He's a baby, not a fetus

I realized the other day, I *hate* the term fetus.

I know, I know, medically, that's the term for a baby that hasn't been born yet, but to me it just sounds so degrading to call a baby that. Yes, the baby hasn't been born yet, but you really want to tell me this kiddo inside me doesn't have a personality of his own?

The term fetus just comes off as degrading to me, like calling it a baby instead is giving it too much credit or something, or calling it a baby makes it seem more "real" and "human". Regardless though, even if you call it a fetus, it still is real and human, you just can't see or hold it in the flesh yet.

Since being pregnant, I've only come across "hearing" the term fetus once so far, and it was a few days ago when I mentioned online about how Jay wasn't being cooperative at the ultrasound in letting us get a 3D image of his face. A friend commented that when her pregnant sis (who's a few weeks behind me) went to find out the gender the week prior, "her fetus wasn't cooperating either".

Now I know she didn't mean anything hurtful or degrading by it, so I'm not upset at her or anything, but it got me thinking in general - I really don't like that term for a baby in utero. Carrying a kiddo myself, no, there's definitely a baby in there - there's definitely a little life, a little person moving around in there!

Perhaps I've gotten lucky - the OB/GYN clinic I go to is a Christian-based one and so not once have I heard or recall any of the doctors or staff refer to babies as fetuses - every ultrasound we've had since our first appointment, the tech has always said "there's baby! there's baby's little arm, and baby's little heart... baby's heartbeat is beating at this many bpm's..." etc.

Just thought that was interesting enough to share.