I've gained five pounds in the last month. This isn't something we'd normally share online, is it? It's funny, the way being pregnant has changed the way I look at my body. I feel so proud of my growing stomach, my expanding hips. I'm in awe of how this child is developing on its own, my body inherently knowing what to do. 

I've been a believer in intuitive eating and exercise for a while now, but pregnancy has affirmed my outlook on the topic. As I watch my body grow this tiny human, without my mind doing much to help at all, I'm amazed at how it knows what to do.  Who am I to question my body when it tells me it needs a rest day? It's smart enough to grow a human, after all. Who am I to question my body begging for more sleep, when it's working overtime to create this being? 

The entire experience has reminded me that our bodies are smart. So often we allow routine, rigidity and anxiety to dictate our eating, exercise and sleep habits. But our bodies always give us clues to indicate what they need. They're amazing! 

I don't fit into any of my clothes and there are surely some very unattractive parts of being pregnant (I'll spare you the details for now). But even as my body changes, becoming less and less like the one I've always known, I'm finding myself to be more confident. I feel feminine and just so, so very grateful for the chance to carry this baby. 

It makes me wonder why it took pregnancy to help me make this way. Why did I spend years challenging, mistrusting and disliking my body, when it is so wise and powerful? 

The female body is magical, beautiful and sacred. Pregnancy is reminding me not to challenge this truth, but instead to embrace it. 

I've heard the pendulum will shift again - that at the end of pregnancy you begin to feel a little less attractive. But, for now, I'm soaking up this boost in confidence, counting every pound as a win for Baby Sax and hoping I hold onto this truth beyond May.