Parenting Forum Abbreviations
42 abbreviations · part of Texting & Internet Slang Abbreviations
Shorthand used on parenting and family forums such as Mumsnet, BabyCenter, What to Expect and Reddit parenting communities: family codes (DH, DD, DS, MIL), home-and-work terms (SAHM, WAHM), trying-to-conceive and pregnancy jargon (TTC, BFP, 2WW) and baby-care terms (EBF, BLW, CIO). These codes let posters write long personal stories quickly and anonymously. Entries explain each code, where it is most common (British or American forums) and how it differs from identical abbreviations in other fields.
| Abbreviation | Stands for | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2WW | Two-week wait | Roughly two-week period between ovulation and an expected period or pregnancy test, described as emotionally stressful by people trying to conceive. |
| AF | Aunt Flo (menstrual period) | Euphemism for a menstrual period on fertility and women's health forums, as in "AF arrived" or "AF is late." Used especially by people trying to conceive, for whom it… |
| AIBU | Am I being unreasonable? | Question at the start of a forum post asking others to judge a personal dispute. |
| BD | Baby daddy | Slang for the father of one's child, usually when the parents are not together, as in "her BD has the kids on weekends." Used in co-parenting discussions and pop culture. |
| BF | Breastfeeding | Feeding a baby breast milk directly from the breast, as in "still BF at 12 months" or "BF and pumping at work." Used on parenting forums and pregnancy apps alongside FF… |
| BFN | Big fat negative | A negative pregnancy test result, shared on trying-to-conceive forums, often with disappointment and requests for support from others going through the same monthly… |
| BFP | Big fat positive | A clearly positive home pregnancy test, announced on trying-to-conceive forums with great excitement, often with a photo of the test. |
| BIL | Brother-in-law | The brother of one's spouse or the husband of one's sibling, as in "BIL is helping us move." Forum posts use it in stories about family gatherings, loans and childcare… |
| BLW | Baby-led weaning | Approach to starting solid foods, usually around six months, in which babies feed themselves soft finger foods from the family meal rather than being spoon-fed purées. |
| BM | Baby mama | Slang for the mother of one's child, typically when the parents are not in a relationship. |
| CIO | Cry it out | Sleep-training approach in which a baby is put to bed awake and allowed to cry until falling asleep, either without checks ("extinction") or with timed check-ins. |
| DC | Dear children | Collective code for all of the poster's children, as in "DC are 3 and 7." Used mostly on British forums such as Mumsnet when talking about the whole family. |
| DD | Dear daughter | Code for the poster's daughter in parenting forums, as in "DD (6) has started ballet." Ages are often added in brackets to give context. |
| DH | Dear husband | Forum code for the poster's husband, as in "DH works nights." Among the most frequent abbreviations on Mumsnet, BabyCenter and Reddit parenting and relationship boards… |
| DP | Dear partner | Gender-neutral code for the poster's unmarried or long-term partner, widely used on UK forums such as Mumsnet. |
| DPO | Days past ovulation | Number of days since ovulation, used to time pregnancy tests and track symptoms during the two-week wait, as in "testing at 12 DPO." |
| DS | Dear son | Forum shorthand for the poster's son, often numbered by age order, as in "DS1 is 8 and DS2 is 5." Common on Mumsnet, BabyCenter and parenting subreddits. |
| DSD | Dear stepdaughter | Code for the poster's stepdaughter on blended-family forums, as in "DSD is 14 and struggling with the move." |
| DSS | Dear stepson | Code for the poster's stepson on blended-family and parenting forums, as in "DSS stays with us every other weekend." |
| DW | Dear wife | Code a forum poster uses for his or her wife, common on parenting, finance and relationship boards, as in "DW and I are expecting our second." |
| EBF | Exclusively breastfed (or breastfeeding) | Describes a baby fed only breast milk, with no formula, water or solid food, or the practice itself, as in "LO is EBF." Common in parenting forums, pediatric advice and… |
| EP | Exclusively pumping | Feeding a baby only breast milk that has been expressed with a pump and given by bottle, rather than nursing directly. |
| FF | Formula feeding | Feeding a baby infant formula from a bottle, either exclusively or combined with breast milk, as in "we FF from birth" or "switched to FF at four months." |
| FIL | Father-in-law | The father of one's spouse, as in "FIL offered to help with the deposit." Used on family, wedding and parenting forums. |
| FTM | First-time mom | Mother expecting or raising her first child, as in "FTM, due in March, any tips?" Common on pregnancy apps and parenting forums. |
| HPT | Home pregnancy test | Over-the-counter urine test that detects the hormone hCG, used to check for pregnancy at home. |
| LO | Little one | Affectionate, gender-neutral term for a baby or young child, as in "LO is teething." One of the most common codes on baby forums and in parenting groups. |
| MC | Miscarriage | Loss of a pregnancy before about 20 weeks, a sensitive topic discussed in support threads on pregnancy and TTC forums, as in "after my MC last year." |
| MIL | Mother-in-law | The mother of one's spouse, among the most discussed figures on parenting and relationship forums, as in "MIL wants to stay for three weeks after the baby arrives." |
| NCT | National Childbirth Trust | UK parenting charity best known for antenatal classes, which group expectant parents due around the same time and often lead to lasting friendships. |
| PFB | Precious first born | Gently teasing term for a first child, used to describe the anxious, overprotective habits of first-time parents, as in "sterilizing everything, total PFB." |
| PIL | Parents-in-law | One's spouse's parents as a pair, as in "PIL are visiting for a week." Common on British forums such as Mumsnet. |
| SAHD | Stay-at-home dad | Father who stays home as the primary caregiver while a partner works outside the home. |
| SAHM | Stay-at-home mom | Mother who stays home to care for children rather than working for pay outside the home. |
| SAHP | Stay-at-home parent | Gender-neutral term for a parent who stays home to care for children instead of working for pay, used in forums, research, surveys and policy writing about childcare… |
| SIL | Sister-in-law | The sister of one's spouse or the wife of one's sibling, as in "SIL is hosting Christmas this year." Holiday hosting, baby names and gift disputes with SILs fill many… |
| STM | Second-time mom | Mother expecting or raising her second child, often offering practical advice to first-time moms on pregnancy forums and in birth-month groups about gear, labor and… |
| TTC | Trying to conceive | Describes a person or couple actively trying to get pregnant. |
| WAHM | Work-at-home mom | Mother who earns money from home, through remote employment, freelancing or a home business, while also caring for children. |
| WWYD | What would you do? | Question asking other forum members how they would handle a dilemma, used on parenting, relationship and money forums, as in "WWYD about a neighbor's barking dog?" |
| YABU | You are being unreasonable | Verdict replying to an AIBU ("am I being unreasonable?") thread on Mumsnet, telling the original poster that they are in the wrong. |
| YANBU | You are not being unreasonable | Supportive verdict on a Mumsnet AIBU thread, telling the original poster that their position is fair and others are at fault. |