About Childbirth Essentials


Anne

Mary

Linda

About us

Linda Kimber is director of Childbirth Essentials®; she has a wealth of midwifery experience spanning many years. All the midwifery trainers associated with the company have a strong belief in women's ability to birth their babies naturally; every woman should be offered support and guidance to explore their potential to achieve a positive birth experience. Over the years we have found that the massage techniques are beneficial in supporting women wanting a vaginal birth following caesarean section (VBAC); the LK Massage Programme® works very successfully with these women.

Anne Thomas (Haines), – Head of Midwifery has a passion for normality and improving the birth experience for women and their families.

Mary McNabb - an expert in neuro-hormonal adaptations to the fertile cycle is part of our team. She is particularly interested in the value of massage as an intervention for pain relief in labour.

In October 2003 we conducted a feasibility / observational study on 35 women at Horton Maternity Hospital, Banbury, Oxfordshire, in collaboration with Professor Christine Mc Court and the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit(NPEU). In January 2005 we commenced a pilot randomised controlled trial (ALPS) at the Horton Maternity Hospital which was completed in March 2006.

Linda, Anne, and Mary have combined their varying expertise to design a series of courses for professionals

Linda also teaches pregnant women and their birth partners antenatally.

 

Linda qualified as a midwife in 1974, and subsequently as a massage therapist, aromatherapist and reflexologist.

I have many years of experience as a practising midwife; more recently I have been involved in researching the value of massage as a pain relieving strategy using specific techniques - The LK Massage Programme ®.

I have used the massage within my practice and encouraged feedback from couples. This has been invaluable and helped direct the Programme to what it is today. Developing a strong partnership between the woman and her chosen birth partner is a fundamental part of the Programme.

During the mid 90's I started developing the use of massage to support women, babies and birth partners during the antenatal and intrapartum period. This has continued to evolve, following valuable feedback from couples and my own observations during my time as a community midwife.

In 2003, I completed a feasibility study in partnership with Mary McNabb, Anne Haines and Professor Christine McCourt, with support from the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit. The study used the LK Massage Programme and explored the value of massage in reducing the need for pharmacological analgesia in labour; the environment was an essential facet of this study.

During the feasibility/observational study, I observed the use of the Programme and as a team we examined in depth the psychological and neuroendocrine responses to its use.

Following this we conducted a pilot Randomised Controlled Trial (Alternative Labour Pain Strategies (ALPS) commenced in January 2005 at the Horton Maternity Hospital and completed in March 2006.

Mary, Anne and I have designed a series of courses for Professionals which have been accredited by the Royal College of Midwives, entitled. 'Neuroendocrine responses to massage in late pregnancy, labour and postpartum: theory and practice'. These courses are for professionals wishing to support women during pregnancy, labour and childbirth, to promote natural childbirth. The LK Massage Programme is the coping strategy taught in detail during both the Basic and Advanced courses. The aim is to equip professionals to offer women more choices.

I continue to work closely with Anne and Mary sharing and bringing together our own particular passions and skills to improve women's experience of birth. The three of us teach on the courses and speak at conferences.

I teach couples interested in learning the Massage Programme which is a passion of mine and also work as a doula from time to time.

Managers in Hong Kong are very interested in supporting their midwives develop skills to reduce the amount of pharmacological pain relief used and we have been successfully teaching the LK Massage Programme to midwives there for the past two years.

Time allowing, I have a great interest in photography and particularly taking pictures of Mums, Babes and Children.

This is an additional part of Childbirth Essentials

Recent Publications

  • Kimber L, McNabb M,Haines A, McCourt C, Brocklehurst P. Alternative Labour Pain Strategies: a pilot randomised trial to investigate the efficacy of alternative strategies in reducing and coping with labour and birth pain. European Journal of Pain 2008;12:961-969
  • McNabb M, Kimber L, Haines A, McCourt C. Does regular massage from late pregnancy to birth decrease maternal pain perception during labour and birth? A feasibility study to investigate a programme of massage, controlled breathing and visualization from 36 weeks of pregnancy until birth. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 2006; 12: 222 -231
  • Haines A, Kimber L "Improving the Birth Environment" (part 1) The Practising Midwife 2005 Vol 8 No.1 18 - 20
  • Haines A, Kimber L "Improving the Birth Environment" (part 2) The Practising Midwife 2005 Vol 8 No.2 25
  • Haines A Kimber L "Developing a culture that supports the process of normal birth" New Digest (NCT) July 2005 Edition 31

Producer of the DVDs 'Towards Natural Childbirth and Beyond for women and their birth partners' and the Professional series 'Towards Natural Childbirth and Beyond' parts 1, 2 and 3

 

Anne is a practising midwife since 1985, currently Head of Midwifery

Since 2001, my main focus has been to promote and encourage environmental and practice changes to improve the birthing experience for women and their families. Meeting the needs of couples led me to explore the potential value of complementary therapies within current NHS obstetric practice. My interest and knowledge of their use evolved after meeting Linda and becoming involved with the LK Massage Programme. This partnership developed over the following years.

In 2003, Linda and I completed a feasibility study in partnership with Mary McNabb, and Professor Christine McCourt, with support from the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit. During 2003, this observational pilot study was integrated into the delivery suite. It provided an exciting arena to explore the biological process of childbirth and mother - infant interactions.

