This glossary combines essential medical terms, emoticons, and widely-used acronyms to help parents and caregivers navigate the journey of pregnancy, childbirth, and baby care.
A
- 2WW: Two-week wait until time to take a pregnancy test (approximately 14 days after ovulation).
- AE: Alternate Ego.
- Air leak: When air leaks through holes in the lung tissue into the spaces outside the lung airways.
- AF: Aunt Flo (menstruation).
- AI: Artificial Insemination.
- AMA: Advanced maternal age.
- Alveoli: Tiny sacs that are the smallest airways of the lungs.
- AO: Anovulatory.
- AP: Adoption Process or Attachment Parenting.
- AR: Assisted Reproduction.
- Apnea: To stop breathing.
- ART: Assisted Reproductive Technology.
- Asphyxia: A general term used to describe inadequate intake of oxygen by the baby.
Emoticons
| Emoticon | Meaning |
|---|---|
| :) | Happy |
| :( | Sad |
| :D | Grin |
| 8) | Sunglasses cool |
| :$ | Blush or embarrassed |
| :_( | Cry |
| :* | Kiss |
| : | |
| :O | Shocked |
| :P | Silly |
| ;) | Wink |
| (yell) | Yell, angry |
| }-] | Devil, naughty |
| O:) | Angel, innocent |
| (vomit) | Vomit |
| (pout) | Pout |
| (yawn) | Yawn |
| (bandit) | Bandit |
| <3 | Heart |
| (star) | Star |
| (boy) | Boy |
| (girl) | Girl |
| (llama) | Llama |
| (hippo) | Hippo |
| (unicorn) | Unicorn |
| (goat) | Goat |
| (popcorn) | Popcorn |
| (chair) | Chair |
| (yay) | Yay, celebrate, congratulations |
| (DTD) | Sex |
| (rainbow) | Rainbow |
| (shocked) | Shocked baby face |
| (silence) | Silence baby face |
| (sad) | Sad baby face |
| (angry) | Angry baby face |
| (lol) | Laughing baby face |
| (love) | Love baby face with hearts in eyes |
| (lovelove) | Baby face with hearts around head |
| (crying) | Crying baby face |
| (bfn) | Big Fat Negative pregnancy test |
| (bfp) | Big Fat Positive pregnancy test |
| (cheers) | Wine glass |
| (diaper) | Dirty diaper |
| (coffee) | Coffee mug |
| (boobaward) | Breastfeeding award |
| (goldenboobs) | Breastfeeding gold award |
| (goldenbottle) | Golden bottle award |
B
- BBs: Breasts.
- BC: Birth Control or Because.
- BCP: Birth Control Pills.
- BBT: Basal Body Temperature.
- BD: Baby Dance (sex).
- BF or BF'ing: Breastfeeding or Boyfriend.
- BFN or BF0: Big Fat Negative (home pregnancy test result).
- BFP: Big Fat Positive (home pregnancy test result).
- Bilirubin: A substance formed when red blood cells break down and are excreted by the liver. Excess bilirubin in the blood causes jaundice.
- Bradycardia: Slowing of the heart rate.
- Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD): See chronic lung disease.
- BIO: The Nest Baby Community Bio.
- BM: Breast Milk or Bowel Movement.
- BMB: Birth Month Board.
- BOTB: Baby On The Brain.
Acronyms (General)
| Acronym | Meaning |
|---|---|
| AF | Aunt Flo — menstruation/period |
| AP | Attachment Parenting |
| BBC | BabyCenter |
| BBL | Be back later |
| BBT | Basal body temperature |
| BCPS | Birth control pills |
| BD | Baby dance (sex) |
| BF | Breastfeed, or boyfriend |
| BFN | Big fat negative (pregnancy test) |
| BFP | Big fat positive (pregnancy test) |
| FIL | Father-in-law |
| LO | Little one |
| LOL | Laughing out loud |
| MC or M/C | Miscarriage |
| MIL | Mother-in-law |
| TCOYF | Taking Charge of Your Fertility |
| TTC | Trying to conceive |
| VBAC | Vaginal birth after cesarean section |
Comprehensive Glossary for Pregnancy, Birth, and Parenting (Part 2)
C (continued)
- CIO: Cry it out.
- Circ.: Circumcise.
- CM: Cervical mucus.
- CWIM: See what I mean.
- CS or C/S: Cesarean section.
- CP: Cervical position.
- CBEFM: Clear Blue Easy Fertility Monitor.
- Colpo: Colposcopy.
- CVS: Chorionic Villae Sampling.
D
- DC: Daycare or Dear Child.
- D&C: Dilation and Curettage.
- D&E: Dilation and Evacuation.
- DH: Dear/Darling Husband.
- DI: Donor Insemination.
- DTD: Do the deed (sex).
- DPO: Days past ovulation.
- DS: Dear/Darling Son.
- DSD: Dear Stepdaughter.
