Landmark for NHS antenatal classes designed by RGU

The ARC have been running at NHS Grampian since 2011, before undergoing a transformation two years later under the leadership of Mo Tabib, Midwifery lecturer from the School of Nursing and Midwifery at RGU.

Mo saw an opportunity to build on the work of NHS Grampian and collaborate to further improve the experiences of expectant mothers across the region, with reshaped classes based on research evidence, adult learning theories and continuous participant feedback over the years.

The aim of the ARC is to equip women and their birth partners with an understanding of the connection between emotional states and the functions of the body, particularly during pregnancy and childbirth.

Attendees have the opportunity to practise a variety of relaxation techniques to experience a calm and focused state of being, with resources being provided to facilitate further practice at home.

Mo Tabib said: “I firmly believe that it’s our responsibility as academics, not only to train the midwives of the future, but to use our skills to benefit the rest of the local and regional communities.

“The ARC have become so successful thanks to the close partnership between RGU and NHS Grampian, which continues to strengthen with each piece of work year-on-year.”

Alongside her colleagues in RGU’s School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mo’s efforts to develop the next generation of North East midwives were recently highly commended by the Royal College of Midwives, having been shortlisted for its Excellence in Midwifery Education Award.

Geraldine Stevenson, an NHS Grampian midwife who leads delivery of the ARC, reflected on its landmark 2000 attendees, saying: “The feedback we get is amazing.

“I don’t know of any other class that could say 100% of participants found it useful and would recommend it to others. Participants have also told us that they will be able to use the techniques taught in the class to reduce stress in other areas of their lives.”

To date, two research studies and a service evaluation – including 503 women – have been conducted to examine experiences of attending the ARC and subsequent childbirth.

These studies collectively indicate that the women felt less fearful and more confident in their abilities approaching the upcoming birth. Many ARC attendees have reported feeling empowered and excited, with one stating: “I don’t think it stops just with birth, I think I’ll be able to use the knowledge in my job or anytime I have a stressful day.”

The ARC team has recently been boosted by the addition of Michaela Harmes, a 2018 RGU graduate, who demonstrated a passion for the ARC and began training to become a facilitator whilst still a student.