bun in the oven

to have a bun in the oven

Meaning

• to be pregnant
• to be expecting a baby

Example Sentences

1. After trying for a baby for several years, Mark was happy when his wife told him she had a bun in the oven.
2. Throwing a baby shower is one of the best ways to announce that you have a bun in the oven.
3. She was happy to announce to her parents that they would soon be grandparents as she had a bun in the oven.
4. After running numerous tests, the doctor was happy to tell Mary that she wasn't sick but that she had a bun in the oven.
5. After experiencing some bouts of morning sickness, Kate began to suspect that she might have a bun in the oven.

Origin

This is another phrase that comes directly from the kitchen. When baking a bun in the oven, the bun keeps rising as it bakes. Since the 17^th century, the word “oven” has been used to refer to a woman's womb. With this, people then came to refer to the baby in the womb as the bun in the oven. As time went on, this phrase became popular in referring to pregnancy.