Pregnancy changes your world completely, and while some of the changes may be inconvenient or uncomfortable, the perks are plentiful. This article focuses on all the positives besides the obvious: your precious new baby-to-be.

Some perks are more grand than others, but one thing they have in common is the power to make an expectant woman feel special. While not every woman experiences each and every one of the following perks during her pregnancy, she most likely will experience several. And some day she may look back wistfully on the time she spent pregnant, and wonder how those nine months went by so quickly.

Pregnant women have personally attested to the following perks:

Ever hear of the “pregnancy glow”? It is the best cosmetic ever. You have a radiance and happiness about you that others can’t help but notice.

You receive royal treatment from family and friends, sometimes even strangers! This means you are treated with extra consideration, respect, and sympathy. In line at the ladies’ room? Don’t be surprised if someone lets you skip ahead. Going out to eat? You get to choose the restaurant. Aching back? Your husband will massage it without even complaining.

You can take a nap every day and not feel guilty about relaxing, because you know your body is hard at work nourishing a baby.

Here’s a no-brainer: no period for nine months. What’s not to like about that?

When you do have a bad day and act cranky or moody, you can blame it on the pregnancy hormones!

Extra eating is a must, but what a pleasant chore! You get to choose what you want to eat, as well as when and where, and no one will think you are being a fat pig. Go ahead, have seconds!

Enjoy the fact that your goal is to gain weight, not lose it. How often does that happen?

Another excuse to shop! Not only will you need to buy maternity clothes, but also baby clothes and other cute items for the impending new arrival.

Oh, and when you’re doing your shopping, you get special VIP expectant mother parking at many places, such as the grocery store and the mall. Babies ’R Us cleverly calls it “Stork Parking.”

Maternity clothes are so comfy, and the options today are so stylish. Don’t you wish you could wear these all the time? And forget about ironing your shirts. They wrap tight enough around your baby-bump-belly so that no wrinkles show.

It seems like your skin, hair, and nails have never been healthier. Acne? Gone. Hair? Growing thick and fast. Nails? Stronger than ever.

Boredom doesn’t happen, not when there are baby name books to study, a nursery to prepare, clothes to shop for, and a pregnancy journal keep up with.

And then there are those certain chores you don’t have to do because you are pregnant. “Sorry, honey, I can’t help you paint the baby’s room because of paint fumes.” And the cat’s litter pan? “Sorry, I’m not allowed to touch it for fear of toxoplasmosis.” (Just don’t tell him you could do it if you wore gloves).

Then there’s that boost of energy that makes you feel really great during the second trimester.

Suddenly you have something awesome in common with many other women—pregnancy and motherhood. Meeting potential new friends has never been this easy!

Best of all, you have nine months of early bonding time with your baby (before he or she is born and you become totally sleep deprived). You’re filled with wonder that he or she is growing nestled inside you, cherished close to your heart. Hearing the baby’s heart beat for the first time, viewing the sonograms, feeling the baby move—all these moments are priceless.

There you have it, quite an array of pregnancy perks. If you’re pregnant, doesn’t this make you feel fortunate? And if you’re not pregnant, doesn’t this make you want to be?

A big thanks to the ladies of the Pregnancy Forum at CafeMom.com for sharing their favorite perks of pregnancy for this article!