Between new, cutting-age techniques and ancient ones that have been rediscovered for their healing power, natural therapies to improve physical and emotional health are flourishing. This trend has made a significant impact on our approach to pregnancy, which for the better part of a century was treated primarily as a medical condition.

Of course, some pregnancies do warrant a strong medical approach. But low-risk pregnancies can now be handled in the comfort of home by certified midwives, who are rigorously trained and provide the same services that are standard of care at a doctor’s office. There are also a variety of natural therapies and treatments that can ease the discomfort that often come with pregnancy.

We’re fortunate to have several providers in our area who either specialize in natural prenatal/postnatal care or offer therapies or classes that align with it. Whatever the service, the goal is the same: to make growing another human inside you less daunting and more comfortable.

The Home Team

Practical Midwifery, a three-woman team that covers the Panhandle from Pensacola to Panama City Beach, offers all the care a low-risk pregnancy requires, says Margo Dandreano, a licensed midwife and certified professional midwife (LM/CPM). They follow a typical prenatal visit schedule and draw all needed labs. Between Dandreano and her teammates—Kizie Tosi and Julia Del Valle, who are both certified nurse midwives and advanced practice registered nurses (CNMs/APRNs)—they can prescribe medications, administer some medications, and refer to and work with other providers. They also carry malpractice insurance. (To read more about their qualifications and services, see our business spotlight on page ??.)

While Practical Midwifery doesn’t provide medicinal pain relief during childbirth, the midwives do provide Aquadurals—pain relief through submersion in warm, soothing water. When they show up for a home birth, they bring along a pool and liner.

“At the hospital when you are offered an epidural, you and baby are monitored continuously to ensure that you’re both tolerating the medications,” Dandreano says. “That’s why we don’t offer pain relief at home: It would add a risk factor and require closer monitoring. However, water is naturally very soothing—warm, weightless, comfortable. And safe. We can still do our routine monitoring of mom and baby in the pool.”

For more information, call 850-859-4100 or visit PanhandleMidwife.com.

 Back to the Womb

Pregnant women wanting to feel warm, weightless and comfortable don’t have to wait till delivery day to ease into the water. At Float Brothers, in Destin, moms-to-be are a regular part of the clientele. Floatation therapy focuses on the deliberate elimination of sensory stimuli to achieve extreme relaxation, says owner Michael Hineline. Some of his pregnant clients have told him that floating simulates the womb, giving them a new level of connection with their unborn babies.

Relaxation is something any pregnant woman could use, especially as sleep becomes more difficult and apprehension inevitable. But float therapy also has specific physiological benefits for a body under unique stress, Hineline says. Especially in the second and third semesters, when the growing baby puts serious strain on the mother’s hips and spine, becoming “weightless” for an hour can help relieve aches and pains at a time when it’s especially important not to take over-the-counter medication. 

Epsom salt, the magic ingredient in float tanks, also has therapeutic effects, he says. It’s both an anti-inflammatory and an excellent source of magnesium when absorbed through the skin.

Float Brothers is reserving time on January 6 to offer a free 60-minute float for 24 moms-to-be. Pregnant women wanting to book a slot between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. that day should call or direct-message Float Brothers as soon as possible. Any mom-to-be is also eligible for a “buy one float, get one free” deal, in case she wants to make floating part of her regular prenatal routine or relax after her baby is born.

For more information, call 850-460-8720 or visit FloatBros.com.

 Pain-Free Pregnancy

Chiropractic is a natural way to relieve pain related to the spine and nervous system, facilitate ease of movement and promote whole-body health. To achieve these ends, most chiropractors are trained in multiple therapeutic modalities—some, like the Webster Technique, specifically designed for prenatal care.

Because chiropractic adjustments promote proper pelvic alignment, they can make childbirth an easier process, particularly for women who start their prenatal visits early and continue them throughout their pregnancy, says Dr. Gabriel Waterman, owner of Dynamic Life Chiropractic, in Pensacola. Among the potential benefits are an easier and quicker labor and increased chances of a natural birth.

