have a baby/having a baby

[worcester]

Hi everbody,
I have a question regarding the definition of "to have a baby". As far as I know it means "to give birth to a baby", but I have come across this example from Headway:

A. Rebecca, have you got a headache?
B. No, it's not that. I am having a baby and I feel sick.

So, does "to have a baby" also mean to be pregnant?

For example can I say the following:

A. Hi Maria, you've put on weight recently!
B. Yes, I know, but I'm having a baby and I hope to lose all these pounds after I've had my baby."

To be honest it sounds a bit strange to me, but I am not a native speaker, so your advice is required here guys.

Thanks a lot.

 

[Barb_D]

Yes, if you say "I"m having a baby" it means "I'm pregnant" not "I'm in the process of giving birth at this very minute."

(I hope you would never say "you've put on weight recently" to anyone!)

 

[5jj]

Interesting. Not only was the response in post #2 given by a member/mod for whom I have the greatest respect, but it was 'liked' by a couple of other members/mods whose opinions I respect. Perhaps I have been away from England for too long. I disagree with them all. For me, "I'm having a baby" rarely means "I'm pregnant"".

In the first dialogue (below) I would assume that the speaker's waters had burst:

A. Rebecca, have you got a headache?
B. No, it's not that. I am having a baby and I feel sick.

I would understand the second (below), but would find it unnatural. I would expect to hear "I'm expecting a baby":

A. Hi Maria, you've put on weight recently!
B. Yes, I know, but I'm having a baby and I hope to lose all these pounds after I've had my baby.

NOT A FEMALE

 

[Barb_D]

In the first example, "I'm pregnant" would be better than "I'm having a baby." I completely agree.

However the likelihood of confusing a headache with being labor, let alone the absence of "God! My water just broke! Get me to the hospital!" just makes the alternative much more likely.

 

[Raymott]

"I'm having a baby" is very, very common in AusE for "I'm pregnant". Also possible is "We're having a baby" for trendy couples.
The only problem I have with the above is that it is referring to something happening right now, and she's not having a baby right now. It's normally used in a context of expectation:

Tom (to Peter and Mary): I see you're moving to a larger house.
Peter: Yes, we're having a baby in December, and will need more room. (Mary smiles in agreement)

Wanda (looks at her home pregnancy test) "Oh no! I'm having a baby!"

 

[SoothingDave]

(You're) Having My Baby - Paul Anka and Odia Coates - YouTube

I don't think Paul Anka was singing this in the delivery room.

 

[5jj]

Tom (to Peter and Mary): I see you're moving to a larger house.
Peter: Yes, we're having a baby in December, and will need more room. (Mary smiles in agreement)

[...]

Wanda (looks at her home pregnancy test) "Oh no! I'm having a baby!"

I'd have no problem with either of those. The first is the present-continuous-for-future form of 'have a baby' (= give birth), and the second could be interpreted that way. We could use 'going to have a baby' in both with effectively no difference in meaning.