- DSS: Dear Stepson.
E
- EBF: Exclusively Breastfed or Extended Breastfeeding.
- EBM: Expressed Breast Milk.
- EDD: Estimated Due Date.
- EFF: Exclusively Formula Fed.
- ENDO: Endometriosis.
- EOD: Every other day.
- EP: Exclusively Pump.
- EPT: Early Pregnancy Test.
- ETA: Edited to add or Estimated time of arrival.
- EWCM: Egg White Cervical Mucus.
F
- FTR: For the record.
- FTM: First Time Mom.
- FWIW: For what it's worth.
- FF: Formula Feeding or Fertility Friend (charting tool).
- FSH: Follicle Stimulating Hormone.
- FX: Fingers crossed.
- FBF: Fur Baby Friday.
- FET: Frozen Embryo Transfer.
G
- GTKYFB: Get To Know Your Fellow Bumpie.
- GBCB/N/K: Goodbye Cruel Bump/Nest/Knot.
- GMA: Geriatric Maternal Age.
- GP: General Practitioner.
H
- HCG: Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (pregnancy hormone).
- H&H: Happy and Healthy (pregnancy wish).
- HOM: High Order Multiples (e.g., triplets or more).
- HPT: Home Pregnancy Test.
- HSC: Hysteroscopy.
- HSG: Hysterosalpingogram (test for uterine and fallopian tube health).
- HTH: Hope that helps.
I
- IC: Incompetent Cervix (also known as Cervical Insufficiency).
- IUI: Intrauterine Insemination.
- IVF: In Vitro Fertilization.
- IMHO: In My Humble Opinion.
- IRL: In Real Life.
- IYKWIM: If You Know What I Mean.
J
- JK: Just Kidding.
- JMHO: Just My Humble Opinion or Honest Opinion.
K
- KU: Knocked Up (slang for pregnancy).
- KTFU: Knocked the F* Up (informal).
- KWIM: Know What I Mean.
L
- L&D: Labor and Delivery.
- LO: Little One (child).
- LP: Luteal Phase.
- LPD: Luteal Phase Defect.
- LGBT: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender.
Comprehensive Glossary for Pregnancy, Birth, and Parenting (Part 3)
M
- MC or M/C: Miscarriage.
- MF or MFI: Male Factor Infertility.
- MM: Mother's Milk.
- ML: Maternity Leave.
- MS or M/S: Morning Sickness.
- MTHFR: A common gene mutation linked to pregnancy complications.
- MYOB: Mind Your Own Business.
N
- NAK: Nursing at the Keyboard.
- NBR: Not Baby Related.
- NFP: Natural Family Planning.
- NFT: No Further Text.
- NIP: Nursing in Public.
- NTD: Neural Tube Defect.
- NMS: Not My Style.
O
- O: Ovulation.
- OB: Obstetrician.
- OB/GYN: Obstetrician/Gynecologist.
- OP: Original Poster.
- OPK: Ovulation Predictor Kit.
- OT: Off Topic.
- OMG: Oh My Gosh (or God).
P
- PG: Pregnancy or Pregnant.
- POAS: Pee on a Stick (pregnancy test).
- PP: Postpartum or Previous Poster.
- PPD: Postpartum Depression.
- PROM: Premature Rupture of Membranes.
- PIP: Picture in Post.
- PITA: Pain in the Ass.
- PNV: Prenatal Vitamin.
- P4: Progesterone.
R
- RE: Reproductive Endocrinologist.
- RPL: Recurrent Pregnancy Loss.
- RSA: Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion.
- ROFL: Rolling on the Floor Laughing.
S
- SAHD: Stay-at-Home Dad.
- SAHM: Stay-at-Home Mom.
- SAHP: Stay-at-Home Parent.
- SIL: Sister-in-Law.
- SO: Significant Other.
- S/O: Speaking Of.
- Sniss: Sneeze + Pee (pregnancy symptom).
- STD: Short-Term Disability.
T
- TCOYF: Taking Charge of Your Fertility (book title).
- TMI: Too Much Information.
- TTC: Trying to Conceive.
- TTN: Transient Tachypnea of the Newborn.
- TIA: Thanks in Advance.
- TR: Tubal Reversal.
- TL: Tubal Ligation.
- TSH: Thyroid Stimulating Hormone.
U
- UC: Unassisted Childbirth.
- U/S: Ultrasound.
- UTI: Urinary Tract Infection.
V
- VBAC: Vaginal Birth After Cesarean.
- VR: Vasectomy Reversal.
W
- WAHM: Work-at-Home Mom.
- WOH: Work Out of the Home.
- WTF: What the F***.
- WTEWE: What to Expect When You're Expecting (book title).
X
- XP: Cross Post (posted on multiple boards).
Y
- YGM: You've Got Mail.
- YGPM: You've Got a Private Message.
- YKWIM: You Know What I Mean.