Co-Worker Keeps Calling My Unborn Baby by Her Name

I have known people who do this and honestly, the best response is to just do nothing. I know it is REALLY annoying, but next time she asks "how is little (whatever her name is) doing?" just simply ignore the fact that she used her own name and just say "fine." The less it bothers you, the faster it will stop. Chances are she will start doing it for a bit again after the baby comes, but again just ignore it :)

Best wishes and congrats!

Well, if she was that upset that she deleted you, clearly she isn't of the best state of mind. You don't need that kind of person around when you bring a new baby into the world.

This would have creeped me out too.

Once or twice as a joke would have been funny. Anything after that is psycho!

Well, you are sorta being sensitive. She's just trying to be friendly even tho it is annoying. I can't believe you quit talking to her over it, come on.... She's just joking around. You must not like her for other reasons so dont blame it on the fact that she keeps calling your baby her junior or whatever. I kinda have to agree with her that you are being sort of "crazy" about it. Chill. It's not like the baby is gonna look like that chick or have her name.....
She's a co-worker just trying to be funny. It could be a heck of a lot worse. :)
Just put her on "ignore".

I think, even though it's an old joke, that you could just chill out. It's just not that big of a deal. Play along, be gracious. Honestly, if you start now getting irritated about this type of thing, you're going to find yourself irritated a lot. Babies (especially newborns) belong to everyone, it seems.

If you can just try to let it roll off you, in one ear out the other, you'll find your experience in motherhood is a lot less stressful.

I think maybe your overreacting a little--I am a teacher and my students all joked about this and it didn't bother me. I think she's just trying to be "funny," but it would get old.

Just read your update. Oh brother, she is one of those "High maintenance people." be glad she deleted you and do not think another thing about her. She is acting like she is about 8 years old..

Not creepy not weird just very irritating.

Towards the end of my pregnancy, I used to warn people "I have no idea how I am going to react, so watch out with the jokes.". Also I would weep when people were kind or sweet to me.. I was just so touched by their kindness... Pregnancy does odd things to us..

Just let her know you "really cannot handle that same joke anymore and do not want to say something you may both regret.". Just be honest.

She is trying to be a part of something that has nothing to do with her. And you cut her joy out of that. A baby is a joy that everyone wants to take part in. Yes, she was being annoying. Yes, you should have let it go. She obviously wasn't serious about you giving the baby her name, she just wanted to have some way to share in the pregnancy experience with you. I know pregnancy is a personal experience, but everyone really does want to "share it" in some way.

To my mind, not worth making an awkward work situation about. I would apologize for taking it so personally and reassure her that as soon as you know the baby's name, you'll tell her.

Annoying yes...creeping no....and you are not crazy....she just doesn't know when to let a "joke" die a natural death!!!
I would ignore it...if she decided to call your baby "Gulliver"...that wouldnt mean that was what you were calling her/him after the birth!!! Maybe she thinks she is being "cute" and just doesn't get how obnoxious she is being.
I really don't think she is trying to "include herself" in anything...she is just being "friendly"...and I would accept it as that and just move on.
Don't quit speaking to her...you have to work around this woman...don't make things more difficult and tension filled for yourself.
Good luck and congratulations on your new little one!!

I think she's probably just joking around. I've joked around with friends before that they are going to have a "Baby L." before, after they had shared with me some new story about their baby/pregnancy. Thankfully they knew that I didn't expect them to name their child after me; just that, from what they had just described about the baby sounds somewhat like me -- we are both energetic or we are both morning people, for example. Do you think, perhaps, you are taking your co-worker's kidding too seriously and maybe misreading the signals?

Boy she sure has psychological issues, huh?
Really, this is her problem.
And she is displacing it, onto you.

What a whacko.

You are not crazy.
Tell her it is rude... the 'joke' is not funny. It is not even a joke. She doesn't even like her own name for crying out loud!

If she conjures up more trouble for you at work... tell HR.

you are not crazy, Grandma T is. It is highly insensitive of her to do that. especially for 27 weeks!!!! Give up already. My hubby was getting teased at work some of his co-workers were calling the baby " " jr. he just laughed it off, but this is CRAZY. Dont stress yourself out over it, its not good for you are the baby. Hopfully she will get the hint.

Wow, she's controlling. She obviously doesn't know when a joke is worn out.

Instead of labeling you as crazy, she could have just taken the hint and stopped calling the baby by her name. It might have been humorous the first and second time, but not the third or more.

I guess if she insists on not talking over this, then that's how it will be. She may just feel awkward at this point. When she starts talking again, however, just be civil and polite and try to resume where the two of you left off. I assume she won't say the "joke" again.

Not worth a war over.

