Cary York

Our second featured contributor for the Bellies and Babies Blessingway Giveaway is Cary York from Cary York. You can also visit her Etsy site here. Her slogan is Art, Illustration, Inspiration... and her work truly is.

To enter to win the beautiful birth altar kit that she is contributing, along with many other goodies to be featured later, please follow the instructions here.

Now, without further ado, let me introduce to you Cary York!

I started my career as an artist when I got my BA in fine arts. I was a starving artist for 10 years then went to nursing school in the hopes of going on to be a nurse midwife. I became a labor and delivery nurse who discovered the broad divide between natural and medical birth at a conference with all the big players - Ina May, Marsden Wagner, Robbie Davis Floyd, etc. I never saw labor the same way again. I decided to birth naturally at home with a midwife for my own two.

I am not a obstetrics basher. I fully recognize the value and necessity for sound medical intervention in some high risk cases. I have been on both sides and think that the system is horrible for the most part, and a god-send in a crisis. Women have lost so much power in the name of "safety".

So I bumbled around trying to figure out what I could do with my passion.

I could no longer stand working in the L&D, but couldn't see my life without birth. So then the first part of my career life converged with my second and my purpose was then clear. I started selling my birth art on Etsy last year. It has been a fantastic success already. I am thrilled, especially to meet such amazing women from around the world. So cool. I still work as a nurse part time in pediatrics and I love it.

The art may eventually allow me to let go of that, but for now one career informs the other etc. I am turning 40 in two weeks, I have two daughters both at home, the first was an amazing vision quest type experience with a transfer to the hospital for complications( I had been sick with pneumonia-It was my informed, empowered, choice, and the best choice for me, long story) the baby was born healthy and so was I.

The whole thing was otherworldly and I cherish it for how deep and hard it was. And the second was the simple, fun, beautiful, waterbirth that is now my most popular painting. I created the book for siblings out of my love of kids and a need in my birth community. I also sell my work at birth conferences and through midwives.

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Cary is also a blogger, as seen at RagaMama, so be sure to visit her there.

In addition to all of this, I have to also add that, when I opened the package from her, I found her beautiful coloring book for children "Mama, When Is The Baby Gonna Hatch" as a gift to me! Thank you Cary!!! This book is definitely going on my recommended reading for families with small kids who are getting ready to welcome a new little one.