40 reasons to be glad you're pregnant

Every pregnant woman knows that being pregnant can take its toll at times. The physical changes to your body can make it hard to get comfy or sleep well. And your moods may be all over the place.

When you’re feeling overwhelmed by being pregnant, it can really help to focus on the plus points. Here are some of the things we love most about being pregnant – you can use it as a starting point to write your own list.

1. In the early weeks, you get to enjoy a very special secret and choose who you share it with.

2. When you do decide to tell everyone your news you can watch their faces light up.

3. You get to spend time planning and dreaming about what life will be like once you’re a parent.

4. You get to pick a whole new wardrobe as your baby bump expands.

5. Pregnancy is the perfect excuse to pamper yourself. Why not relax in a warm bath, or massage a luxurious lotion into your growing bump?

6. Peanut? Bean? Pickle? You have the pleasure of picking the perfect baby bump nickname.

7. You can sign up for antenatal classes and make friendships that could last a lifetime.

8. It’s time to make the most of every single physical change of pregnancy. Embrace your growing curves while they last!

9. Especially if you’ve been trying for a long time, it’s so exciting to think about what’s just around the corner.

10. Now is the time to indulge in treats like evenings out, pamper sessions and weekends away.

11. When you're pregnant, you're the boss! Try to put your feet up and let someone else do the chores.

12. A pregnant woman gets lots of extra care from friends, relatives and even kind strangers. Embrace the sense of community and support that being pregnant can bring.

13. If you have a sister, cousin or friend who is already a parent, this is a new chance to bond. After all, you've gained admission to the exclusive parents' club!

14. Discover talents you didn’t know you had! Whether it's knitting booties or making a flat-pack cot, you get to try out all sorts of new skills.

15. With your own bub on board, you feel a new appreciation for your own parents.

16. You get to spend hours browsing online and walking around shops, picking out the perfect theme for your baby's nursery.

17. Just that feeling when you notice those first flutters and think, 'Is that what I think it is?'

18. There’s no guilt attached to eating ice cream in the middle of the night.

19. You get to watch your parents fawn over your baby photos.

20. When you do a little gentle exercise, you know it's good for your baby as well as for you. Not to mention the fact that staying fit can help you have an easier labour!

21. You’re likely to have ultra vivid dreams.

22. When you feel that little pair of heels digging into your diaphragm, you know you'll soon be meeting the little person they belong to.

23. Whether you're browsing in a shopping centre or online, it’s tons of fun choosing cute outfits for your baby.

24. If you keep a diary while you’re pregnant, you'll always have a record of this special time.

25. Even if you're camera-shy, it's lovely to have a record of your growing bump.

26. When you’re lying in bed or taking a shower, your baby's there with you, keeping you company. You can even start trying to bond with your baby before they're born by chatting and singing to them.

27. Even if becoming a parent feels a bit scary at times, there's an adventure waiting for you at the end of nine months.

28. You can become an expert in mocktail making.

29. When your BabyCenter newsletter arrives in your inbox, you can put everything else on hold, to see how your baby's getting on this week.

30. It’s hard to beat that feeling when your first scan rolls around and you get to see your baby and take a picture home. You won’t be able to resist gazing at it all day.

31. You get to watch your loved ones’ faces when they feel your baby kicking for the first time.

32. Now you're done with the pressure of trying to conceive, you and your partner can have fun trying different sex positions during pregnancy.

33. Even though you know your child will follow their own path, there’s no harm in dreaming about them being a rock star or brain surgeon.

34. You can spend whole evenings debating whether to call your baby Hermione or Cleopatra, Fritz or Stanley. Try our baby name finder if you need inspiration!

35. Listening to music is much more fun when you get to see and feel your baby dancing around inside your bump.

36. When labour starts you know it won't be long before you get to hold your babe in your arms.

37. Pregnant means party time! Enjoy being spoiled rotten by throwing yourself a baby shower.

38. Your rights at work in Australia [FWO 2023] are getting better all the time. You and your partner can plan to take up to 20 weeks off work between you, paid at the national minimum wage.

39. The day will come when you've done it! All those months of hard work have led to this, and now it's time to enjoy your new family.

40. Whether the bond between you is instant or grows over time, you’ll never know love quite like you feel for your child.