Perhaps this is a concept people could use in "real life".

I've started a new village, and like all of them, it's a slog. I'm on fast speed and low difficulty, plenty of food with one farmer. I put the two most likely candidates on "breeder" status, and their "skill" is Trainee Parent. Is this an indication that the female is pregnant? Do these little people have a gestation period, or does a baby suddenly pop up on the screen?

Also, I'm leaving most folks to collect tech points, I suspect from past experience, that the next best thing to do (after building the hut) is to clear the rocks from the stream in the far back left hand corner. It gives me a lagoon and "special water" for the dead flower field. Anything else just seems to be a waste of time.

Does this sound about right to you? I don't think I can expect a Golden Child anytime soon.

As with other skills, the degree of skill that a villager has as a parent is an indication of how much "kissing" experience they have. Their experience level does not indicate the presence of a baby. If a breeding attempt is "successful" you will see the baby appear in mom's arms and her status on the "Detail" screen will show that she's nursing. The villager who initiates the encounter gains the experience, just as a villager who forages for berries gains experience as a farmer.

There are many approaches to playing the game, and the one you suggest is certainly a reasonable one. Those two puzzles require little in the way of research or skill, and are easily accomplished early in the game.

i have a similar problem. They just dont breed! One of women has breeding slider half filled, she "went inside" with few guys about 20 times now, and she cant get pregnant. Whats going on?

Sometimes it can take many tries before a baby comes along. As you research higher levels of Fertility, making babies will get much easier.

LOL, yeah some times breeding is a bit triky, but after finding the fertility fish twice my villagers start nursing even before they go indoors, it is weird, but hey, who am I to judge them...

Fertility Fish? is this a puzzle or well, what is it?

Speaking of fish, what's with the "crabs caught"? Is this something I can do without getting a level 3 harvesting thing? I can't fish without 50,000 points but perhaps the crabs will help feed these guys.

Catching crabs comes after learning how to fish. They are worth more food points than the fish themselves!
The fertility fish is one of the island events that might come your way, not a puzzle!