I recall the tears clouding my vision at 2AM as I rocked my inconsolable 3 week old. I was sleep deprived, still recovering from birth, and felt like a mommy failure. I consulted Google and Facebook pages to try and find answers. As if my tired brain could handle one more obstacle, I found the online community of moms using a language I had never seen. I needed a translator. Or, at the very least, one place to de-code this new language. After months of using the internet for guidance in my mothering journey, I do believe I may be nearly fluent, or at least conversational in this online mama language ;).

I hope this tool helps a new mama interpret her findings. I plan to continually update this dictionary.

Online Acronym ~ English

AAP – American Academy of Pediatrics

BM – Breast Milk

BF – Breast Feeding

BFN – Big Fat Negative (pregnancy test)

BFP – Big Fat Positive (pregnancy test)

BLW – Baby led weaning

BW – Baby Wise

CIO – Cry It Out

DC – Dear child

DD – Dear daughter

DF – Dairy Free

DH – Dear Husband

DP – Dear partner

DPO – Days Past Ovulation

DS – Dear son

DSD – dear step daughter

DSS – Dear step son

DW – Dear Wife

DWT – Designated Wake Time

EBF – Exclusively Breast Fed

ETA – Edited to Add

F – Following (the person intends to follow future comments on the thread)

FTM – First Time Mom

FF – Formula Fed

GF- Gluten Free

HPT – Home Pregnancy Test

IBCLC – International Board Certified Lactation Consultant

IPT – Independent Play Time

LC – Lactation Consultant

LMP – Last Menstrual Period

LO – Little One

MC or M/C – Miscarriage

MOTN – Middle of the Night

MO – Month old

NBFR – Not Breast Feeding Related

OT – Off Topic

PG – Pregnant

PPD – Post Partum Depression

POAS – Pee On A Stick (pregnancy test)

R&P – Rock and Play

US and U/S – Ultrasound

SAHD – Stay At Home Dad

SAHM – Stay At Home Mom

SIDS – Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

SF – Soy free

SMH – Shaking My Head

STTN – Sleep Through The Night

TBH – To Be Honest

TIA – Thanks in Advance

TTC – Trying to Conceive

VBAC – Vaginal Birth After Cesarean Section

WO – Week Old

WSS – What She Said

Have you happened upon another commonly used acronym online? Submit your request for an addition to the Online Mama ~ English Dictionary below. If you do not know the meaning, you may still submit and I can help find the translation.