According to Waterman, the Webster Technique is designed to facilitate the natural birth process. “The gentle, safe and specific motions that I work through with patients focus on the pelvis, muscles and ligaments, to help the body operate as it is meant to during this exciting time,” he says.

He also treats the aches and pains associated with pregnancy—especially low-back pain, which is the top complaint he hears at prenatal visits.

“During pregnancy, your body goes through many changes, including developmental and hormonal changes,” he explains. “Many of your ligaments may shift, and many women experience lower-back pain as a result. Our job is to address these issues and help make the pregnancy experience enjoyable and pain-free.”

Discover Dynamic treats adults and children of all ages and a variety of conditions, including sports injuries.

For more information, call 850-565-9600 or visit DiscoverDynamic.com.

 Balanced Babies

Dr. Letitia Smith—owner of Bluewater Chiropractic Wellness Center, in Niceville—is certified in the Webster Technique and also provides newborn care. She recommends having babies evaluated by a chiropractor as soon after birth as possible.

“The birth process can be quite hard on the little ones, so the sooner your child has a balanced spine, the better,” she says. “I conduct a thorough pediatric examination—including spinal evaluation, primitive reflexes, and so forth—and make any necessary recommendations and referrals, such as lactation consulting.”

Smith treats children of all ages, having received extensive training from the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, which focuses on the care of children and pregnant women. Early in 2021 she will complete a postgraduate certification program under the Academy Council of Chiropractic Pediatrics. In fact she considers herself a family wellness chiropractor; that’s how she started her practice in 2018, and she continued on that path when she bought Bluewater Chiropractic in February 2020.

“The true meaning of chiropractic sparked my desire to become a family chiropractor and focus on overall patient wellness,” she says. “No matter your age, chiropractic care offers a benefit to your overall health; with a nervous system free of interference, there is no limit. But pregnant moms and infants are a special group that deserves proper evaluation, so we go the extra mile to make sure that’s what they get.” 

Prenatal visits at Bluewater Chiropractic include an initial exam, a check for spinal misalignment, nutritional recommendations, birth support recommendations, and additional wellness educational material for pregnancy and beyond.

For more information, call 850-897-1177 or visit BluewaterChiropractic.com.

 Beach Bumps 

Yoga has been around for thousands of years. Its durability as a mind-body-spirit practice, and its growing popularity as a complementary therapy, speak volumes about its effectiveness. Prenatal yoga has become a specialty in itself, and now the Emerald Coast has a new virtual studio dedicated to it.

Mukta Müge, a certified yoga therapist, founded BumpFlow Prenatal Yoga in December 2020, offering online prenatal and postnatal classes as well as in-person classes on the beach. Müge started teaching prenatal yoga nine years ago. She says being a yoga therapist and having had Yoga for Trauma Recovery training allowed her to help pregnant women understand their physiological issues and mood swings.

“My prenatal classes focus on meditation to surrender the natural process, connect with baby and relax the muscles,” she says. “We learn breathing techniques to better oxygenate the fetus, and we learn labor breathing techniques for an easier delivery. In addition, we practice adapted yoga poses to relieve issues like back pain, increase blood circulation and develop flexibility, strength and balance.”

BumpFlow’s classes can help ease some of the common side effects of pregnancy, such as constipation, insomnia, nausea, fatigue and anxiety, Müge says. She also offers private yoga therapy sessions for menstrual cramps, postnatal discomfort, prenatal and postnatal depression, and stress management for high-risk pregnancies.

She says her holistic approach to pregnancy, birth and babyhood is reflected in the philosophy of Birthlight UK, through which she received prenatal yoga training: 

“We aim to enhance the well-being of women and their partners through the journey of pregnancy and birth, helping parents and infants relax in shared enjoyment of their new life together. As the focus on pregnancy and birth becomes increasingly medical and science based, Birthlight works in partnership with mainstream health care to ensure the physical and emotional nurturing of pregnant women and their families.”

For more information, call 850-420-3479 or visit BumpFlow.com.