It's very SWF or the 2011 movie version Roomates, creepy, but I am sure innocent. I'd just say going forward we are calling the baby "Baby (add your last name). But even though she sounds annoying you have to work with this person no need to stress yourself out you have 13 weeks to go. Let it go.

I don't know, I think maybe you were being a little too sensitive. Ya, maybe she wore it out too, but if you've dealt with it for this long, what's a few more weeks? She was probably just trying to be cute and funny. I seriously doubt she really thought you should name your baby her name, especially if she thinks it's a crappy name! Is this really that big of deal to stop talking to each other over?

If your not talking to her over that, yes that's crazy. Though it could be irritating for anyone to hear the same thing over and over, not just this! Just tell her you dont think its funny anymore and move one.

Just an after thought...at least she's not referring to herself as Auntie! LOL

Wow and yick! She's got some issues. Perhaps the next time she asks "how's baby carrie", turn to her and say "I don't know. How are *you*?"

I think not talking to her might send the clearer message than trying to explain it. Then, if she asks you "why aren't you talking to me", it will be a signal that she's interested in finding an answer. Otherwise, nope--she's the crazy one.

Jeesh-- when I was pregnant, I was pretty much ready to yell at anyone who tried to touch my stomach, but somehow, this seems worse!

When I was pregnent I got that a lot, from many different people. Besides calling the baby their name, some would just make up names!
I'm guilty of doing what your co-worker did, but NOT to that extent. I actually call the baby little baby <my last name>...which is what everyone calls me. It totally sounds ugly (even though I like my last name), and I say it to be funny. I don't expect anyone to ever name their kid after me.
So this co-worker of yours is teasing you....tease her back. She's poking at you so poke back with humor. Obviously she wasn't serious about it all, but through your annoyance you made it serious.
I guess in short, yeah I think it's crazy, but only because I wouldn't have handled it that way. You accomplished what you wanted...you don't have to hear it anymore. Congrats on the baby!

e.

I don't know that seems a little weird approaching creepy to me. I would get annoyed.

Not at all!! She's the one with the issue, not you. I hope she comes around. Good luck mama!

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It's hard to get a sense of how this person is. Many of us (who me? :-) will run a joke into the ground and then some. Some people have boundary issue though. It's hard to tell from your post which it is. It sounds like you already talked to her about it. Not sure what you said and how much you came down on her for it. From here I might mention to her that you're sensitive due to hormones, first baby whatever and you didn't mean to overreact and offend her. UNLESS she's the type that needs this boundary set firmly and needs to be a little offended so she backs off all around. If it happened to me I'd probably grit my teeth or try to change the joke and say, No today she's "a different co-workers name" today and keep changing it everyday. I do think the name is always something people are interested in. My daughter has a somewhat uncommon name and another Mom in her brownie troop also has the name. She feels a connection to my daughter because it is unusual and she hasn't known any or many other people with that name. She's not overbearing about it though, just kind of tickled.

Sounds like one of my relatives ( not as obsessive, but similar ) seems like your co worker gets a kick out of pulling your strings. The more attention she gets from you, the more she pushes you to the edge. Then she gets all offended, as if your the bad guy! In my situation, I would let her know how I felt ( which didn't help much, cause she didn't listen) and then every time she teased, I would cut her off, or try to throw a tease back at her. Sometimes making her aware of annoying teasing helped, like - " wow! Are you still talking about my baby?" " You can at least come up with a different name" "Do you need more work to do?" At this point she might start getting offended, and you can kindly say "what? I was only joking" Anyways, so your what happend, just makes you look like the bigger person. She can only dish it out, and not take it. Probably embarrassed about you calling her out. Keep being positive and look forward to the days off from work when baby is born. congrats!! :)

You are not being crazy.

As for this co-worker, clearly she has forgotten what it's like to be pregnant. You do NOT annoy pregnant women...not with "jokes", not with comments, not with unwelcome touching, not with....anything within your control!

I don't know what her issue is, that would have annoyed the pants off me as well. Sounds like this is not a relationship worth mourning. If she is going to have such a dramatic reaction to a simple and reasonable request then odds are this would have happened at some point. I know it's awkward to have an issue with someone at work but you don't need this sort of childishness. I'm sorry that happened between you, but it doesn't sound like it's your fault at all.

you're not crazy, she's crazy! That would have driven me nuts!

