10 short forms all mommies must know

If you’re expecting a baby or are a new mother, then you may be a part of a mommy circle or community. They’d probably invite you to their regular get-togethers and some of the conversations in the circle can drive you crazy because you realise they have their own language and short forms that you just don’t get. You obviously know about LOL, LMAO and ASAP, but do you know some of the abbreviations used exclusively in mommy circles? Although some of these mommy short forms may seem like no-brainers, they are essential to understanding discussion threads of parenting forums! 

Here are 10 such short forms you absolutely must know!

1. Aunt Flo

Chances are, you might have already heard of this, but this one is pretty important. It’s one of the most basic and well-known terms. Aunt Flo is one of the common terms used for your period and is used in most casual conversations.

2. BF

BF is not your breakfast or your best friend. In parenting circles, it is a common abbreviation for breastfeeding. Speaking of breastfeeding, BM stands for breast-milk. 

3. CM and CF

CM is a widely-used abbreviation in mommy circles and stands for cervical mucus. Similarly, CF stands for cervical fluid. Ensure you remember these because it isn’t something you’ll find on Google!

4. EDD

EDD stands for estimated due date or estimated date of delivery. This is the most popularly used abbreviation, as the due date is the most exciting topic for every mother!

5. BBT

Okay, this one’s quite technical and requires you to actually understand it. BBT is the basal body temperature, which is the temperature of a woman when she is fully at rest. It is a type of family planning method that is based on fertility awareness.

6. L&D

L&D is the short form of labour and delivery, a hot-topic among most young mothers and mothers-to-be.

7. PPD

The stands for postpartum depression, a type of clinical depression and anxiety that can affect both the mother and the father after the birth of the baby. 

8. O/O’d

Although this one may seem confusing, it’s pretty simple. ‘O’ stands for ovulation and O’d stands for ovulating. It is commonly used in parenting circles, so it is important to be aware of this abbreviation.

9. HPT and BFN/BFP

HPT stands for a home pregnancy test and BFN means a ‘big fat negative’ result on the pregnancy test. Contrarily, BFP is a ‘big fat positive’.

10. SO

SO stands for your ‘significant other’. Although not exclusive to mommy circles, SO is a widely used abbreviation in most adult and young-adult groups these days, and features frequently in parenting discussions, making it important for you to be aware of it.

We hope that these short forms will make it much easier for you to follow conversations and tips circulated among parenting circles, without having to ask the fellow parents for help each time!