Double the Fun: A Sim’s Guide to Having Twins (or Triplets!) in The Sims 4

So, you want your Sims to experience the delightful chaos of raising twins (or even triplets!) in The Sims 4? It’s definitely achievable, though it involves a bit of planning, a dash of luck, and perhaps some strategic consumption of strawberries and carrots. This guide will walk you through several methods to increase your Sims’ chances of having multiple babies, from simple gameplay choices to using cheats for instant results. Whether you’re a seasoned Simmer or a relative newbie, this guide will give you the knowledge you need to populate your Sims’ world with double (or triple!) the adorable trouble.

Understanding the Base Game Chances

Before we dive into methods to influence the outcome, it’s essential to understand the base game odds. Without any intervention, the chance of your Sim conceiving twins is relatively low, estimated to be around 10%. Triplets are even rarer. This is intentional, as managing multiple infants can be quite demanding, even for experienced players. However, don’t despair! The Sims 4 provides various avenues to sway those odds in your favor.

Method 1: The Fertility Treatment Reward Aspiration Trait

This is arguably the most consistent and reliable method, especially if you prefer a less cheat-heavy approach. The reward store, accessible by clicking the aspiration icon on your Sim’s panel, allows you to purchase traits that grant various bonuses. The most relevant for our purposes is the “Fertile” reward trait, costing 3,000 aspiration points.

* **How to Get Aspiration Points:** Aspiration points are earned by completing whims and milestones within your Sim’s chosen aspiration. Whims are the small thoughts and desires that appear above your Sim’s head. Fulfilling these whims grants small amounts of points. Completing aspiration milestones (the larger, overarching goals) yields significantly more.
* **Prioritize Relevant Aspirations:** Choose an aspiration that aligns with your Sim’s lifestyle to make earning points easier. For example, if your Sim is artistic, the “Painter Extraordinaire” aspiration might be a good choice. If they love socializing, the “Friend of the World” aspiration could be more suitable. Some aspirations have easier early milestones to complete, so consider looking at those first. The “Master Chef” aspiration can give you a good flow of aspiration points early on by cooking meals. Completing the “Renaissance Sim” aspiration can unlock the “Worldly Knowledge” trait, making your Sim gain skills faster and helps gaining aspiration points quicker.
* **Fertile Trait Effects:** The “Fertile” trait significantly increases the chances of conceiving twins or triplets. It doesn’t guarantee a multiple birth, but it dramatically improves your odds. Purchase this trait for the Sim trying to get pregnant, or even both parents for maximum effect.
* **Pre-Pregnancy Purchase:** Crucially, the Sim intending to get pregnant must purchase and activate the “Fertile” trait *before* trying for a baby. The game calculates the odds at the moment of conception, so buying it afterward won’t do any good.

Method 2: The Massage Table (Spa Day Game Pack Required)

If you own the Spa Day game pack, the massage table becomes a valuable tool in your baby-making endeavors. The “Fertility Massage” is a specific massage type that temporarily boosts your Sim’s fertility, increasing the likelihood of multiple births.

* **Accessing the Fertility Massage:** You’ll need to either purchase a massage table for your Sim’s home or visit a spa lot. Have your Sim get a massage from another Sim with a high wellness skill, and specifically request the “Fertility Massage”. Your Sim can also give themself a massage, but this requires them to have at least level 4 Wellness skill. If you don’t have high skill, it’s worth the small cost to have a spa day lot Sim provide the massage.
* **Timing is Key:** The fertility boost from the massage is temporary. Therefore, schedule the massage shortly *before* trying for a baby. This maximizes the chance of the buff being active during conception.
* **Stacking with the Fertile Trait:** For even greater odds, combine the “Fertile” trait with the “Fertility Massage”. The effects stack, further enhancing your Sim’s chances of having twins or triplets.
* **Massage from a skilled Sim:** Ensure the Sim giving the massage has a high wellness skill to ensure a higher quality massage, leading to a better and longer lasting moodlet for your pregnant Sim.

