Lost in abbreviation?

This is what I look like when trying to read baby/pregnancy/infertility message boards.

Step One - Find an interesting board

Step Two - Try desperately to determine what BFP, OPK, CD mean

Step Three - Give up in a fit of rage

If you are anything like me, you know how difficult navigating your way through baby/pregnancy/infertility message boards can be. When I first started frequenting the boards, I could barely understand what these women were saying.
Why you might ask?

Let me give you an example:

"Hey, I'm joining the TWW. I got my first "smiley" on my Clear Blue digital OPK this afternoon. I'm right on time - CD 16. I will O tomorrow, CD 17. I have a 13-day LP, so my next period will be due 2/17.

I'm fresh off early MC #2 in 5 cycles. My OB ran a series of tests, did an internal exam, and ultrasound - nothing, nadda, I'm normal. The ultrasound did, however, show over 20 follicles in my ovaries getting ready (that was a week ago). So I'm really hoping that at least 1 of those little guys does me right this cycle! We shall see.

I'm planning on testing first on Valentine's (my due date with my twins) which will be 11 DPO. I've always gotten BFPs at 9 DPO anyway. It'd be a nice way to celebrate that day :)

GL to all!!"

Via

What the what?

Ok here’s the translation: 

 

 

"Hey, I’m joining the Two Week Wait. I got my first “smiley” (meaning positive) on my Clear Blue digital ovulation predictor kit this afternoon. I’m right on time – cycle day 16. I will ovulate tomorrow, cycle day 17. I have a 13-day luteal phase, so my next period will be due 2/17. 

 

I’m fresh off early miscarriage #2 in 5 cycles. My obstetrician ran a series of tests, did an internal exam, and ultrasound – nothing, nadda, I’m normal. The ultrasound did, however, show over 20 follicles in my ovaries getting ready (that was a week ago). So I'm really hoping that at least 1 of those little guys does me right this cycle! We shall see.

I'm planning on testing first on Valentine's (my due date with my twins) which will be 11 days past ovulation. I've always gotten big fat positives at 9 days past ovulation anyway. It'd be a nice way to celebrate that day :)

Good luck to all!!"

 

Make sense now?

To make things easy for anyone who finds themselves lost in translation, here is a quick list of commonly used abbreviations in the land of baby/pregnancy/infertility message boards:

 

Acronyms	What they mean
AF	Aunt Flo — menstruation/period
AP	attachment parenting
BB or BBS	Internet bulletin board
BBC	BabyCenter
BBL	be back later
BBT	basal body temperature
BC	because, or birth control, or before children
BCPS	birth control pills
BD	baby dance (sex)
BF	breastfeed, or boyfriend
BFN	big fat negative (pregnancy test)
BFP	big fat positive (pregnancy test)
BIL	brother-in-law
BM	breast milk, or bowel movement
BRB	be right back
BTDT	been there, done that
BTW	by the way
CD	cycle day
CF	cervical fluid
CIO	cry it out
Circ.	circumcise
CM	cervical mucus
CWIM	see what I mean
CS or C/S	cesarean section
DC	daycare, dear child
DD	dear daughter
DF	dear fiancee
DH	dear husband
DP	dear partner
DPO	days past ovulation
DS	dear son
DSD	dear stepdaughter
DSS	dear stepson
DTD	do the deed
DW	dear wife
EBF	extended breastfeeding, exclusively breastfeeding
EBM	expressed breast milk
EDD	estimated due date, or expected date of delivery
EWCM	egg white cervical mucus
FF	formula feeding
FIL	father-in-law
FT	full time
FTM	first time mom
FTR	for the record
FWIW	for what it's worth
FYI	for your information
HPT	home pregnancy test
HTH	hope this helps
IC	incompetent cervix
IMHO	in my humble opinion
IMO	in my opinion
IRL	in real life
ITA	I totally agree
IUI	intrauterine insemination
IVF	in vitro fertilization
JJ or J/J	just joking
JK or J/K	just kidding
JMHO	just my humble opinion, or just my honest opinion
KWIM	know what I mean
L&D	labor and delivery
LO	little one
LOL	laughing out loud
LP	luteal phase
MC or M/C	miscarriage
MIL	mother-in-law
ML	maternity leave
MM	mother's milk
MYOB	mind your own business
NMS	not my style
NMSAA	not my style at all
NP	no problem
O	ovulation
O'd	ovulated
OMG	oh my gosh, or oh my god
OP	original poster
OPK	ovulation predictor kit
OT	off topic
PG	pregnant, or pregnancy
POAS	pee on a stick (i.e. pregnancy test)
PP	previous poster
PPD	postpartum depression
RE	reproductive endocrinologist
ROFL	rolling on floor laughing
SAHD	stay-at-home dad
SAHM	stay-at-home mom
SAHP	stay-at-home parent
SD	sperm donor
SIL	sister-in-law
SO	significant other
TCOYF	Taking Charge of Your Fertility, by Toni Weschler
TIA	thanks in advance
TMI	too much information
TTC	trying to conceive
US or U/S	ultrasound
VBAC	vaginal birth after cesarean section
WAH	work at home
WOH	work out of the home

Hope this helps anyone lost in the jungle of baby message board abbreviations!

xo, Vicky