The Bachelor group challenge: How do the contestants handle being a fake mum?

ON last night’s episode of The Bachelor, it wasn’t the contestants making all of the noise. What’s the deal with those baby simulators?

ON last night’s episode of The Bachelor, it wasn’t the contestants making all of the noise.

To mix up what has already been a string of pretty lame group dates, this one definitely took the cake.

To shake things up, and really put the ladies out of their comfort zone, Megan, Kiki, Nikki, Sasha and Noni were chosen to embark on 24-hours of fake motherhood.

The group date meant that the five lucky women had to spend the day looking after a baby simulator, in a pretty bizarre test to prove to Richie that they are cut out for parenting.

Cue the tantrums.

Playing happy families with simulated baby dolls.

Traditionally, these fake babies are used in schools to teach teenagers the reality of being a parent, but are now sold individually for $250 if, you know, you want to try before you try.

Reality Nanny, who supplied the seven babies to the Channel 10 reality show, said the dolls need to be nursed, fed and even have their nappies changed — just like the real deal.

“The baby simulates [reality]. So when a baby needs to feed, you pick up the bottle which has a sensor on the end, and when the bottle touches the baby’s lips, it changes from a crying to a sucking sound,” owner of Reality Nanny, Stephen Pratt told news.com.au.

“They have two nappies — one green and one yellow. When they have a yellow nappy on they need to take it off and put the green sensor on. It gives a little bit of reality.”

Kiki wasn’t too keen on sharing her group date with baby simulators.

Megan was pretty rough when it came to handling her baby.

While the girls didn’t seem to take the challenge of fake motherhood too seriously, Mr Pratt said the babies can provide couples with a clear insight into what being a parent is actually like.

Each baby is covered in sensors, meaning every hold, every change and every feed is being monitored.

The babies are usually given to schools, so teenagers can see what being a parent is really like.

The sensors give the baby an overall ‘happiness rating’ from 0 to 100.

“The baby is the closest thing they can get to having a real infant in their care,” he said.

“The baby is in charge, it needs round the clock care and if you don’t care for it when it’s required, the baby starts to scream.

“If the head drops back, the baby will scream and you need to rick it. It knows when it’s being rough handled.”

Nikki, who won the challenge, stepped up and helped out when other fake mums were struggling.

Nikki, who is a front runner in winning Richie’s heart, was the most convincing parent. Richie said that he wasn’t really surprised she had the happiest baby of the date, admitting he had a “hunch she would be the supermum of the day”.

Mr Pratt said these babies give couples a great insight into how each other will tackle parenthood, and if in fact they are ready to take the plunge.

“At 3am in the morning, what is the negotiation going to be between the couple as to who is going to care for the baby?” Mr Pratt said.

“Is the guy interested in being supportive in that role, or is he more interested in playing Xbox?”

Nikki was a natural with her baby, and won Richie’s heart in the group date.

Mr Pratt said his business was originally going to supply the babies for The Bachelorette with Georgia Love, but Channel 10 offered an opportunity with The Bachelor and he “jumped on board”.

“We’re not pushing abstinence,” Mr Pratt said.

“Just the whole dynamic of allowing people to have this experience and start these discussions that we don’t really talk about.”

The Bachelor airs on Channel 10 every Wednesday and Thursday night at 7.30pm AEST.