Method 3: The Listening to Kids Radio (Base Game) and Watching Kids TV (Requires Kids Room Stuff Pack)

While seemingly innocuous, listening to the Kids Radio station or Watching Kids TV on a television can subtly influence the likelihood of multiple births. This method is less potent than the “Fertile” trait or “Fertility Massage” but can provide a slight edge.

* **Regular Exposure:** Have the Sim who will be pregnant listen to the Kids Radio station or watch Kids TV frequently leading up to trying for a baby. The exposure seems to subtly prime their body for carrying multiple children.
* **Combine with Other Methods:** This method is best used in conjunction with the “Fertile” trait or the “Fertility Massage” to further boost your chances. Think of it as a supplementary tactic.
* **Available Stations/Channels:** The Kids Radio station is available on all radios, while the Blicblock TV channel is available on all TVs with the Kids Room Stuff Pack installed. You can find the Kids Radio station in the Radio menu or by clicking on a Radio object.

Method 4: The Strawberry and Carrot Diet (Base Game)

This method is a fun and often cited tip within the Sims community. While the game’s mechanics behind it are somewhat debated, many players swear by its effectiveness. The idea is that eating strawberries increases the chance of having a girl, and eating carrots increases the chance of having a boy. The theory extends to multiple births by having the mother eat *both* strawberries and carrots.

* **Strawberry Consumption:** Strawberries can be grown in your Sim’s garden (obtain seeds from ordering or from planters in specific worlds) or purchased from market stalls (if you have the City Living expansion). Have the Sim who will be pregnant eat several strawberries each day leading up to trying for a baby.
* **Carrot Consumption:** Carrots can also be grown or purchased from market stalls or ordered from the computer. Again, consistent consumption is key. The pregnant Sim should eat carrots daily prior to conception.
* **Consistent Diet:** The most important aspect is consistency. A few strawberries and carrots here and there won’t make much of a difference. Aim for a regular and sustained diet of both leading up to the “Try for Baby” interaction.
* **Planting and harvesting carrots:** If you opt for planting carrots, ensure your Sim has a gardening skill. Water the plants daily, weed them, and fertilize them regularly with fish or other compostable ingredients to improve the yield.
* **Recipe preparation:** Using strawberries and carrots in meals might work as well, but simply having the Sim eat them raw is the most straightforward approach.

Method 5: Using Cheats (For Instant Results)

For those who prefer a more direct approach or simply want to skip the build-up, cheats offer a surefire way to guarantee twins or triplets. However, be aware that using cheats can sometimes disable achievements or introduce unexpected glitches, so save your game before using them.

* **Enabling Cheats:** To use cheats, press Ctrl + Shift + C on your keyboard to open the cheat console. Type `testingcheats true` and press Enter. This enables the use of more advanced cheats.
* **Forcing Pregnancy Outcome (Needs to be done after the Sim is Pregnant):** Unfortunately, there isn’t a direct cheat command to determine the number of babies *before* conception. However, you can influence the pregnancy outcome after the Sim is already pregnant using the debug menu and specifically clicking on the Sim and finding the pregnancy menu.
* **CAS Full Edit Mode Cheat:** Another approach is to edit the Sim in Create-A-Sim (CAS) mode using the `cas.fulleditmode` cheat. However, this method is more complicated and not as reliable for determining the number of babies.
* **Warning:** Using cheats can sometimes lead to unexpected glitches or game instability. It’s always a good idea to save your game before using cheats.

Method 6: The Ley Line Lot Trait (City Living Expansion Pack Required)

If you own the City Living Expansion pack, you can use Lot Traits to influence the outcome of a pregnancy. One specific lot trait, “Ley Line”, increases the chance of twins and triplets when attempting to conceive on that lot.

