point, because once it does, it seems to bottom out real fast from that point.  Just like Witches, if I have to wake her up to feed her and use the bathroom, I will, then send her back to bed.  She is my top priority Sim.