What comes after the huge Sl wedding? Why the family of course! Babies are big business in Second Life.  For a mere 500L prospective mothers can choose a lifelike shape that changes over time and even (and this sends my eyebrows into a frenzy of knitting)  select the option of a 'talking' foetus that offers a disconcerting commentary on its impending arrival to anyone in chat range.

There are of course many choices to be considered for the actual birth with maternity hospitals and even birthing suites available.

For those avatars that cannot give birth or have an Angelina Joile complex, there are a number of adoption agencies that offer matching services between wanna-be parents and 'children' (some of which are adults searching for a family).

So what IS this about? Well it could be as simple of choosing to reflect the real -like situation of the 'person behind the avatar, or perhaps a couple in cyber love wanting to explore the 'obvious' progression from couple to family. Perhaps it is even possible that some prospective mothers are actually males suffering womb envy (ahh the internet where men are men and so are fifty percent of the women!) and for others, perhaps seeking the family they never had.

Whatever the reason what we DO know is this, when relationships break up there are three options left for the 'child' brought into this world - a bitter custody dispute fought out in an Sl court, or the more common options of packing it and all the relationship and child accoutrements in inventory and clicking the delete button.

Yes, Sl truly can imitate real life!