Skin to skin contact following birth is now widely encouraged, supporting the initial feed whilst the baby is in an alert state. Both parents have enjoyed this experience, with dads joining in! This practice minimises maternal-baby separation, and has been shown to stimulate suckling and lactation and to promote relaxation.

The value of massage as a pain relieving option for labour and childbirth was researched further in 2005/6 when we conducted a pilot randomised controlled trial. Alternative Labour Pain Strategies (ALPS). Massage is often received well by women in mainstream midwifery and obstetrics if it is offered.

Recent Publications
  • Kimber L, McNabb M,Haines A, McCourt C, Brocklehurst P. Alternative Labour Pain Strategies: a pilot randomised trial to investigate the efficacy of alternative strategies in reducing and coping with labour and birth pain. European Journal of Pain 2008;12:961-969
  • McNabb M, Kimber L, Haines A, McCourt C. Does regular massage from late pregnancy to birth decrease maternal pain perception during labour and birth? A feasibility study to investigate a programme of massage, controlled breathing and visualization from 36 weeks of pregnancy until birth. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 2006; 12 : 222-231
  • Haines A, Kimber L "Improving the Birth Environment" (part 1) The Practising Midwife 2005 Vol 8 No1 pp18 - 20.
  • Haines A, Kimber L "Improving the Birth Environment" (part 2) The Practising Midwife 2005 Vol 8 No2 pp25 - 7.
  • Haines A "Developing a culture that supports the process of normal birth" New Digest (NCT) July 2005 Edition 31.

Script writer and Producer of the DVDs 'Towards Natural Childbirth and Beyond for women and their birth partners' and the Professional series 'Towards Natural Childbirth and Beyond' parts 1, 2 and 3

Mary (scientific advisor) is a qualified midwife since 1972.

I worked in and around London for 10 years before training to become a midwife teacher.

During this period, I collaborated with midwifery colleagues at Guy's and St Thomas' to undertake a randomised controlled trial on the effects of regular aerobic exercise on labour outcomes. This study stimulated an enduring interest in neuro-hormonal and metabolic adaptations to different phases of the reproductive cycle.

This interest was developed by undertaking an MSc in the Science of Physiology, at London University in 1992 and by writing the chapters on reproductive biology for Mayes' Midwifery.

From 1990 I worked as a Senior Lecturer in Midwifery Education at London South Bank University. In 2001 I obtained a research grant from the University to pursue my research interest in the analgesic, anxiolytic and metabolic effects of oxytocin on mother, fetus and neonate. With assistance from the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit, we completed a feasibility study looking in depth at the affective and neurohormonal responses to the LK Massage Programme ®.

Following this we conducted a pilot randomised controlled trial (Alternative Labour Pain Strategies (ALPS) at the Horton Maternity Hospital which was completed in March 2006.

As a result of this study, Linda, Anne and I have designed a series of massage courses for professionals entitled: 'Neuro-hormonal responses to massage in late pregnancy, labour and postpartum: theory and practice'.

Since 2006 I have been working as a midwifery teacher at St George’s Hospital, Tooting and working with Linda and Anne to train midwives to use the LK Massage Programme ® in seven hospitals in Hong Kong.

Recent Publications

  • Kimber L, McNabb M,Haines A, McCourt C, Brocklehurst P. Alternative Labour Pain Strategies: a pilot randomised trial to investigate the efficacy of alternative strategies in reducing and coping with labour and birth pain. European Journal of Pain 2008;12:961-969
  • McNabb M, Kimber L, Haines A, McCourt C. Does regular massage from late pregnancy to birth decrease maternal pain perception during labour and birth? A feasibility study to investigate a programme of massage, controlled breathing and visualization from 36 weeks of pregnancy until birth. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 2006; 12: 222-231
  • McNabb MT (2004) Biology of pregnancy and labour chapters in Henderson C & Mc Donald S eds, Mayes' Midwifery, 13th edition London, Elsevier Press, In press.
  • McNabb MT (2003) Maternal and fetal responses to labour. In Bates C ed,. Midwifery Clinical Practice: the fetus in labour - the baby at birth. London, RCM Trust.
  • McNabb MT (2003) Pregnancy and childbirth in Palestinian communities under military occupation Journal of the International Confederation of Midwives. 16(1):6-8.
  • McNabb MT (2002) The fetus at birth: maternal and fetal preparation for neonatal development. In Morgan J & Dickerson JWT eds. Developmental Nutrition: concept and practice, Chichester, John Wiley & Sons.
  • McNabb MT (2002) Maternal hormones and physiological insights. In Bates C ed,. Midwifery Clinical Practice: the third stage of labour, London, RCM Trust.
  • McNabb MT (2002) Maternal hormones and physiological insights. In Bates C ed,. Midwifery Clinical Practice: the second stage of labour. London, RCM Trust.
  • McNabb MT (2002) Changes in maternal food appetite and metabolism in labour and the shift from fetal to neonatal metabolism. In Champion P & McCormac eds., Eating and Drinking in Labour. 46-110, London, Books for Midwives.
  • Mason JA & McNabb MT (2001) Folic Acid - Magic Bullet or Potential Toxin? AIMS Journal. 13(2):8-11.
  • Mason JA & McNabb MT (2000) Folic acid supplementation: is it a safe option? British Journal of Midwifery. 8( 9):581-586.
  • McNabb M & Colson S (2000) From pregnancy to lactation: changing relations between mother and baby - a biological perspective. In Alexander J Roth C and Levy V eds Midwifery Practice, London, Macmillan:51-65.