I got into online Mom groups about six months postpartum and loved it! I never saw myself as someone who would partake in online discussions, but the unique experience of becoming a mom changed all that. It can get lonely when you first become a mom. No matter how close you remain with your non-mom friends, there’s a definite need to connect and bounce ideas off other women going through the same things as you. I had no idea how many moms out there had the same opinions on parenting as me, and I got some amazing advice. Within mom groups, you’ll find yourself advice, opportunities to teach others, connection, and commiseration.
Mom groups have their own lingo of acronyms, and it almost feels like a foreign language when you first get into forums. So I’ve typed up a list of common Mommy Lingo to help you get a head start! I’ve divided the lingo up into five common topics you’ll find in the groups.
Infant Feeding
BM: Breastmilk
BLW: Baby Led Weaning
EBF: Exclusively Breastfeeding
EP: Exclusively Pumping
FF: Formula Feeding
LLL: La Leche League (breastfeeding support group)
TW: Traditional Weaning
Infant Sleep
AP: Attachment Parenting
CC: Controlled Crying (sleep training method)
CIO: Cry It Out (sleep training method)
DFTN: Down for the Night
DWT: Daily Wake Time
MOTN: Middle of the Night
PUPD: Pick Up/Put Down (sleep training method)
STTN: Sleep through the Night
Family Members
BIL: Brother in Law
DH, DS, DD: Dear/Darling Husband, Son, Daughter
FIL: Father in Law
FTM: First Time Mom
LO: Little One
MIL: Mother in Law
NB: Newborn
SAHM: Stay at Home Mom
SIL: Sister in Law
SO: Significant Other
WAHM: Work at Home Mom
Trying to Conceive
2WW: 2 Week Wait
AF: Aunt Flow (your period)
BC: Birth Control
BFP: Big Fat Positive (Pregnancy Test)
BFN: Big Fat Negative (Pregnancy Test)
MC: Miscarriage
TTC: Trying to Conceive
US: Ultrasound
Miscellaneous
Bump: Putting “bump” into a post is a way to move the thread back up to the top of a forum
CD: Cloth Diaper
Circ.: Circumcise
CS: C-section
ERF: extended rear facing (as in car seats)
Following: If you want to follow a post but don’t have any other comment to add to the thread (I recommend, instead, click on the arrow/caret at the top of the post and click to follow/ turn on notifications for the post)
IMO: In my opinion
IMHO: In my humble opinion
ISO: In search of
OT: Off Topic
OP: Original Poster
PFA: Pic for Attention (a photo to get people to notice your post)
PM: Personal Message
PP: Postpartum
PT: Potty Trained or Training
TIA: Thanks in Advance
