Acronyms list could do with an update

[catsofa]

Just tried to look up "OPK" which is constantly on all the TTC threads, but it's missing from the v v helpful acronyms list. There are loads there which I've never seen used too, is the whole thing maybe just slightly out of date?

Anyone like to have a look and add here anything else that needs adding or updating? Probably handy for MNHQ to have several suggestions in one place.

Should I then report the thread to request the changes, or will it be seen in "Site Stuff" anyway?

I think you may need to add EKL as well!

(Elderly Korean Lady)

One of the nicest threads I've ever seen on MN!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnet_classics/2154580-There-is-a-tiny-elderly-Korean-lady-in-my-garden-and-I-want-to-go-out?pg=1

I love that thread, magi, it's so calming and charming

If there was ever to be a 'best threads of 2014' competition, then I think that EKL would win [pink visor]

I was going to suggest EKL!

LTB

There was a thread recently where a poster used CP as an abbreviation for chicken pox (as I have done myself) and people jumped on her because they'd thought the thread was about cerebral palsy.

She was told not to use that abbreviation for chicken pox as it was insulting to people with cerebral palsy. Not sure if CP = chicken pox was removed from the list as a result but although I agreed the OP wasn't well worded, I felt the poster was given a hard time about it. Maybe it should be removed from the acronym page if it isn't pc (politically correct, not police constable ) to use that term?

"Politically correct" usually means just "correct", i.e. there's nothing political about it, it's just inaccurate or confusing.

I remember that thread and I think it was just that it wasn't clear what the OP was talking about because they used an abbreviation with more than one meaning and didn't explain which one they meant. So people got upset that she thought maybe she shouldn't go to a supermarket with a child with cerebral palsy (of course she should!), when in fact she was wondering if she should go with a child infected and infectious with chicken pox (of course she blinkin' shouldn't!). Then when everyone had got all cross it took em ages to sort out where the confusion had come from and who they had meant to be angry with about what.

If we mean chicken pox then we should SAY chicken pox before we start abbreviating it, so that everyone knows what is being abbreviated.

I think that about all abbreviations. Although I am aware that I am in a tiny minority. :)

"People could just google? I loathe the ds crap. Just say "my son""

If you loathe the 'D' prefix, then MN is probably not the site for you. It really is a distinctive marker of the language of this community.

I wouldn't try to keep up with Conception topic acronyms, because they don't really cross over to the other boards.

Not so sure what to do with those, like OPK, that are not exclusive to MN. Including them would probably be helpful though.

"If we mean chicken pox then we should SAY chicken pox before we start abbreviating it, so that everyone knows what is being abbreviated."

I agree, and whenever I've used the abbreviation I've made it clear I'm talking about chicken pox (I rarely start threads so would be a thread about chicken pox). But there were some posters on that thread who were quite annoyed at CP being used for chicken pox and I haven't used the abbreviation since for fear of causing offence.

I just thought if it was considered offensive it may be better to remove it from the acronym list so no one else accidentally causes offence. But perhaps it was simply that it wasn't made clear that the op was talking about chicken pox. Perhaps it's even been removed, I can't find the acronym page to find out .

It's still there:

"CP: cerebral palsy or chemical pregnancy or chicken pox, depending on the context"

Most people aren't checking the acronym list though, once they've absorbed the MN specific ones. And many (including those with multiple meanings - EA, CP, CM, GP; or other similarities - DV v D&V) aren't unique to this site anyhow, so lists (unless long and to be unwieldy) are always going to have omissions.

Thanks AuntieStella. I'll just be careful using it in future.

FX = fingers crossed?

Right, I just got a BFP so am going to have to venture into all sorts of pregnancy bits I've never bothered with before, and scare myself with loads of new acronyms...

First I've found is EDD = Expected Due Date, or so I assume.

i wish MN hq would change the CP one
ffs your child has chicken pox, it lasts how long??
not very long, surely you can type chicken pox for that short time

CP is for ever

KTD as an antidote to LTB

Off topic, but could we please have some sort of boak emoticon? I often reach for one and it's not there.

This may not even be an acronym, but could someone tell me what PESH means, please?

Congratulations catsofa!

Thank you!

Just found this on the Baby Centre site, sorry CBA to go through and check for ones we don't have on here yet, I'm just gonna dump it all here for someone else to look at. Only just learned from it what CM stands for though, we could probably do with having that one.

AF - Aunt Flo
AKA - Also-known-as
AI - Artificial Insemination
AP-Attachment parenting
BBT - Basal body temperature
BD - Baby dance (sex)
BF - Breastfeed or boyfriend
BFN - Big fat negative
BFP - Big fat positive
BH - Braxton hicks
BIL - Brother-in-law
BM - Breast milk
BP - Blood pressure
BTW - By the way
CD - Cycle day
CIO - Cry it out
CLBB - Contented Little Baby Book by Gina Ford
CM - Cervical mucus
CVS - Chorionic villus sampling
DD - Dear daughter
DF - Dear fiance
DH - Dear husband
DPO - Days past ovulation
DS - Dear son
DSD - Dear stepdaughter
DSS - Dear stepson
DW - Dear wife
EBF - Extended breastfeeding
EBM - Expressed breast milk
EDD - Estimated due date
ETA - Edited to add
FF - Formula feeding
FIL - Father-in-law
FT - Full-time
FWIW - For what it's worth
FYI - For your information
HPT - Home pregnancy test
HTH- Hope this helps
HV - Health visitor
ICSI - Intracytoplasmic sperm injection
IMHO - In my honest opinion
IMO - In my opinion
IP - Initial post
IRL - In real life
IUI - Intrauterine insemination
IVF - In vitro fertilisation
IYKWIM - If you know what I mean
JMHO - Just my honest opinion
LMAO - Laughing my arse off
LOL - Laughing out loud
MC - Miscarriage
MIL - Mother-in-law
MW - Midwife
MYOB - Mind your own business
(((Name of person))) - Hugging that person
NS - Nuchal scan
OMG - Oh my god/gosh/goodness
OPK - Ovulation prediction kit
OT - Off topic
PG - Pregnant
PND - Postnatal depression
PP - Previous poster
RLT - Raspberry leaf tea
ROFL - Rolling on the floor laughing
SAHD - Stay-at-home dad
SAHM - Stay-at-home mum
SAHP - Stay-at-home parent
SD - Sperm donor
SIL - Sister-in-law
TMI - Too much information
TTC - Trying to conceive
VBAC - Vaginal birth after caesarean
WAHD - Work-at-home dad
WAHM - Work-at-home mum
WAHP - Work-at-home parent

What is SCBU?

Special Care Baby Unit, I think.

My favourite misunderstanding of an abbreviation was the poster who thought PFB meant Precious Fucking Baby [precious first born]