When I had kids, I had to read books to find out how to take care of my new baby. I could search for information on the internet, but it was not like it is today. If I wanted complete information, I had to go to the book store.
Today, all new parents have to do is open up a search window. While information is much easier to access, it is becoming harder to read. The information is full of internet acronyms. For additional insights on parenting resources, check out the Child Development Institute for valuable information.
This article is going to demystify all that internet slang for you. The good news is the social media acronyms you see on the internet can also translate into texting acronyms to make that easier for you, too.
A
AAFP = American Academy of Family Physicians
AAP = American Academy of Pediatrics
ABB = Apple Bottom Baby (Apple Bottom is a brand of clothes)
ABM = Artificial Breast Milk (this is also known as formula)
ACOG = American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
AF = Aunt Flo (can mean menstrual cycle or period)
AI = Artificial Insemination
AI2 = All in Two (this means a cloth diaper)
AIM = Artificial Infant Milk (this is also known as formula)
AIO = All in One (this means a cloth diaper)
AP = Attachment Parenting
ARM = Artificial Rupture of Membranes
AROM = Artificial Rupture of Membranes
B
BB = Best Bottom
BBL = Be Back Later
BBT = Body Basal Temperature
BC = Before Children (may also mean Birth Control)
BC = Baby Carrier (as in what you carry a baby)
BCP = Birth Control Pills
BD = Baby Dancing (this mean having unprotected sex)
BF = Breastfeeding (may also be Breast Fed)
BF = Boyfriend
BFN = Big Fat Negative (on a pregnancy test)
BFP = Big Fat Positive (on a pregnancy test)
BIL – Brother in Law
BLW = Baby Led Weaning (this means skipping baby food and feeding your baby whole foods)
BM = Breast Milk
BM = Bowel Movement
BPA = Bisphenol A (a harmful chemical used in some plastic)
BS = Bed Share (may also be bed sharing)
BTDT = Been There, Done That
BTW = By the Way
BW = Baby Wearing (wearing a baby strapped to your person)
C
CC = Controlled Crying
CD = Cloth Diaper (may also be Cloth diapering)
CD = Cycle Day (as in your period)
CDC = Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CF = Cervical Fluid
C/S = Cesarean Section (also can be C Section)
CIO = Cry it Out (when a baby is allowed to cry with the hope they will soothe themselves into sleep)
CIR = Circumcision
CM = Cervical Mucus
CP = Cervical Position
CS = Co Sleep (may also be Co Sleeping)
CWIM = See What I Mean
D
DA = Dairy Allergy
DC = Day Care
DCP = Day Care Provider
DD = Dear Daughter (this may also be Darling Daughter)
DDB = Due Date Buddy
DE = Donor Eggs
DH = Dear Husband (this may also be Darling Husband)
DIL = Daughter in Law
DPO = Days Post Ovulation (this may also be Days Past Ovulation)
DS = Dear Son (this may also be Darling Son)
DSD = Dear Stepdaughter (this may also be Darling Stepdaughter)
DSS = Dear Stepson (this may also be Darling Stepson)
DTaP = Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (this is a vaccine babies and children get)
DW = Dear Wife (this may also be Darling Wife)
E
EBF = Extended Breastfeeding (can also be Exclusively Breastfeeding or Exclusively Breastfed)
EBM = Expressed Breast Milk
EC = Eliminate Communication
EDD = Estimated Due Date (can also be Expected Date of Delivery)
EN = Extended Nursing
EP = Exclusively Pumping
ERIC = End Routine Infant Circumcision
EWCM = Egg White Cervical Mucus
F
FAM = Fertility Awareness Month
FDA = Food and Drug Administration
FF = Formula Feeding (this may also be Formula Fed)
FFO = Front Facing Out (this is with your baby facing the world)
FGM = Female Genital Mutilation (also known as Female circumcision)