* **Applying the Lot Trait:** To apply the Lot Trait, enter build mode on the lot you desire and click on the house icon at the top left of the screen. This will open the Lot information panel. There, you will see a section labeled “Lot Traits”. Click on one of the available traits, which will open up a selection menu. From this list, select the “Ley Line” trait.
* **Conception Location:** It’s crucial to attempt the “Try for Baby” interaction on the lot with the “Ley Line” trait applied. If you move your Sims to a different lot after the trait is applied, the bonus will not apply.
* **Stacking with Other Methods:** As with the other methods, the “Ley Line” trait stacks with the “Fertile” trait, the Fertility Massage, and the Strawberry/Carrot diet. Applying multiple bonuses will greatly increase your chances of a multiple pregnancy.

Tips for Raising Twins and Triplets

Congratulations! You’ve successfully navigated the path to multiple births. Now comes the real challenge: raising those little bundles of joy. Here are some tips to help you survive the infant and toddler stages:

* **Hire a Nanny:** Nannies are a lifesaver when dealing with multiple infants. They can assist with feeding, changing diapers, and putting the babies to sleep, freeing up your Sims to focus on other needs.
* **Use Autonomy Settings Wisely:** Adjust the autonomy settings to prioritize baby care. This will ensure that your Sims automatically tend to their children’s needs without constant micromanagement.
* **Get Family Members Involved:** If you have other Sims in your household, enlist their help. Assign them specific tasks, such as reading to the babies or playing with them, to distribute the workload.
* **Purchase Helpful Objects:** Invest in objects that make baby care easier, such as the high chair (for toddlers), the play mat, and the activity table. These objects provide enrichment and help develop your children’s skills.
* **Take Advantage of Group Interactions:** Use group interactions, such as “Read to Group” or “Sing to Group,” to entertain multiple children simultaneously. This saves time and ensures that all the babies receive attention.
* **Don’t Be Afraid to Cheat (A Little):** If things get too overwhelming, don’t be afraid to use minor cheats, such as resetting a Sim’s mood, to regain control of the situation. Sometimes, a little cheat is all you need to prevent a complete meltdown.
* **Embrace the Chaos:** Raising twins or triplets in The Sims 4 can be chaotic, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. Embrace the challenges, celebrate the milestones, and enjoy the unique experience of raising multiple children.
* **Potty Training Early:** Start potty training as early as possible. This reduces the number of diaper changes and frees up your Sims’ time.
* **Shared Birthday Cakes:** When the infants age up to toddlers, have them blow out the candles on the same birthday cake. This saves time and promotes a sense of camaraderie.
* **Skill-Building Toys:** Invest in skill-building toys, such as the Wabbit Tablet (for communication skills) and the Blocks Table (for thinking skills). These toys help toddlers develop essential skills and prepare them for childhood.
* **Baby Monitor:** If one of your Sims has a high Parenting skill, consider purchasing the baby monitor. This will allow them to respond to the baby’s needs from afar and prevent emergencies.

Troubleshooting Tips

Even with the best planning, unexpected issues can arise. Here are some common troubleshooting tips:

* **Game Lag:** Raising multiple children can put a strain on your computer’s resources, leading to game lag. Try reducing the graphics settings or closing unnecessary programs to improve performance.
* **Sim Stuck in Animation:** Sometimes, Sims can get stuck in animation loops, especially when interacting with babies. Resetting the Sim (using the `resetsim [FirstName] [LastName]` cheat) can often resolve this issue.
* **Baby Needs Not Met:** If a baby’s needs are consistently unmet, check the autonomy settings and ensure that your Sims are prioritized baby care. You may also need to adjust their schedules to accommodate the increased demands of multiple children.
* **Glitches:** The Sims 4 can be prone to glitches, especially with large families. Saving your game frequently and restarting the game can often resolve minor glitches.

Conclusion

Having twins or triplets in The Sims 4 can add a whole new layer of complexity and fun to your gameplay. By utilizing the methods outlined in this guide, you can significantly increase your chances of creating a household brimming with adorable, albeit demanding, little Sims. So, go forth and populate your Sims’ world with the joy (and chaos) of multiple births! Good luck, and happy Simming!