I think you are very lucky that she no longer talks to you. I have a friend that did the same thing over a discussion on how we back up our files in a classroom setting. I said I use all forms, cd's flash drives, and online. She got offended and though I was telling her that her only cd's way was dumb. I said nothing of the sort or even implied it. Two days later she texted me and asked me why I hate her. I told her I didn't mean to offend her. I also flat out told her I don't appreciate how she compliments me all the time. Don't get me wrong, I love compliments, but her's were as fake as Britney Spears hair. I even said I don't like how your compliments feel fake. So there was no confusion. She then deleted me on everything and then started rumors. Everyone in the school knows she's crazy so no one took her seriously, so I'm over it.
All in all, I'm SOOOOOO glad she is out of my life. I still have to see her at school and we deal with each other, but we don't talk unless we have to. Try and keep it professional and not let her deleting you effect your work relationship. Good luck!! Drama queens are soooo much fun to deal with!

Yes, weird, probably worse due to hormones. Is her name awful? maybe you should just give her a nickname or as soon as you choose a name tell it to her.

When I was in college, I was pregnant with my and my husband's 2nd child. This guy who was interested in me(he knew I was married) found out I was pregnant and started calling my unborn baby(baby than his name). I would be in a a place surrounded by my friends and he would walk up to me and say how is baby 'his name' doing. My friends would naturally look at him and give him a dirty look and I would try to brush it off like it didn't matter. The worst would be when he would say it in front of one of my professors. I got fed up with it and told him I don't think my husband would like to hear him call our baby by his name. He stopped after that.
No, I don't think you are crazy. If you feel a bit, it is okay. You are the one having the baby. She has no right to impose anything on you.

You were perfectly right to tell her how you feel. She's obviously embarrassed and doesn't know how to respond other than to be a big baby and make it seem like it's your fault. I agree that the joke might have been funny occassionally but 27 weeks is over the top.

People forget how hormonal a pregnant woman is and how sensitive she becomes over things. When I was pregnant with my first born, I was working full time in a bank as a teller. A customer walked up to my window one day and referred to my baby as the "critter." I was very offended that anyone would refer to MY unborn baby as an animal and I told him, "I'm having a baby, not a critter." The customer apologized for offending me saying that he didn't mean anything negative about what he had said.

With that said, I don't feel you are blowing this out of proportion. You are pregnant and hormonal. This co-worker has been insensitive to your feelings. You stated how you feel about it and it was her choice to become defensive. Keep it professional, like she suggested and one day it will all be water under the bridge, so to speak.

Wow, she sounds like she is a really needy person and I know from experience when you are pregnant you just can't accommodate every person's oddities. I think she majorly overreacted! I mean you just wanted her to back off a little. I wouldn't give it any more attention. Do the same to her, be courteous and professional and enjoy your family. She is way off on this one, but you don't have the energy to worry over it, you are making a person for heaven's sake!! Congrats!

I think it's silly. She's just excited for you though. I would think of it as someone who has nothing else to say, so they fall back on the same thing day after day. I'm sure she thinks it's cute and certainly doesn't really think you'll name her that. Some people have weird senses of humor. I don't think you should take it personally, but I haven't had to deal with it for months either. lol

I don't think you're being crazy. She sounds crazy...and creepy. I can just imagine my MIL doing the same thing.

However, if it is a friendship that is worth saving to you, I think is worth waiting for you both to cool down a little bit and then let her know that you do appreciate her friendship, but there are some things that you are particularly sensitive to (right now--blame it on hormones!) and deciding on a name for your baby is one of them.

No, if you've had it, you've had it. Stick to your guns lady. You're pregnant and she should understand.

Well, at least she didn't stick her finger down her throat and gag herself after asking what names you are considering for your baby.
I worked with a woman who did that and it was the rudest thing I've ever seen. I wasn't even the pregnant one and it ticked me off.

Seriously, some people just don't know when to let a "joke" go.
Unfortunately, she probably thought she was being quite witty and can't understand why it bugged you so much.
I think she took it a little far by deleting you from IM and facebook. That wasn't really necessary. For heaven's sake, pregnant women can be pretty short tempered. Not that you were, but she could have chalked it up to that instead of going overboard.
I don't think you should never speak to her again. If I were you, at work, I would treat her the same way you always did with all the social niceties. If she wants to give you the cold shoulder, that's on her. You didn't mean to hurt her feelings, and you can tell her so. She thought calling your baby by her name was a "thang" between you, and you didn't see it that way after all this time. That's all. It doesn't make her a bad person and it doesn't make you crazy. You just didn't find it funny anymore. No offense intended.

Don't let this worry you too much.

Take care of yourself and your baby.

Best wishes.

Carrie,

It is your co-worker who is out of line and the "crappy name" comment sealed the deal. She's not your friend or semi-friend, so I would just try and remain professional on the job and otherwise ignore her. If she brings up a question about "how is baby ???". Simply do not respond because she is not talking about "your baby".

Enjoy the rest of your pregnancy and motherhood.

Blessings.....