Does ‘Baby Bump’ Need to Retire?

As a word nerd, it’s always interesting to me to see the annual list of banished words. This year is especially relevant as it includes the term “baby bump.”

I think the phrase is most overused when it comes to celebrities. “Look at so-and-so’s cute baby bump!” “She barely has a baby bump!” (Which frankly annoys me because it’s always said when a mom is like, 3 months along, and of course she doesn’t have a bump…it’s not like she’s special, 40 weeks pregnant and barely showing. But that’s another rant altogether.) But should it be banished? Nah.

I mean, when specifically talking about the abdominal region, I think it’s fine. “Baby bump” is cute. It sounds nicer than “pregnancy belly” or “big round stomach.” And saying “What a cute baby bump you have!” is way nicer than saying “My goodness, you look like you’re about to pop.” What do you think?

Have another term for the baby bump? Any pregnancy terms drive you crazy? —Erin