Illustrated guide to English slang words for being pregnant

Different Ways To Say Someone Is Pregnant

In English, there are various slang expressions and idiomatic phrases used to describe pregnancy. These expressions add colour and informality to everyday conversations among friends and family.

  • Expecting: A simple and commonly used term to indicate someone is pregnant.
  • Carrying a child: Another straightforward way to say someone is pregnant, emphasizing the act of carrying a baby.
  • With child: A more formal but still widely used expression to denote pregnancy.
  • Preggers or Prego: Informal and affectionate terms for being pregnant.

Slang & Idioms for Being Pregnant

There are also a number of idioms that we can use to describe pregnancy. Idioms are phrases that have a figurative meaning. These expressions are often used to express pregnancy in a more creative way.

  • Eating for two – To eat for both yourself and your unborn child.
  • Have a bun in the oven – Picture the baby as a bun and the womb as an oven. A phrase with real history behind it — Grammarphobia has traced it back to at least the 1950s.
  • In the family way – Some people believe it is not polite or proper to use the word “pregnant“ in certain situations.  In the family way is a more refined way of saying someone is pregnant. Today this phrase is more commonly used in a humorous way.
  • In the pudding club – This unusual expression probably came about due to the similarity between the shape of a pudding and the shape of a woman’s abdomen during the later stages of pregnancy.
  • Knocked up – Caution: This expression is informal and can be considered impolite or offensive.. Knocked Up is also the name of a comedy movie – starring Seth Rogan – about a one-night stand that ends in pregnancy.
  • Up the duff – Similarly informal and potentially offensive, implying an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy.
  • Up the spout – This British expression is used in a similar way to up the duff, but is less common. Up the spout can also be used to refer to something that is no longer working or spoiled.
Black and white photo illustrating the British slang phrase "up the duff," meaning pregnant

Formal & Polite Ways to Say Pregnant

In addition to pregnancy-related idioms and slang, here are some expressions related to sharing secrets or spreading good news:

Slang for Babies & Bumps

In addition to formal expressions and idiomatic phrases, English also offers a rich array of slang terms related to babies and pregnancy. These informal expressions are often used affectionately or humorously in casual conversations:

  • Baby bump: Refers to the visible protrusion of a woman’s abdomen during pregnancy, emphasizing the presence of the developing baby.
  • Little one: An endearing term used to refer to a baby or young child, emphasizing their small size and vulnerability.
  • Bundle of joy: A heartwarming expression used to describe a newborn baby, highlighting the happiness and excitement they bring to their parents.
  • Cherub: Often used humorously to describe a chubby or rosy-cheeked baby, likening them to the angelic figures depicted in classical art.
  • Mini-me: Refers to a baby or child who strongly resembles one of their parents, usually used in a lighthearted or affectionate manner.
  • Nappy/diaper brigade: A humorous term used to collectively refer to a group of parents with young babies, acknowledging the common experience of diaper-changing duties.
  • Sleep thief: Playfully refers to a newborn baby who disrupts their parents’ sleep with frequent night waking, emphasizing the exhaustion that comes with caring for a newborn.
  • Crib lizard: A slang term for a baby who spends a lot of time in their crib, implying that they resemble a lizard basking in the warmth of their habitat.
  • Milk drunk: Describes the drowsy and contented state of a baby after breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, likening their behavior to that of someone who has consumed too much alcohol.

These slang expressions can add humour to conversations about babies and pregnancy, offering informal ways to discuss the joys and challenges of parenthood.

Old-Fashioned & Vintage Ways to Say Pregnant

  • The Rabbit Died — A roundabout way of announcing a pregnancy, from a 1920s – 40s fertility test in which a rabbit was injected with the woman’s urine. Despite the myth, the rabbit didn’t survive either way – but “the rabbit died” stuck as shorthand for a positive result.
  • Up the Pole — British and old-fashioned, in the same family as “up the duff” and “up the spout.” Rarely heard today outside period dramas.
  • Bacon in the Drawer — An American oddity with no clear logic to it. Nobody quite knows why bacon, or why a drawer. Use it and watch people’s faces.
  • Bat in the Cave — Obscure enough that most native speakers won’t recognise it. Exactly the kind of phrase this page exists to collect.
  • Tin Roof, Rusted — Not really a standalone idiom so much as a pop-culture reference — from the B-52’s “Love Shack” — that got adopted as a cheeky pregnancy euphemism. Only lands with people who know the song.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What’s a polite way to say someone is pregnant?

A: “Expecting,” “with child,” and “in the family way” are the safest, most formal options – fine for the office or a card to a colleague.

What does “up the duff” mean?

A: It’s British slang for being pregnant. Informal and a little cheeky. Fine among friends, not for a card to your mother-in-law.

Is “knocked up” rude?

It can be. It’s American slang for pregnant, usually implying unplanned, and it’s blunt – best kept for casual conversation, not polite company.

Where does “bun in the oven” come from?

It compares a growing baby to bread rising in an oven. The phrase is recorded from at least the 1950s as a playful, indirect way to announce a pregnancy.

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