Mark was born on October 12, 2012. These articles were written shortly before his birth (it was a great catharsis!) and document the nine months of pregnant where I was definitely not glowing. Up-to-date stories coming up as well!

Maybe I have been a bit too candid about the whole pregnancy thing. And maybe I have been too cynical lately.

After all, I’m supposed to be that glowing-about-to-give-birth-woman.

Blame my sarcasms and tongue-in-cheek attitude and articles on my French side—you know how much French like to complain about nothing and everything!

So let’s be appreciative a bit for a change. It’s good for my karma and I take my karma seriously these days (yes, being pregnant makes you superstitious, I find).

Here are ten perks of being pregnant, aka “thank you flowers and bees”.

Whenever you feel bitchy for no reason, you can blame it on the hormones. People will actually take that excuse seriously—amazing, I know. Note to self: explore ways to blame bitchiness on post-pregnancy hormones as well (me, milking it? Non, pas du tout!). People who care about you will care extra (and to hell with the pregnancy police and rude comments!). My family and friends truly amazed me this year and it is great to be able to count on them. Your legs look really thin compared to your belly. And so does your butt if you turn sideways (trust me, you will find that super flattering angle in the mirror). You can discover new stores and shop for stuff you didn’t know existed—great for shopaholics! You can get some freebies. For instance, I signed up for the free Nestle Baby Program and I have just received a huge package with plenty of samples, a bottle, a nice diaper bag with changing pads and diapers. There are tons of other baby and toddlers freebies around—yes, it’s a good marketing opportunity for these companies but freebies can be good to take when your budget is tight! Pregnancy is an amazing adventure. I know it sounds cheesy to say but it’s a bit like traveling—you are working towards a goal, there are obstacles on the way but it’s a rewarding journey if not an easy one! You get to buy toys. I still like Winnie the Pooh and I’m 29. Now I have an excuse to go “Winnie shopping”! Complete strangers like to strike up conversations. And as long as they are not from the pregnancy police, I love that. A lot of women seem to like to remember their own pregnancy—mostly the good sides of it!—when meeting other pregnant women. You get a new appreciation for your body. It’s pretty amazing (if slightly disturbing at times) to see how it adapts for baby-making and baby-baking! These nine months are a chance to redefine your priorities—in a positive way. For instance, right before I got pregnant, I traded a full-time permanent position for a freelancing career. It was a scary move but looking back at this year, I don’t regret it because my new schedule allowed me to live a different life and I think my pregnancy experience would have been very different if I had been working 9-5 in an office.

Did you discover any perks when you were pregnant? Do these perks make you want to have a baby?