To ask how your zoom-only NCT classes went?

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We're booked on a zoom-only NCT course in December and wondering how it will be?

Hi, just saw your point about doing this as a second time round parent. We did a zoom refresher nct course last year.

Content very light but the other couples were all there just to meet other families in the area. Most of us had just moved to this area so very like minded. We have met a lot as mums since our babies arrived.

My first baby - our nct group was extremely antisocial!

I think people who sign up for the refresher are really just there for the social reasons.

@Antsinmypantsneedtodance

Absolute waste of time. Though I can't say it would be any better in person. The content in general is dated and patronising.

As for mum friends our group actually did really well at meeting up. But it got very bitchy with 2 ring leaders bullying others. It was very sterotyoical NCT mums - middle class. I left the group and am glad I did.

You sound judgemental though to be fair

@welshladywhois40

Hi, just saw your point about doing this as a second time round parent. We did a zoom refresher nct course last year.

Content very light but the other couples were all there just to meet other families in the area. Most of us had just moved to this area so very like minded. We have met a lot as mums since our babies arrived.

My first baby - our nct group was extremely antisocial!

I think people who sign up for the refresher are really just there for the social reasons.

Unfortunately no refresher courses in York (that I could see!)

Honestly, the classes weren't great and our course leader wasn't great at presenting. I have a feeling she'd be much better in person. I don't think I learnt anything in didn't already know just from looking things up iyswim?

However, the mums have a WhatsApp group and we chat on that quite frequently and meet up every few weeks since the babies were born. That's been nice, but I'm also branching out too meet other mums.

I'd do it for the WhatsApp group alone. Be wary of people telling you can meet mums at baby groups. Maybe that's true in some areas but where I live baby groups were rubbish for making friends...the mums were not interested as they already had their established groups from NCT/ Daisy antenatal etc.

Having a baby without doing an antenatal course to make friends, is like starting uni after Freshers week. If you great at making friends you might be okay, but of not, not worth risking it.

Mine were brilliant and we have met up face to face without our leader every week or so since the babies arrived in the summer.

It very much depends on how much you ask questions and now much the person is able to adapt to online to make it useful and friendly (if you want friends). Our NCT leader was so good at it, the classes were very fun and empowering and helped us all to decide on our birth preferences, plan b, c etc.

I found the WhatsApp group helpful in the early weeks but then I think it kind of hindered me more than helped as I ended up feeling like I was the only one struggling (high needs baby) and I couldn't take my baby out to meet the others in coffee shops for hours on end which I don't think they understood and I ended up feeling quite bad as if I was doing something wrong when my baby was just quite different and I ended up parenting very differently I guess. Whilst they're an nice enough group there were almost too many people to really gel or make close friends with anyone in particular. My cousin had a group of 5 and she managed to gel really well with 1 girl so that worked better for her. I'm more of a 1:1 type person so found the big group maybe abit too much for me. Just sharing personal experience but it does seem great for lots of people! Just maybe depends on your own personality type and then who else you get in your group too as to whether there's some potential friendships!

Ps sorry I rambled
Meant to say my cousin did the group all online as it was covid and she said was fine and although the big WhatsApp group not v active she managed to make a really good friend out of it

@AutumnInBustletown

I'd do it for the WhatsApp group alone. Be wary of people telling you can meet mums at baby groups. Maybe that's true in some areas but where I live baby groups were rubbish for making friends...the mums were not interested as they already had their established groups from NCT/ Daisy antenatal etc.

Having a baby without doing an antenatal course to make friends, is like starting uni after Freshers week. If you great at making friends you might be okay, but of not, not worth risking it.

This is exactly how I feel!

And yes, baby groups are fine but everyone is there with their mate from nct!