Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

NCT v NHS antenatal classes

51 replies

3dogsandababy · 14/12/2019 15:17

Hi, I’m currently 17 weeks pregnant (first baby) and living in Leeds. My midwife mentioned that I should start looking into antenatal courses about now.
I’ve looked everywhere and can’t seem to find anything about NHS classes other than a tour of the maternity unit which you can’t book until 30 weeks.
I’ve been reading about NCT courses and they seem great, just a bit pricey.
Any advice/experience would be amazing please! Are the NCT classes worth the money, and where do I find out about the NHS classes? I just don’t want to be left without anything!
Thanks Smile

OP posts:
Pinkblueberry · 14/12/2019 15:22

Your midwife should book you in. Maybe it differs from area to area, but where I live there are two classes - one on birth and one on breastfeeding, and the midwife books you in during one of your appointments, usually for when you’re 30+ weeks. I didn’t bother with NCT, and don’t feel like I missed out. Most people seem to get mum friends out of them rather than much else, but there’s cheaper ways to find them.

riotlady · 14/12/2019 15:30

Yeah your midwife should know. I didn’t find mine super helpful, but I had a post natal group run by the NHS which is was good and I’m still friendly with all the mums from it

Original poster
3dogsandababy · 14/12/2019 15:32

Thanks for the replies. It’s weird she told me to look into classes then if she’s the one to arrange them?

OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

2nd trimester Baby & toddler products Families General pregnancy
ExpletiveFairylighted · 14/12/2019 15:56

I did both. NHS were in the daytime so few dads attended, very informative but no time for chat or getting to know one another you were hussled out of the room when the hour was up. NCT were evenings, over about 6 weeks, a lot more leisurely, time to get to know one another and easier for dads to attend as generally no time off work needed but also plenty of information. I'm still close friends with all the other mums 15 years later.

Ash39 · 14/12/2019 16:17

NCT were a bit "pro natural birth" with very little chat on c-sections etc, and a bit of scaremongering. Also a bit "bottle feeding is evil" in my experience. But that was a few years ago. Might have changed now. NHS matter of fact and very informative.
NCT most useful if you are new to the area and don't have many mum friends, as it's a good opportunity to meet new people in similar circumstances to yourself

DelurkingAJ · 14/12/2019 16:21

Depends on you area. Our NHS was half a day about 7 months in and was pretty much a tour followed by a midwife saying ‘you’ve all changed a nappy, haven’t you?’ And looking stunned when I said I hadn’t.

NCT was much more informative but I’m told it depends who the leader is, our lady was very practical and pro birth choices. The breastfeeding session (nothing like it on the NHS round here) was brilliant.

Squashbuckle · 14/12/2019 16:29

NHS ones have been cut in my area unless you are designated 'in need' in which case the midwife books on your behalf.
I enjoyed my NCT classes but I was was seriously clueless about babies and the different birth options and interventions etc etc

Quinceandmedlarsrule · 14/12/2019 16:35

NCT do a shorter cheaper version called Essentials and are great for meeting friends in the area you live in. Our teacher encouraged us to make a whatsapp group which was invaluable when our babies were tiny and we were up in the night or had a crisis.. In lots of areas now, NHS don't do any classes, or do online ones. Or they push hypnobirthing (which is great if it all works out but not much use if things don't...)

Junobug · 14/12/2019 16:46

I loved our NCT one, but I was in a new area and the first in my friend group to have a baby. I agree that they are very pro natural birth and breastfeeding. If this is what you want, then it's great and needed as midwives do not have time for this but unless you push for it, there is very little info on interventions and bottle feeding and even then it was misleading as they have no medical training so it's the leaders opinion.

LadyCordeliaVorkosigan · 14/12/2019 16:51

NHS classes may not exist in your area, or only for certain groups like teenagers. So given I had never changed a nappy or really had much to do with babies, I went for NCT. Our teacher was great, open-minded and it was 2 daytime, 4 evening sessions of 2 hours each. It was a good group which really helped, even though most moved away over the next couple years.

Shallow07 · 14/12/2019 17:04

Have just finished my NCT classes and have found them really balanced and helpful. Leader was non-judgemental about people's choices and feel like I've come away with lots of helpful information. The mum's WhatsApp group is very busy!

RedLipstickHighHeels · 14/12/2019 17:08

NCT is cliquey like a middle class dating agency to match mums together
NCT is for a certain sort of middle class mum who’s seeking similar to themselves eg baby wearers who can obsess about weaning etc

reluctantbrit · 14/12/2019 17:13

I found our NHS ones good for practical advise what happens at the hospital, it was three evenings, one was a bf one.

Around 30 couples so not a lot of opportunities to befriend people or ask individual questions.

