Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Just Call Me Pregnant, Please

Ever since I can recall, I've wanted to be a mother. Parenthood always seemed to me to be such a noble, beautiful thing to do with one's life. I know many, many wonderful mothers (including my own), who have raised their children with the utmost love and devotion. And I feel honored to get my shot at parenthood - to love and protect and nurture this child as best I can.

There is, however, one thing with regards to motherhood that I am not excited about. I am NOT looking forward to being referred to as "preggers" or "prego."

These terms have somehow sneaked their way into pop culture vernacular. I have also heard the less common (but just as awful) "preg-preg" and "preggy." Some people may find these terms cute and fun. They are, in fact, stupid, obnoxious non-words, and need to be stopped right now.

Can we not just say the entire word "pregnant"? Does it really have to be shortened into childish cartoon terms?

There are many other ways to refer to a pregnant woman - she's got a bun in the oven, or she's got a baby bump, or she's knocked up. As silly or annoying as these may be, none come close to the horridness of "preggers" and "prego." So use them all you want.

I am really enjoying being pregnant, but may this serve as an official warning: if someone dares to use "preggers" or "prego" in my presence during the next seven months, they should beware the wrath of the hormonal pregnant woman.

36 comments:

  1. I agree, preggers and prego just sound stupid! Don't be so lazy, pronounce the whole word.

    ReplyDelete
  2. you nailed it on the head! you are SO right. i never would've articulated this, but those words are lame.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I agree completely! I can't stand it either!

    ReplyDelete
  4. ... isn't Prego spaghetti sauce, anyway? come on now, people!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am so, SO not looking forward to that when I get pregnant.

    (Wait, don't you have to have a man first? A technicality . . .)

    Congratulations, by the way!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ugh I hate when people say those. It sounds so stupid!

    Congrats though :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. i must admit, i am guilty of saying preggers, i can't help it. haha. but i will definitely hold off on using it here :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. I couldn't agree with you more - I never liked those euphamisms for being pregnant either!

    ReplyDelete
  9. How about when I call you Fertile Myrtle?

    ReplyDelete
  10. I couldn't agree more! I hate it. Hope you're well. :o)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Even though it's been years ago, I myself, preferred the word hapai when I was pregnant with my son. It's only when people use the term hapai to describe a woman who is NOT pregnant, that makes it so not right. "Look her! I nevah know she was hapai!"

    ReplyDelete
  12. Well Myrtle, I really would like someone to call you "Prego" or "Preggy" just because I would like to see you punch someone in the face with no warning. THAT would be AWESOME!

    You should totally just randomly punch someone and use you being pregnant your explaination for punching them, "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm pregnant... my hormones..." *as you point to your stomach and shrug your shoulders*

    ReplyDelete
  13. People are idiots.

    I can't wait to see your baby bump! You WILL post pictures, riiiiiiiiiiight?! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Yes! I hate it as well. Is it so hard to say pregnant? Really? Then again, I have problems with most of the internet speak so i shouldn't talk.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I will be calling you beautiful queen mother... :-)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Try not to let those words get to you and just enjoy being pregnant!

    I can't wait to read more posts about your pregnancy! How fun!

    ReplyDelete
  17. HAHA Love your post and your articulation... and could not agree with you more. By the way I love your blog and officially became a regular reader :)

    thanks for sharing and I look forward to many more great posts.

    zesty

    ReplyDelete
  18. Ha! Love it--I agree, the prego word is the one that gets to me most. And preg-preg??? EW!!! I will say, my favoritest euphemism for pregnancy is "up the duff". Makes me laugh every time!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Ok Steve Marks just cracked me up! I guess I have forgotton that one! My kids just state the fact- she has a baby in her bellie. Not so technical but it works for them. I don't like bump! Sounds like lump.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Pregnant just sounds a lot better. Preggers is obnoxious.

    I'm really excited for y'all and the baby and the pregnancy. What an exciting time!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Pregnant sounds more cozy to me. All the other euphemisms make it sound childish and being pregnant is sooooo not childish!

    I have problems with the other terms, like "knocked up" or "With Child." I find pregnant does the job best.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Thanks for the future warning! ;) I agree though, those words are rather silly.

    ReplyDelete
  23. i personally like bun in the over. i like bread!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Oh, preggers, how I hate that word too. And prego rhymes with Eggo and so I start thinking about waffles and then we're all off track...

    ReplyDelete
  25. I keep hearing from pregnant friends that they don't like the terms prego or preggers though they never mentioned it when they weren't pregnant. Does it come with being pregnant? ;-) I can totally understand though.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Preggers seems to be a group favorite in my circle of friends, but none of us have experienced it yet, so that may change one day! I promise I will not ever use that word on your site anymore. no need in angering a pregnant woman :)

    ReplyDelete
  27. I have a sneaking suspicion that those shortened terms snuck into our vocabularies when the rate of uneducated teen pregnancies started going up, or something related to that. It sounds exactly like something a stereotypical teenaged girl would say; "Omg, she's like, totally preggers!" ... Am I right?

    Furthermore, I find all those pregnancy references (especially "knocked up") all carry varying degrees of disrespect (and in the case of "a bun in the oven", I just find that... sort of disgusting) - but that's just me. It seems like the person saying it is trying to make light of a serious situation, you know? You're growing a human life inside of you. The least you can do is call it by the rightful term. :P

    ReplyDelete
  28. Ha...you're so funny :)

    ReplyDelete
  29. LOL, it sounds like you are already milking the "hormonal pregnant woman thing" - that's my girl! You are going to use it A LOT in the next 7 months, and it will be lots of fun, I promise ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  30. great point! these non-words do have an 'ick' factor associated with them

    ReplyDelete
  31. I hate the words "preggers" and "prego" too!!! YUCK. Congratulations! :)

    ReplyDelete
  32. I called you "expecting" on my blog today. Hope that's okay. I gave you an award too if you want to go check it out. Much love!

    ReplyDelete
  33. How wierd- I thought my hubby and I were the only ones who disliked the words "Preggers" and "Preggo". We're always disgusted when someone says them. Lol! So I know exactly what you mean! Those words are so dumb, I can't even bring myself to say them out loud, even when I'm making fun of people who say them!!

    ReplyDelete
  34. I know I am replying late, but I could not just leave. I am not not a native english speaker, just worked hard to learn it. When I first read those words, I did not really get what they meant, but they seemed and continue to seem...well...BAD. I am glad I am not the only one who feels so!

    ReplyDelete