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Expectant mothers often ask midwives or doctors about natural remedies and complementary therapies, for relaxation,
to relieve discomforts such as “morning sickness” or backache, ease labour pain or treat complications such as
breech presentation, but do not always know where to find appropriate information.
Research suggests that many aspects of complementary medicine are safe during pregnancy and childbirth, but some,
such as herbal remedies, need to be used with caution or avoided.
Midwives and doctors are sometimes at a loss to know where to find accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date
information, and need adequate and appropriate education to advise on or treat women safely with natural remedies
and alternative therapies.
Similarly, complementary practitioners frequently decline to treat pregnant women because they lack the confidence
and relevant knowledge to treat them safely.
Expectancy was established in 2004, and is now the leading provider of professional education on the safety
of complementary therapies in maternity care, which lead to becoming a “runner up” in the 2006 Complementary and
Alternative Medicine Awards in the category of “Outstanding Contribution to the Community”.
Expectancy’s professional Director is Denise Tiran, who is an internationally-renowned expert in maternity
complementary medicine (see Educational Team for full biography).
The business Director is Mark Huckle, who has over twenty years’ experience in franchising within the commercial sector.
It is intended, in the near future, to franchise aspects of Expectancy’s services to suitably trained professionals
in order to expand this uniquely specialised area of healthcare.
Expectancy aims to offer a variety of information, advice and education resources to mothers, midwives,
doctors, therapists, antenatal teachers, doulas and other professionals on the safe use of complementary therapies
in pregnancy and childbirth.
Expectancy believes that pregnant, labouring and newly delivered mothers should have ready access to a range
of complementary therapies which are combined with conventional maternity care.
We believe that complementary therapies within maternity care should be effective, safe and appropriate and,
where possible, based on contemporary research evidence.
Expectancy considers that complementary therapies should be provided by experienced, competent practitioners
who have a thorough understanding of specific therapies and their application to the care of pregnant
and childbearing women, as well as a working knowledge of reproductive physiology, potential pathology and the
conventional maternity services.
We endeavour to provide high quality services which truly complement normal maternity care, but which are not
a replacement for care from the woman’s own midwife, obstetrician or general practitioner.
Expectancy also believes that health professionals deserve access to high calibre education on maternity
complementary therapies which provides learners with the opportunity to acquire the requisite practical
skills and appropriate application of academic knowledge, combined with an inquiring, facilitative and professional
attitude to the safe use of complementary therapies in pregnancy and childbearing.
Expectancy operates its clinical, educational and consultancy services on the principles of openness,
fairness and universal acceptance which does not differentiate between clients and/or professionals in terms of
race, gender, age, creed or colour.
Expectancy is an active exponent of a “no-smoking” policy, for both its clients and its consultants.
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