He's got a bun in the oven

Origin

The vivid imagery of a 'bun in the oven' to denote pregnancy springs from the simple metaphor of the womb as an oven and the developing fetus as a baking bun. This cozy, domestic euphemism gained significant traction in the English language during the mid-20th century. While similar food-related metaphors for pregnancy exist across many cultures, the specific phrase 'bun in the oven' became a popular and discreet way to announce impending parenthood. Its charm lies in its playful avoidance of explicit biological terms, painting a picture of warmth, anticipation, and the slow, delightful process of creation within the home, making it an enduring and widely understood idiom for pregnancy.