Bread sticking to pan

I am a beginning bread maker who is just beginning to be able to 
reliably bake a nice whole wheat bread. I read here about using steam to 
help with the oven spring, and tried just pouring water on the baking 
stone to make the steam, and into a cast iron frying pan, etc. I stopped 
after reading of the harmful effects to my oven.

Lately I have been dripping water onto the loaves for their las rise as 
well as just before putting them in the oven. The idea is to keep the 
crust soft enough to allow the loaf to expand.

2 questions - any comments on this method and even if I am helping 
anything at all by doing it, and 2nd, the water tends to get between the 
dough and the pan. When baked this causes the bread to stick to the pan.

I have a hunch there is a better way...

Thanks,
Harvey