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Writer's pictureEmily

Pregnancy and Parenting Abbreviations & Acronyms Moms Should Know

Updated: May 21, 2020

If you're a FTM and you want to know more about EBF vs BF, or maybe you're TTC and have a question about a HPT, or maybe ML is ending soon and you're interesting in WFH opportunities, or maybe you have questions about your LO, or maybe you just want to vent about your SO....


If the above seems like another language to you, then THIS POST IS FOR YOU! IMHO. :)


When it comes to pregnancy and parenting, especially if it's your first (like it was for me), you're probably going to search A LOT of things online. Whether you're perusing Facebook groups or posts or Googling the many forums and discussion boards out there, you'll likely find tons of posts that relate to whatever it is that you're curiously searching about.


That was my experience at least. With almost everything I searched for, I was able to find someone who had posted about something similar. This often gave me peace of mind knowing that others were thinking and wondering the same things as me. I found the most helpful responses were on message boards and discussion forums, coming from other real parents and moms.


[I will say, BEWARE of the "official" websites that may pop up in your searches - like WebMD, for instance (just one example of many). Sometimes these sites lead you to believe the worst case scenario about whatever you're searching. And again, in my experience, it was rarely relevant to what I was going through or what my baby was going through. But these scary results sure did give me a lot of unnecessary anxiety!]


However, in my searching, I quickly realized that many posts utilized acronyms that I didn't know. Some I figured out on my own through context, while I had to Google others.


Pregnancy and Parenting Abbreviations & Acronyms


Knowing these acronyms ahead of time will help these posts make a lot more sense to you. So, here are some of the most common acronyms about pregnancy and parenting that I have come across on mom boards, forums, discussion groups and Facebook:


AF = Aunt Flo (menstruation/period)

AI = artificial insemination

AP = attachment parenting

BB = Internet bulletin board

BBC = BabyCenter

BBT = basal body temperature

BC = birth control or before children or because

BCPs = birth control pills

BD = baby daddy or baby dance (sex)

BF = breastfeed or boyfriend

BIL = brother-in-law

BLW = baby-led weaning

BM = breast milk or bowel movement

CC = controlled crying

CD = cycle day

CF = cervical fluid

CIO = cry it out

CM = cervical mucus

CS or C/S  = Cesarean section

DC = daycare or dear child

DD = dear daughter

DF = dear fiance

DH = dear husband

DP = dear partner

DPO = days past ovulation

DS = dear son

DSD = dear stepdaughter

DSS = dear stepson

EBF = exclusively breastfeeding or extended breastfeeding

EBM = expressed breast milk

EDD = estimated due date or expected date of delivery

ETA = estimated time of arrival or edited to add

FF  = formula feeding

FIL = father-in-law

FT = full time

FTM = first time mom

GD = gestational diabetes

GF = gluten-free

HPT = home pregnancy test

IMHO = in my humble opinion (or, IMO = in my opinion)

IRL = in real life

IUI = intrauterine insemination

IVF = in vitro fertilization

L&D = labor and delivery

LO = little one

MC or M/C = miscarriage

MIL = mother-in-law

ML = maternity leave

ML = morning sickness or multiple sclerosis

MP = mucus plug

NIP = nursing in public

OP = original poster

OPK = ovulation predictor kit

OT = off topic

POAS = pee on a stick

PPD = postpartum depression

SAHD = stay-at-home dad

SAHM = stay-at-home mom

SAHP = stay-at-home parent

SIL = sister-in-law

SO = significant other

TMI = too much information

TTC = trying to conceive

US or U/S = ultrasound

VBAC = vaginal birth after cesarean section

WAH = work at home (or, WOH = work out of the home, or WFH = work from home)

WM = working mom


Did I miss any? Comment below with any abbreviations or acronyms about pregnancy and parenting that I might have left off the list!




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Post updated on 5/5/20.


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