20 of the Most Common Acronyms Found in Online Mom Forums

I've compiled the Top 20 Acronyms you need to know to stay up to speed in online parenting forums!

Have you ever found yourself seeking advice in a parenting blog or online forum, only to realize half of the message is lost in code?

During my pregnancy, I went desperately looking for community before the arrival of baby boy #1. Luckily, nowadays there are tons of forums, apps, and hashtags to follow with great information shared between expecting and experienced mothers. However, if you don't know the lingo, it's easy to fall behind in the conversation..

“If you are anything like me, you have found yourself toggling relentlessly between an interesting thread and Google, looking up acronyms such as TTC, FTM, and EBF.”

I cannot count the number of times I was emotionally invested in a juicy Mother in Law rant, only to realize I had lost some of the details due to an overabundance of internet jargon. These are not your average LOL's and ROFLMBO's. I mean Mommy-jargon. It's totally different, but also, totally necessary if you plan to sink your teeth into the juiciest of forums. In-law rants aside, say you find yourself looking for solace by reading Labor & Delivery stories, you will need to recognize the term as "L&D" instead because, ain't nobody got time to write the whole thing!

If you are anything like me, you have found yourself toggling relentlessly between an interesting thread and Google, looking up acronyms such as TTC, FTM, and EBF. I see you, I am you, so I know there is no better way to mess up the groove than leaving your place to lookup the meaning of a seemingly random, however useful, acronym.

I have compiled a list including 20 of the most common acronyms you will need to know to keep up in the internet "Mommysphere!"

1. FTM - First Time Mom

2. STM - Second Time Mom

3. EBF - Exclusively Breast Fed

4. EP - Exclusively Pumping

5. FF - Formula Feeding

6. PP - Postpartum

7. MIL - Mother In Law

8. LO - Little One

9. SO - Significant Other

10. DH - Dear Husband

11. CIO - "Cry It Out" Method

12. SAHM - Stay at Home Mom

13. WFHM - Work from Home Mom

14. EDD - Estimated Due Date

15. TTC- Trying to Conceive

16. MC - Miscarriage

17. MMC - Missed Miscarriage

18. IVF - In-Vitro Fertilization

19. HPT - Home Pregnancy Test

20. And finally, OT - Off Topic

There are still many, MANY more to add (perhaps I will compile a Part 2!)

Comment your favorite and most used acronyms below!