FIL = Father in Law
FM = Fluff Mail (this may also be Fluffy Mail)
FMLA = Family and Medical Leave Act
FTM = First Time Mom
FTT = Failure to Thrive
FTW = For the Win (this is when something is really great)
FWIW = For What It’s Worth
G
GF = Girlfriend
GYN = Gynecologist
H
H&H9 = Happy and Healthy Nine Months
HB = Homebirth
hCG = Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (this is the hormone that determines if someone is pregnant)
HCP = Health Care Provider
HOM = High Order Multiples
HPT = Home Pregnancy Test
HS = Home Schooling
HTH = Hope This Helps
I
IBCLC = International Board Certified Lactation Consultant
IEP = Individualized Education Program
IF = Infertility
ILs = In Laws
IMO = In My Opinion
IMHO = In My Honest Opinion
IRL = In Real Life
IUD = Intrauterine Device
ITA = I Totally Agree
IUI = Intrauterine Insemination
IVF = In Vitro Fertilization
J
JJ = Just Joking
JK = Just Kidding
JMHO = Just My Humble Opinion
K
KL = Kissaluvs (a type of fitted diapers)
KN = Knicker Nappies (these are a one size fit diaper)
L
L&D = Labor and Delivery
LC = Lactation Consultant
LH = Luteinizing Hormone
LLL = La Leche League
LMP = Last Menstrual Period
LO = Little One (this could be a baby or a child)
LOL = Laughing Out Loud
LMBO = Laughing My Butt Off
LP = Luteal Phase
M
MC = Miscarriage
ME = Mother Ease
MF = Microfiber
MIC = More in Comments
MIL = Mother in Law
ML = Maternity Leave
MMR = Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (a vaccine for babies)
MoM = Mother of Multiples (such as twins, triplets)
MS = Morning Sickness
MW = Midwife
MYOB = Mind Your Own Business
N
NAK = Nursing at Keyboard
NB = Newborn
NC = Non-Circumcising (this may also mean Non-Circumcized)
NFP = Natural Family Planning
NIH = National Institute of Health
NIP = Nursing in Public
NP = Nurse Practitioner
NV = Non-Vaccinating
O
O = Ovulation
OALD = Over Active Let Down (this relates to breast feeding)
OB = Obstetrician
OB-GYN = Obstetrician-Gynecologist
OH = Other Half
OHT = One Hand Typing
OMG = Oh My Gosh (can also be Oh My God. This can be a good or a bad thing.)
OP = Original Poster (the one who started the discussion, as in someone posting something online)
OPK = Ovulation Prediction Kit
OS = One Size (or One Sized)
OT = Off Topic
OTSBH = Over the Shoulder Boulder Holder (also known as a bra)
OV = Ovulation
P
PAK = Pumping at Keyboard
PCP = Primary Care Physician
PG = Pregnant (this could also be Pregnancy)
PIS = Pump in Style (this is a type of breast pump)
POAS = Pee on a Stick
POS Parent = Parent Over Shoulder (this means mom or dad is watching. This is used mainly by a teenager.)
PP = Postpartum
PPD = Postpartum Depression (this may be a serious condition that should not be ignored)
PPP = Postpartum Psychosis
PSA = Public Service Announcement
R
RIC = Routine Infant Circumcision
ROTFL = Rolling on the Floor Laughing
S
SAHD = Stay at Home Dad
SAHM = Stay at Home Mom
SAHP = Stay at Home Parent
SB = Swaddies Bees
SD = Sperm Donor
SEZ = Snap-EZ
SIL = Sister in Law
SMH = Shaking My Head (this is used with disappointment or disgust)
SNS = Supplemental Nursing System
SO = Significant Other
STBX = Soon to be Ex (as in spouse)
STTN = Sleeping Through the Night
T
TIA = Thanks in Advance
TIM = Too Much Information (use this when you are typing about something gross)
TTC = Trying to Conceive
U
UB = Unassisted Birth
U/S = Ultrasound
UTI = Urinary Tract Infection
V
VAX = Vaccination
VBAC = Vaginal Birth After Cesarean
VF = Vaccination Free
W
WAH = Work at Home
WAHD = Work at Home Dad
WAHM = Work at Home Mom
WHO = World Health Organization
WIC = Women, Infants, and Children
WOH = Work out of Home
WOHD = Work out of Home Dad
WOHM = Work out of Home Mom
X
XH = Ex Husband
XW = Ex Wife
