NCT Course Cancelled (Balham, SW London)!!

[MrsCratchit]

It's a longshot but I just wondered whether anyone else out there was due to be on the late Feb due date, NCT course in Balham, which has been cancelled?

We have been offered alternative dates but the courses are in Battersea. We were very much hoping to meet other parents based within a short walk of home, so are extremely disappointed- especially given the expense of the courses here. I realise meeting people shouldn't be the primary objective for antenatal classes but it was for us!

If there are any other Balham mums-to-be due in late February or thereabouts out there, please get in touch!

[Piranha1981]

Hi

I'm not Balham but am based at Clapham Junction - so not a short walk but a train ride away (due right at the end of Jan so don't quite meet your criteria!).

I've just finished my NCT course in Battersea and many of the other couples were based more towards Balham and Tooting, so I'm not sure if you need to worry that much (particularly if other Balham parents have also been referred to the Battersea course). I don't know about you but I'm quite keen to stay as active as possible in the local area, and although we don't have a car and train stations seem horribly inaccessible, my plan at the moment is to use slings and travel short distances on public transport.

Anyway good luck whatever you decide with NCT - alternatively have you thought about an NCT post-natal course as another means of meeting parents? I just had a quick look and nearest seem to be Southfields or Putney so again not perfect, but I imagine would draw people from a wider range of places.

If you want to get in touch then do message me.

[bluebeach]

Sorry can't help in terms of being a London based mum as I am in Gloucestershire, but just echoing annoyance of NCT classes being cancelled. My first one was cancelled as we were the only couple on it so they booked us in on a later date one, only to have that one cancelled too. Now we have been offered one in another town which has 4 couples on.

The only up side is I'm hoping this means that March will be a quite birthing month in the local hospital and I'll get to have the birthing pool!

Good luck x

[MrsCratchit]

Thanks Piranha. Like you I am intending to put the sling on and get around by public transport. I am hoping that NCT coffee mornings will also present an opportunity to meet people. I think I am worrying rather too much- winding down work for the Christmas break has suddenly made maternity leave seem very imminent!

Bluebeach- isn't it frustrating- this is the second course we've been booked on that has been cancelled too. In our case they can't find anyone to teach the course. The distance to the alternative is negligible but I am disappointed in the way the cancellation was communicated etc. particularly given the cost, and actually the dates we have been offered mean moving things around including a baby shower my friends have arranged for me- so I think we may well miss NCT classes altogether. Such a shame.

[Karoleann]

I've noticed they do postnatal groups in balham, I do them in NW london and they're groups for women who've given birth recently. You need to email
[email protected]
They've also got a under 1's group in Balham. Personally, I wouldn't bother going if its too far away.

[MrsCratchit]

Thanks Karoleann, will look into that.

[Tinasan]

I live in SW12 and did an NCT course in SW18, back in in 2005. The others on the course were from Balham, Clapham, Battersea and Wandsworth and we've all stayed very much in touch and walk to each others houses all the time. When you're pushing a buggy you'll be amazed at how quickly you get to know the surrounding area and how close everything is! It's only 20 mins walk down to Clapham Junction from my house, and literally 2 mins to Balham/Battersea boundary. I can't imagine that it would be quicker to get on the train or bus with buggy etc. Go to the Battersea course, hopefully you'll meet some good mates. Good luck with everything!

Oh and just remembered, after my baby was born an NCT co-ordinator for SW12 got in touch to say she hosted monthly coffee mornings for new mums in SW12, to put them in touch with each other. I went along and met a few more people that way - you get the ball rolling by having a coffee at the co-ordinator's house, exchange details and then take it in turns to host a morning or afternoon at your own house. So hopefully they are still doing this - give them a call and check

[SVH78]

Was this the one due to start on 3 Jan?! I am booked onto it but haven't been told anything about it being cancelled.....worried now....