Sure, there's morning sickness – that's no picnic. Plus swollen extremities, which can be a major annoyance, especially in the middle of July. Then you've got the endlessly varied spectrum of aches, pains and general discomforts, which aren't exactly a walk in the park. So no one's saying pregnancy is easy. But it has some distinct benefits, too!

Reports of increasing obesity, body-mass index calculators and endless articles with titles like "A Dozen Heart-Healthy Foods," make even small food indulgences cause for big guilt these days. But when you're carrying a growing fetus, you not only can eat voluminously, you're supposed to, within moderation, of course. Even better, no craving is too weird or inappropriate. Need ginger ale and toast in the middle of the night? No problem. Dying for a handful of sour dills at the break of dawn? Seems reasonable. Suddenly can't stand the smell of celery? Who can?

Even the most high-functioning couple has its occasional disagreements, some of which can take up significant chunks of valuable time. From the moment you see that blue stripe, any statement approximating "Are you carrying our baby?" counts as a slam-dunk argument winner, giving your partner no possible rebuttal. It's like pulling a royal flush on every poker hand: No matter what cards he has, they aren't going to beat yours, so he might as well fold. Even better is the fact that you can use it as frequently as you want, and it never loses its authority. You might be fresh off winning a debate about the dining room furniture with, "I'm sorry, are you throwing up every morning?" and still you can trump ESPN with The Baby Channel 10 minutes later with "Who's going to be putting on 40-plus pounds over the next nine months, me or you?" Not only should he hand over the remote, you ought to get a foot massage, too.

And squeezing. And rubbing. And pinching. And caressing. Speaking of massages, you'll never again have the chance to request them at the same rate as you do while carrying your partner's child. Foot massages, hand massages, shoulder massages, back massages – they're all fair game, any hour, any day. Feel like you might be abusing the privilege? You probably are – but you deserve to.

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