to think NCT antenatal courses are pretty much a load of crap???!

[Gateau]

What a waste of money. Yes, you meet some good friends from it, but IMO that's one of the only positives.
They draw over about six weeks what could be said in one or two classes. All the members of our course said that.
The course is almost all about the woman's 'birth experience' which I found just makes women obsess about the birth itself. So many women I knew were "disappointed" with the birth, when surely it's not all about teh birth, but more about the wonderful reward you get at the end?And they barely touch on having a C-section - which is what I had.
And there's all this rubbish about "challenging" the medical staff when they suggest you have a C-section- with what energy, after 14 hours in labour? And when they say either have a c-section or risk endangering you and the baby, what choice is there?
our NCT teacher asked me to do a talk to her new group post-baby - or rather I was the only one who said I would. She very much disliked that fact that I was telling them I bottle-fed (because we are breaking the breastfeeding law, of course)and that I DIDN'T advocate sitting around the house in pjs after the baby was born - it doesn't suit everyone's state of mind. The NCT IMO is dogmatic.
I think the NCT course would be much more productive if it focused a little more on the early parenting side of things - that's where me and most of my NCT friends could have done with the advice!!

lol, tuts.

answer the question

lol aitch

God you're an inarticulate arse Gateau. You amuse me slightly however.

how extraordinary...

why did you do a talk for this woman if you hate her so much, gateau?

and are you a namechanger?

"God you're an inarticulate arse Gateau"

Nice personal attack there, really backed up your POV moondog, well done.

ROFL.

she started it, she invaded poland.

Oh, you're still here -oh, and still not contributing in any relevant way. You are a clingey one, aren't you?

Only read the first and last pages, but just wanted to point out that my NCT classes were excellent. All the birth, pain relief and feeding scenarios were fully covered in an informative and non-judgemental way, there was lots of useful info on the biology of labour and delivery, and the breastfeeding class was good too. Our teacher was FANTASTIC - approachable, well-informed, keen to stress that whatever is right for parents and baby is the right thing to do, rather than pushing some party line or her own opinions. She made us all feel more confident about making our own decisions.

It's unfortunate that people's experiences are so varied, but from my POV the classes were money well spent.

Gateau's posts go back to 2007 - will you all shut up about namechanging? What has it got to do with this thread?

gateau i've seen a few posts of yours the last few days

are you new, or a namechanger?

[paxman]

Classes I have observed have gone into detail about all types of birth and been very realistic. Most women (if they could choose) expressed a desire to have a vaginal delivery with little or no pain but also know this may not be the outcome.

What is wrong with providing information that may help them to avoid intervention as long as it does not cause them to judge themselves for having 'failed' when they end up having sections? Is it the antenatal teacher who is to blame or their own expectations not being matched?

thisismynewname

are you another of gateau's many guises then?

No Tutter, I'm not one of Gateau's guises, I just happen to find your interrogation on namechanging pointless and irritating. Is that ok with you? Would you like to know when I joined and if I've ever changed my name?

VERY good point, linden, imo.

and thisis, why can't tutter ask if she's a namechanger? what's the problem with that exactly? [alias]

well... i find the fact that gateau hasn't answered tutter's question pretty interesting as it happens. it's a binary question, yes or no. qui tacet consentire videtur.

A NCT course where I live costs £540, I'm guessing its not worth it?

Thank you for fighting off the tutter stalker, this ismy new name!

Gateau if you feel so strongly about your classes maybe you should consider training as an antenatal teacher yourself and provide what you think is the right way to run classes. And no I am not being sarcastic but this is something that obviously matters a lot to you.

lol at lovefest

Extermin; there really is nothing fascinating about it; I just can;t be arsed answering it

jesus, jette, that is a lot.

i'd say for that amount, no. it was £130 when i went a couple of years ago, including your first year of membership, and for the contacts and confidence absolutely worth it. i'd still go to the coffee mornings though, you're not paying for them.

could never knock the nct as a whole
as tiktok is one of the best MNetters ever

but the antenatal classes nhs and nct should also go through what can and does go wrong.
as when your unlucky and it does go wrong your totally unprepared and its just too shocking.
i think its partly why alot of women get pnd esp if they had a really bad or traumatic birth.
people are totally unaware that natural birth drug free birth can cause lifelong problems
i feel informed is forarmed iykwim

£540? Are you sure? - even in London the most expensive prices I saw were £300+ - mine is £240 on the outskirts.

The only thing that came out of my NCT course was a really good friend. I think dh found it useful as he never read anything I gave him.

I do think they should cover the basics of bottle feeding. I had a nightmare bf experience and had to express - but had to investigate all about expressing and sterilising off my own back when I was probably suffering with a touch of PND.

Oh and I felt guilty for having an epidural!