Prego, preggers, preggie.
My literal-minded, language-loving self hates the overly-casual, cringe-worthy nicknames for pregnancy (and nodded approvingly when I read this post denouncing the trend).
My friendlier, young-at-heart self shrugs indifferently at shortening the word “pregnancy,” so much so that I am pretty sure I’ve used “prego” in an email or text, maybe even more than once.
In the scheme of life, who cares, right? If it makes people happy, then so be it.
But then again, prego makes me think of spaghetti sauce. Preggers sounds like chiggers and, like the mention of the word “lice,” triggers a Pavlovian response to itch like crazy (for those who live west of the Rocky Mountains, chiggers are tiny red mites that bite people).
And preggie? It’s sonically objectionable, like a toddler’s nonstop whining. Perhaps it’s the perfect pregnancy nickname for a baby-talking couple that oozes schmoopie, but not for self-respecting adults. I felt embarrassed, years ago, buying “Preggie Pops,” but I was desperate for morning sickness relief.
In fact, preggie might be more barf-worthy than the phrase “we’re pregnant.”
What do you think about pregnancy nicknames like prego, preggers and preggie?