36-year-old Australian pole dancer Cleo "The Hurricane" has made a fitness empire out of her skills, selling pole dancing fitness DVDs and performing across the world. She's a two-time Australian Pole Dance Champ, and she's built up a dedicated following through her blog and Instagram, where she offers workout tips as well as mind-boggling demonstrations of her pole skills.

But what's a pole dance champ to do when she's pregnant? Keep on keepin' on, according to Cleo. The dancer took to her blog, Cleo's Rock N Pole, on Wednesday to share how pole dancing has kept her feeling empowered throughout her pregnancy. She's expecting a baby boy with her husband this week. In the post, titled "The Pregnant Pole Dancer," she opens up about why she is dancing through her pregnancy.

"As much as I have enjoyed this journey, preparing for motherhood, watching my baby belly grow... I have been CRAVING and LOVING that feeling of putting on my heels, a sexy song and pole dancing... just to feel sexy again."

So Cleo didn't hang up her heels completely. To ensure a safe pregnancy, she isn't doing any tricks or inversions on the pole, but she's still making time to put on her pole dancing gear and pose in flexy pics. She says it keeps her feeling confident and like a "hot mumma."

"As women we all want to feel sexy, this is how I feel sexy," she writes. "This is how I express myself, and I'm sure my son is gonna think his mum rocks when we bring out these pics on his 21st birthday!"

She's faced some heat from commenters online for both her profession and continuing to pole dance while pregnant, but Cleo brushes it off.

"Yes, what I do is still considered 'taboo' to some people who don't know any better, but to me, it is STRENGTH and my PASSION and that is all that matters," she writes.

She's right: empowerment is empowerment. Regardless of how a woman finds that in her own life—whether through pole dancing or knitting—all that matters is finding it in the first place. Congrats on the baby, Cleo!

Photo Credit: Instagram @cleothehurricane