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Birth clubs

Connect with mums-to-be with similar due dates to share experiences and support.

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Original poster

NCT and antinatal classes

23 replies

Foxy100 · 04/05/2006 17:22

Does anyone know about Anti nata classes and whether the NCT ones are worth going to on top of the standard NHS ones

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CHICagoMUM · 04/05/2006 17:34

I would recommend the NCT ones. I did the NHS ones first time around and they were pants - was totally unprepared when labour started. Second time around did NCT and was so much more in control and calmer etc with that labour.

MrsFogi · 04/05/2006 17:37

Definately definately do the NCT classes, you'll meet people in your area with roughly the same due date as you and will have a ready-made support network when your baby is born (don't underestimate how great it is to know a group of people in the same boat as you). 6n top of that the NCT classes are prety thorough re preparation for labour.

ja9 · 04/05/2006 17:41

if you can't afford the nct ones - they have subsidies to help you out...

my NCT ante natal gp still meet every week and ds is coming up for 2!

majormoo · 04/05/2006 17:50

I think for meeting people the NCT classes are great. The classes themselves were a bit twee for me (having to bath a plastic doll referred to as 'baby' etc)whereas our NHS classes were fantastic as preparation for birth.

Blu · 04/05/2006 18:00

I'm really pleased I attended ours - it gave me a lot of confidence and I made brilliant friends through it - though you can just jopin for the tea groups afterwards.

Some of it can be a bit far-fetched, and of a particular philosophy, but you can stand as close to that as you like - they won't actually be there in the delivery room with you if you decide that actually, you would like an epidural after all!

I thought they were better than the mw-led ones as they gave more preparation for afterwards - covering PND, breastfeeding, altering nature of relationship between you and the father etc.

LIZS · 04/05/2006 18:03

Generally the NCT ones were couple based, somehow had a more hollistic approach and social side whereas the NHS ones tended to be just the mums to be. Saw more of the NCT group mums afterwards than the others ,even though they came from a wider area.

fenny1 · 09/05/2006 08:57

We really enjoyed our NCT ones, the NHS ones tyrned out to be a single day, mid week when I was working!!

Meet regularly with NCT girls already, no babies yet. The boys are all getting support from each other too.

SoupDragon · 09/05/2006 09:36

I still meet up with the couples from my NCT classes and our babies are 7 now :)

KiwiKat · 11/05/2006 15:27

We're booked for a two day NCT class in June (at huge expense), but it turns out that now DH's evil boss won't give him the time off to attend it, so I'll be going on my own. I've tried to get onto the NHS course, but they're chocka, and I'm starting to panic that I won't get to meet any other mums who are due at the same time (13th July). And as first time parents with our families living elsewhere, making friends with people who have kids the same age is EXACTLY what we need!

Can I gatecrash a group later on, or is there any other way to meet these mums? Advice would be very welcome, please!

runtus · 11/05/2006 16:20

His boss is not allowed by law to refuse him the time off to attend Antenatal classes KiwiKat.........worth fighting for in my opinion.

kayzed · 11/05/2006 16:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

KiwiKat · 12/05/2006 15:09

Thanks for the message, kayzed. It's a relief to know that I haven't completely missed the boat, and will still get to meet people. I'll check out the July thread. Is your July 14th baby a boy, a girl, or a surprise? We're having a boy and I'm thrilled and terrified all at the same time.

hana · 12/05/2006 15:13

first time around I was too late for NCT antenatal classes ( but did the parentcraft NHS ones but didn't get to know anyone - there were only 2 classes)
I did instead something called a 'postnatal discussion group' through the NCT - your local branch may run something similar, it's worth finding out about.
WE still meet up and our babies are nearly 5 now
good luck
of course we didn't all click together - about 5 of us meet up from a base of about 14

shrimpy169 · 12/05/2006 15:16

i joined an NCT group a few weeks before my ds (now 3) was born and we all still keep in touch regularly. NCT organises postnatal groups too...mostly of folk who did the antenatal classes but i know of lots of people who joined a group of mums postnatally, it's a great support especially with your first baby.

SueW · 12/05/2006 15:21

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request.

mumtodylan · 12/05/2006 15:26

the nct also runs 'bumps and babies' coffee mornings in most areas, i found these great as when you've been as a pregnant lady you have more confidence to go once the baby is born cos you've already met some people.

jenkel · 12/05/2006 15:31

Would also recommend NCT if can afford it, i didnt go to the MW led ones and still meet up with my NCT group 3 1/2 years later.

kayzed · 13/05/2006 21:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DumbledoresGirl · 13/05/2006 21:29

When I was pg with ds1 (10 years ago) I did both NCT classes and hospital classes. I remember vividly how they differed. The NCT classes were much more detailed about the biology of labour and birth, caring for the baby, breastfeeding, etc and they also offered the social side of things as we were encouraged to meet up as a group after we had had our babies (which we did, but it didn't work out too well for me and one other woman, so she and I took to meeting each other and are still friends now). The hospital classes, OTOH were much more realistic about what you will actually experience and much more down to earth in terms of discussing your options for pain relief and showing you what forceps etc look like and how they might be used (as indeed they were for ds1). Also, they did a weekly session doing relaxing and breathing exercises which I don't remember my NCT classes doing. OTOH again, the NCT classes were in the evening and partners were an integral part of each session, whereas the hospital classes were during the day (except for one) and were just attended by mothers.

All in all, if I was starting with my first baby again, I would still do what I did then and attend both.

hub2dee · 13/05/2006 21:50

Hi Foxy, I did a write-up of each NCT class we went to \link{http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk?reverse=1&topicid=49&threadid=80633\on this thread here}, which might be worth a read.

It's an entry short, so I will update it, LOL !

We see our NCT friends a lot, and some people we meet who didn't do them deffo seem to not know as many people with babies the same age etc.

mrsdarcy · 13/05/2006 21:54

I did both NCT and hospital ante natal classes with DS1. The NCT classes, as it happens, weren't particularly good but I think that was because the teacher wasn't very inspiring. We didn't really gel as a group until we met up for the post natal get-together and from then on there was a lovely support network.

The classes were really late on a Monday evening and each time we went, DH and I had a row either on the way there or back, with him saying he didn't want to go and me saying he had to! We found out later on that the other couples were all exactly the same.

The hospital classes were a good way to get to know the hospital and some of the midwives. I went to those on my own as DH refused to go to any more, and everyone else there was in couples, and no-one talked to me. So it wasn't exactly fun, but it was quite useful.

fishie · 13/05/2006 21:59

i had rather a prejudice against nct and didn't go, thought it would be all knitted uterus and panting. this was a mistake - nhs classes were ridiculously useless and i was completely clueless when giving birth which went badly.

later joined bumps and babies which was pretty good, although must say that it was mainly middle class white people, which really doesn't reflect the area i live in.

KiwiKat · 16/05/2006 14:19

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I'm keen to get as much advice as I can, and particularly like the idea of attending the bumps and babies group, so will chase that up.

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