I have recently become an uncle of a pretty, newly-born niece, and I thought this would be a very good opportunity to write a blog about baby's and children's vocabulary to honour my niece somehow. Here we go :
1. What can we say when a mother discovers that she is having a baby ?
- I'm pregnant
- I'm with child
- I'm expecting
- She conceived/got pregnant in January
- I'm knocked up (informal 'estoy preñada)
- I'm preggers (informal 'estoy con el bombo')
- She is an expectant mother
2. What can we say when a mother is bringing the child to the world ?
- She is at labour / She went into labour
- She is giving birth to her baby
- She is bearing her child
- A child was/has just been born !
- She is birthing a baby
- The midwife is helping the woman to deliver the baby (she is helping the mother to give birth)
- The delivery of the woman went well.
3. Different children, different words :
Most words associated to babies and kids are not gender specific, which means they can be used to refer to boys or girls:
- Baby
- Child
- Infant
- Kid
- Lad (a child that has grown up)
- Toddler : a baby who toddles, a baby who has just learnt to walk but staggers and is unstable.
4. What do babies look like ?
- They can be adorable, cute, charming, lovely, nice, sweet, good-looking, beautiful, pretty, attractive, mesmerising ...
- My favourite expression for babies is: they are cute as a button.
5. Other baby vocabulary
- Midwife : The nurse who helps the mum deliver the baby.
- Cravings : The strong desire that mothers have while they are pregnant (they usually have cravings for sweet food).
- Dummy (UK) /pacifier (US) : An object with the shape of a nipple that babies suck to calm themselves down.
- Maternity or paternity leave : Permission granted to new parents during which they don't have to go to work.
- Nappy (UK) / diaper (US) : A piece of cloth or other material worn by babies to poo or pee until they grow up.
- Nursery : Baby's bedroom. It can also refer to the place or schools where babies go before attending formal schools.
- Baby buggy / pushchair / baby carriage / stroller : It's the four-wheel chair where babies are carried or transported from one place to another to have a stroll.
- Cot / crib / cradle : The place where babies sleep.
- She's got the father's nose / She has taken after her father / She looks like her father
6. Baby showers
In some countries such as the United States, baby showers are surprise parties organized for the mother-to-be in which only women and girls are usually invited. The guests 'shower' the mother with presents. There is usually smart decoration with balloons and placards. All the women sit and eat different types of sweets such as Oreo Cakepops. In addition, there are usually games related to children or giving birth. Here you have some pictures of my sister's baby shower:
So, did you learn anything about babies ? I hope you have enjoyed this post, as much as I will enjoy myself with my niece Valeria.
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