To do antenatal course again with DC2?

[ConkerGame]

DH and I did an antenatal course with DC1. Found some of the info helpful, particularly the focussed breastfeeding session, but the main thing was having a supportive group of people going through the same thing with you.

DC1 will be 4 by the time DC2 is born and we have moved to a new area (though not too far from where we were before). I'm a people person and hate spending days on my own, even with a baby, so I'm worried I don't have enough friends nearby to have a bit of company during mat leave and to have those supportive text conversations at 4am when you have a feeding or sleeping issue!

Downsides are the cost (the ones near us are nearly £300 and money will be tight with mat leave pay), plus the time involved - 12 hours in total that we'd need to find childcare for DC1 for. Although DH could miss a couple of the sessions, which would take it down to 8 hours, spread across 4 separate days. Still a lot though.

DH thinks I'm being silly and I'll make new friends through baby classes, plus we've got to know a few of our neighbours. I hope he's right but I'd rather have the comfort of knowing I've got a ready-made group around to meet up with and share worries with etc. Just not sure if it's worth the downsides? Anyone else had similar thoughts?

I'm in a similar situation. I'm pregnant with number 2 and my daughter is 4. We moved when she was 2 and I'm still in touch with 3 women from my NCT group with my daughter. They were a lifeline through the various lockdowns when our babies were tiny. I'm now half an hour away from them so I'll be able to see them over mat leave. Before my daughter went to school I saw them 1-4 times a month.
My daughter has started school in September and I'm starting to get a few friends in my local area. I know there are a few walking groups in the area for mums I looked at joining when I first moved but their walks weren't often on my non working day.
I think on balance with school and baby groups I have enough options for meeting people so I don't think I'm going to do any further antenatal courses. If I didn't have i would consider it.

How long after baby arrives with your eldest start school?

DD1 was 3.5 when I had DD2 and I did a second one. I felt like I could not remember anything and it was a good refresher.

@Superscientist 6 months

@SharpOpalNewt what did you do for childcare for DC1?

I made friends at baby sensory classes. I didn't go to antenatal classes because there weren't any NHS ones. I don't think you should waste £300 on the classes because you already know how to look after a baby.

I think she must have been at pre-school, OP. I did daytime NCT classes after I'd gone on mat leave.

I moved just before DC2 was born and thought about this, having had an excellent nct group with DC1. I ultimately decided not to. part of the reason the dynamic worked with the first group was we were all in the same boat as first time mums. None of us knew what we were doing. There were no stupid questions. I was worried that the dynamic would be odd, for them and me. Ultimately went down the baby group route. Paid. With regular term-long subscriptions, not just drop in. It wasn't the same but I did meet people

Not sure if any available in your area but can I suggest pregnancy yoga? I found it totally different to normal yoga and great for making friends. WhatsApp group, sharing names and chatting in a circle at the start about how our week had been. We bonded throughout and then socialised with the babies once on mat leave.

Didn’t do it with my first, and won’t be for my second. Google gave me everything bf I needed to know and just hands on experience and the odd mistake. The basics of safe sleep etc are pretty straightforward and easily found online too. To be fair no one could prepare me for raising an autistic child, so there’s that.

I didn't the first time (I'm not sure there were any, as it was covid) and I'm not this time. I've got a couple of mum friends I met at baby groups/online.