Mom's Q&A: Offering Natural Baby Products, Holistic Health Care to Local Moms

ST. PETERSBURG – After Jennifer Carey-Prescott gave birth to her first child, she went on a mission to find eco-friendly clothing for her baby.

Carey-Prescott -- trained in alternative and Chinese medicine -- thought it would be an easy task. “I was searching online, going to this and that .com, to find natural products,” she explained.

But the time she spent scouring the web took time away from her baby. Exhausted from juggling the responsibilities of motherhood, it was hard to devote the research needed to find baby products.

Why couldn't the healthy products, information and services she sought be located all in one place -- in a locally run store, instead of the virtural world?

Necessity was the mother for her inspiration to launch Thank You Mama, at 1511 4^th St.  The shop has its grand opening March 5, offering all-natural clothing for babies and toddlers. It will also function as a clinic that provides alternative health care products and services to women who have young children, are expecting or trying to get pregnant.

The alternative care includes acupuncture, herbal therapies, an assortment of massage techniques, and doula services. Carey-Prescott hopes that her new venture will be a hub of information and services to women.

Carey-Prescott has a background and expertise in alternative health care. She is a board-certified acupuncturist and herbalist. She graduated from the Florida School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and apprenticed at Zhejiang College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Hang Zhou China.

As primary-care physician, Jennifer marries the best of Western and Eastern medicinal thought to help mothers shepherd their newly born through infancy.

Carey-Prescott recently discussed her business venture, as well as her work as an acupuncturist, which include helping women who face fertility problems.

Q. Your store/clinic seems to be unique – combining an outlet for natural cloths and services like acupuncture to expecting mothers. Do you think you are filing a niche?

A. There is a big gap. Not only is there not a store that sells organic, natural or local baby products – but there isn’t a single baby store.

Q. Your website says that you try to complement western and eastern medicine.

A. From a gynecological and fertility point of view, we incorporate western training with a more eastern perspective. I try to have an open dialogue with physicians, and try to have them prescribe as few drugs as possible. Many things reasons for prescriptions could be solved through diet changes and other alternative ways.

Q. Are doctors supportive of your perspectives?

The fertility doctors who use IVF are receptive to our work because of the success rate. But the gynecological doctors – not so much.

Q. What is the goal of Thank You Mama?

A. Families have a place here to learn about all of their options with organic products, and to gain a progressive education.  Hopefully mothers will check out our shop, and then ask about the acupuncture and herbal therapy services we have.