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AIBU?

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Original poster

To find bump nicknames a bit strange

93 replies

TeaOnEverest · 19/02/2016 15:09

I understand nicknaming the baby before it's born, and the couple using that occasionally between themselves- jellybean, or pip, or what have you.

However someone on my FB has nicknamed their baby Li'l Fishy, and they have referred to it as Li'l Fishy constantly. I thought nicknames happened organically, but friends and family were informed of the bump nickname they had decided upon. She is a bit of a pregzilla tbh, so I'm probably BU purely due to the amount of times I have read and heard the name Li'l Fishy over the past few months, but I was quite surprised when they announced the baby as "Baby Li'l Fishy"

That was a few days ago, no other name yet... Maybe they are going to stick with the nickname forever!

OP posts:
Outaboutnowt · 19/02/2016 15:40

I think they're cringe when they're chosen and decided upon. Like normal nicknames really, if you try and force one its just annoying - the best nicknames are ones that just happen and stick.

I know a woman who is having her 3rd DC, and chooses a different nickname for each pregnancy. She won't even say 'baby', she will only refer to the stupid nickname. It's a bit 'look at me! Aren't we quirky and original?!' It's a bit irritating.

Maybe I'm just a boring cow with no imagination - our unborn child was 'the baby' or even 'it' (didn't find out the sex Blush

AliceThrewTheFookingGlass · 19/02/2016 15:41

A friend from school referred to her bump as a combination of her and her partners names throughout her pregnancy. Think along the lines of chris-dem for Christopher and Demi.

But It wasn't just a cute nickname. The child is now born and has been officially registered with that name Confused

I had another friend who called her bump tigger..

pandakitchen · 19/02/2016 15:44

YANBU - it's a bit cringe, Li'l'fishey makes me think of some lost sperm swimming around lost in a vagaina, or a fish cake

I have known a 'Lil' Pickle' with 'Princess Pickle' used as an alternative and a 'Baby Bean' used in a very cutesy way. Again a bit cringe- but both were clearly so exited about pregnancy and newborns etc.

On the other hand my Nephew had a little NN as a bump and that stuck and is now his middle name and really suits him!

5madthings · 19/02/2016 15:44

I tend to refer to bump as 'it' we dint know the Sex.

But my kids are collectively nicknamed the madthings, and this is Dc6 so the bump is known as and I refer to it occasionally as madthing6 on fb etc the others are obviously madthing1-5 in age order and on twitter or fb I often call them madthing... Rather than use their name even though I have my security settings quite high I figure it doesn't hurt to be careful. All my frirnds know which child I will be referring to when I say madthing2/3 etc.

I think when ds1 was s bump he was bean on account if looking like a bean at my first scan, not sure about the others.

IamlovedbyG · 19/02/2016 15:47

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Oysterbabe · 19/02/2016 15:56

Agree with unimaginative about referring to the baby by its name before it's born, I hate that.

Zariyah · 19/02/2016 15:59

Let me guess, it's her first.

VagueIdeas · 19/02/2016 16:01

L'il Fishy is puketastic.

DH and I used a nickname for our babies because we didn't know the sex either time. But it was our private thing, and we didn't use it in front of family, let alone all over social media.

TheHiphopopotamus · 19/02/2016 16:01

L'il Fishy? Confused

YANBU, OP. Cringey in the extreme. I'm embarrassed for them, and I don't even know them.

foxessocks · 19/02/2016 16:09

I can't even call my bump a bump! It makes me cringe but each to their own. I just say I'm pregnant! And if I feel the baby move I say "I felt the baby move"

SpecialStains · 19/02/2016 16:10

I'm 14 weeks and dh and I refer to baby as Peanut (not in public!). I know some friends called theirs Marmaduke.

Lil fishy is a bit cheesy, and i certainly wouldnt post our nickname on facebook, but I think most people have affectionate nicknames for their unborn baby - much better than calling it it!

Just hide your friend on your feed if it makes you cringe that much!

MackerelOfFact · 19/02/2016 16:10

YANBU, that's infuriatingly annoying!

'Bean', 'Beany' and twee diminutives thereof make me irrationally stabby. Yes, we know it looked like a bean at the 12 week scan. It's a fucking embryo. They all do.

It's even more annoying when they retain that name into childhood.

helenahandbag · 19/02/2016 16:10

So posting all over FB with the babies name....... I also feel like it's tempting fate too much

Me too. My friend is currently pregnant and they announced the sex and name after the 20 week scan. It made me really uncomfortable for some reason.

MackerelOfFact · 19/02/2016 16:11

Oh crap, sorry 5madthings, I hadn't read your post properly... I wasn't referring to you. Blush

YogaPants · 19/02/2016 16:13

xalyssx my bump is "bump" and I, rather than the bump, am "bumpy" (at least to my dh).

L'il fishy is a bit too aquatic for my taste.

JakeyB · 19/02/2016 16:18

It's excruciating, isn't it!

My friend's DH called their first child-to-be "Babbalump" and although Friend didn't mind it in private, she was mortified when he said it in public. Which he did, all the time.

When "Babbalump" was born, they used a short form of his name, e.g. Teddy, and I couldn't help mentally adding -lump to the end. He's 25 now, and no matter how hard I fight it he's always Teddylump in my mind. Hmm

NinaSimoneful · 19/02/2016 16:19

I referred to DD1 as 'Baba' until a name was picked.

Name for DC2 was decided before I'd even conceived. Chosen by DH. I refer to the bump as 'the bump' simply enough. As in, when DD1 is bouncing too close I might tell her to mind the bump or her little brother, I wouldn't refer to the bump by the name. I would to DH though.

In contrast to two PPs I could never see myself waiting til the child is born to choose a name.

randomsabreuse · 19/02/2016 16:23

Mine was BK short for Bladder Kicker...

Crinkle77 · 19/02/2016 16:24

Oh god yeah very annoying.

hellsbellsmelons · 19/02/2016 16:24

Mine was called smudge.
I don't like that Baby lil' fishy though.
What a mouthful - they will soon get fed up of that one!

Crinkle77 · 19/02/2016 16:25

Or when writing a card or message on facey for a b'day for example saying from so and so and so and so and bump. GRRRR!!!!!

MyFavouriteClintonisGeorge · 19/02/2016 16:32

Worra, that really made me laugh.

OP, you could 'forget' the real nickname and keep referring to the baby as 'Haddock'.

Cornettoninja · 19/02/2016 16:49

Dp called our baby bump, I went with the baby or little dude.

Now she's here I call her dudette sometimes but dp has carried on with bump as she was a ventouse birth and had a boob on her head for the first four weeks. We only call her that when we're talking to her though - never really thought much of it really.

It's part of the bonding process and
helps some people process the reality of what's going on when you can't really see.

Pretty harmless, if overly twee, stuff really. It's tame compared to the rest of the rainbows and glitter you suddenly find yourself immersed in with a baby (who farts like a rugby player and dribbles like a drunk.... )

missybct · 19/02/2016 16:54

Another one who can't stop saying "it" - I got reprimanded the other day saying it wasn't very maternal Hmm

Only reason we have a NN is because we have DSS over most weekends, and we haven't announced it to him yet - I'm only 8 weeks, and want to wait until the scan.

However, our nickname is Xenomorph Grin Typical parents we are not. Meant in jest, obviously....Wink

vodkaredbull · 19/02/2016 17:00

I called my bump Thumper. It happened organically. Now she's just called Abigail.