Oh, the times I’ve preached to bloggers-to-be about the importance of regularly scheduled posting. Yet, weeks have gone by since my last FlackRabbit musing. I’m sorry.

I have a fabulous excuse though: I am making a tiny human. Squeal! I know, I know! And it’s a girl! Squeeeeee!

Indeed, the newest addition to Team Newman will arrive March 10-ish—which is like, tomorrow. Yikes. Yes, we are acutely aware this due date means we cannot attend SXSW Interactive. There’s always 2013…

Despite this awesome baby news that has taken over every fiber of my being, loyal FlackRabbiters need not worry: FlackRabbit will not become a mommy blog. I promise. I just wanted to publicly let you know that my blogging absence isn’t because I don’t love you; it is because I have been kind of busy trying not to vomit at work. Or I’ve been sleeping. I’ve also been preoccupied with red meat, oatmeal cream pies, sweet tea and Zulily.

Yet, in the spirit of “this is one of the only times I’m going to blog about pregnancy on my public relations blog,” please accept (or excuse) my tiny contribution to the Internet’s generous provision of resources for the first-time-pregnant, working gal: 

FlackRabbit’s Pregnancy Guide | Months 1—5

Read:

Alpha Mom’s Pregnancy Calendar, Zero to Forty, by Amy Corbett Storch: I will not attempt to articulate its awesomeness, because I will fail.

Girlfriend’s Guide to Pregnancy, by Vicki Iovine: laugh out loud funny and so very helpful—but not scary. Have now read it twice.

Pregnant Chicken: informative and hysterical. Plus, there are give-a-ways!

Buy:

A fun pregnancy iPhone app: although I have seven of them on my phone, this one by Smiles Factory is my favorite. I like this one, too, by OB on the Go; it has a fun hydration counter thingy.

This maternity pillow: girl, I know it’s $100; worth every freakin penny. Do it.

Dresses: lots of them. And this from the gal who likes to wear suits every day.  But about six weeks into your pregnancy, those fitted suit pants of yours will.not.button. And there is nothing as awesome as a cotton dress when you’re pregnant. Well, besides eating an entire bag of BBQ chips…

Cocoa Butter: your skin gets dry, stretches, and itches. The cocoa butter makes it all better and you smell like summer.

Prenatal vitamins: a no-brainer, yet difficult for many women to take because they often make nausea worse. I had a good experience with these. But you should consult your doctor before ingesting something you read about on a PR blog, obvs.

Ginger Chews: saved my life (thanks, Krissi!). When the smorgasbord of smells and the heat of mass transit threaten to make you toss your cookies, pop a ginger chew.

Maternity pajamas: it never occurred to me that I’d need preggo pj’s, but by my fourth month, my ever-expanding hips and belly weren’t comfortable (or fitting) in my normal pj pants and tiny t-shirts. Same goes for maternity underwear; you’ll be so much more comfy when you buy it!

Avoid:

People with scary/negative stories: they will hunt you down—and seem nice at first—but do not engage in conversation with these people: “You are pregnant?! That’s wonderful! My daughter just gave birth—she nearly died and the hospital bills have forced her family into bankruptcy…but I’m sure you’ll be fine. Congrats!”  This was said to me last month by a well-intentioned, self-absorbed person. I just smiled and offered up prayer of thanks that I’m not her caliber of crazy.

Acidic beverages: oh, the nausea! It took me a couple of months to figure it out, but coffee (my beloved!) and orange juice (good for baby!) were nearly the death of me. Good Lord, I wish I had come to that realization before the third month of pregnancy.

The Internet: when (not if) you experience something that causes you concern, stay off the message boards. When (not if) you have a scary symptom—even if it is at 2 a.m.—don’t hesitate to call your doctor. If you Google said symptom, you’ll likely find a message board where hundreds of folks will confirm that you A) have three hours to live and B) have killed your baby. The Internet is helpful like that. Back off it, sister. It’s for your own good.

Listen to:

Your body: I know, business lady, I know! You are a go-getter. A hard-working, social media obsessed, strategic, networking, happy-hour loving professional! And pregnancy is not gonna change that! But the truth is, pregnancy does change that and there is nothing you can do about it; thank the Lord. Listen to your body; it will tell (not ask) you when it needs to eat, sleep, slow down, take a walk, avoid stress, etc. It’s magical, really. Embrace it.

Supportive, positive women: many business ladies I know prefer—or need—to keep the news of their pregnancy a secret for many months, but I don’t know what I would have done in the first trimester without the encouragement of and advice from an inner circle of co-workers. You spend the majority of your day at the office; you deserve to have a support system there—especially when you’re vomiting in an office trashcan.

And finally:

Savor every moment of your pregnancy, even the sucky ones. This is an honor and there are so many women who would give anything to have your current “medical condition,” even on your most nauseous, toilet-hugging day.  Keep those women in mind as you create this tiny miracle; I know I do.

UPDATE: the official Margie Newman: Preggers blog is over here. Enjoy!