I loved our NCT one, 7 couples, 2 full days so it depends if your partner can get time off. Our branch is very relaxed about feeding, yes it is pro bf but nobody blinked when one couple said straight away they would bottle feed. More practical tips how to be comfortable at home during early labour and practical tips for coming back home, both points were totally ignored at the NHS one.

I tried to stay in touch with two couples but it frizzled out fast. I made new friends at the meet ups after the babies were born, our branch run a 8 week “course”, Aimee at 4 weeks after birth, which was in addition to the antenatal ones.

AiryFairyMum · 14/12/2019 17:19

I suppose I was a baby wearer and I went on a BLW course so I guess I tick all your stereotype buttons. I enjoyed NCT. We met some good friends and learnt a lot about birth and breastfeeding.

gothefcktosleep · 14/12/2019 17:21

I didn’t really rate my NCT course, or the people.... it’s a lot of money and if you don’t have it, don’t spend it. That said, I think I would have felt very isolated without the small group of FTMs even if I didn’t properly bond with anyone. There’s an alternative called the daisy foundation I think, not sure what it’s like though.

Original poster
3dogsandababy · 14/12/2019 17:26

Thank you so much for these replies! I'm not necessarily new to the area but don't have any friends other than through work, but doubt they'd make an effort to see me when I'm on maternity leave.
I've not been given any information on NHS classes, my midwife just told me to find out about them myself and I'm struggling to find anything online - it doesn't look like there's any in Leeds other than the maternity ward tour.
There's 2 NCT courses in areas close to me, one offering the short course and then other offering the longer, more in depth one - is the longer one worth it?
Although it's quite a bit of money, I'd rather pay it and know what I'm doing before, during and after birth! I literally have no experience with babies...

OP posts:
RedLipstickHighHeels · 14/12/2019 17:28

NCT are a type of mum,angsty baby wearers who obsess about breastfeeding,schools and house prices
Not in contact with my group their meet ups were too angsty. None of them went back to work.i went back Ft

RedLipstickHighHeels · 14/12/2019 17:30

Ask Your GP about antenatal classes

Pumpkintopf · 14/12/2019 17:33

I did both. The NHS ones were daytime, expectant mums only, very busy, didn't make any friends there.
NCT amazing, our group still gets together sixteen years on, and DH credits the classes with knowing what to ask for when I was struggling with my first labour. Also put us in touch with post birth support with breastfeeding for example. Can't recommend them highly enough.

RedLipstickHighHeels · 14/12/2019 17:38

Did NCT evening classes and they had a specific agenda and tone
Critical of CS, and formula feeding in a mc veiled way. All sahm

Pinkblueberry · 14/12/2019 17:45

There's 2 NCT courses in areas close to me, one offering the short course and then other offering the longer, more in depth one - is the longer one worth it?

Can you find out more details about what they involve? I had a colleague who did NCT classes - one evening she had one on just how to breathe during labour. I didn’t do NCT and managed to breathe just fine... from the replies you can see that some love it - but it really does only seem worth it because of the people you meet, not so much the content of the courses. I don’t think you can say people who do the courses are better parents, or even always better prepared. I met lots of lovely mum friends afterwards through baby groups. But if they don’t offer any NHS courses at all it might be worth enquiring further about the shorter one. I found the NHS one that focussed on the birth very useful - the one that covered feeding was pretty useless to be honest.

caoraich · 14/12/2019 17:56

I really liked NCT. Very balanced and lots of time given for discussing actual evidence rather than just being given the NHS handouts. NHS classes were enormous and at inconvenient times. Probably helped that NCT were all professional women, most with science backgrounds so we had things in common already. Kept in touch with all of them and we were able to support each other around going back to work etc whereas the people I met at the NHS ones tended to be leaving their jobs to become sahms and I've lost touch with them all now.

underneaththeash · 14/12/2019 17:57

I loved my NCT classes and made a lot of good friends and then went on to volunteer with them. I'm not into babywearing, extended breastfeeding or hypnobirthing either.

It is very middle class and didn't intend going back to work full time after the birth and found lots of people like me.

RedLipstickHighHeels · 14/12/2019 18:06

NCT is a middle class introduction agency for mums For me Really was not a good fit.
They were all sahm and spoke of themself in last tense. I used to be a solicitor/teacher...
I was only one going back to work and they were judgy or asked if I had to was I compelled to. No I chose to,active choice

Lalapurple · 14/12/2019 18:10

You could also look into pregnancy yoga. I found it really good preparation for keeping calm during labour and meeting other mums to be - our sessions included chats about birth etc which were useful (and not as hippyish as you would imagine)
Didn't do NCt but I did meet people through NHS group - where I am the midwife books you in - can you not phone the midwife to ask?