NCT - are they necessary?

[brummiemumm]

Hi all. My husband and I haven't bothered to organise any NCT classes - we both have heard mixed things and didn't feel it was necessary... now we are getting closer to our due date, I'm wondering whether this was naive of us. How useful did you find them? I've grown up with all my cousins having babies and have a very supportive family, we also have a young nephew so I feel quite confident with babies however I'm now wondering if there's tonnes of stuff I will realise I have no clue about and wondering whether I will regret not doing NCT!

Ime NCT focuses on the birth not really babies - we did one session on feeding and one general baby care session. I don't think its vital. It was good for spending time with dh focused on the birth/baby and for meeting local(ish) parents to be.

If I hadn’t had NCT classes, I don’t think I’d have done anything any differently. A lot of it is common sense. They wanted us to do this ridiculous thing where DH was brushing the negative energy off me (their recommendation for the birth) and he laughed and told the instructor that he’d likely get a string of swear words from me if he tried to do that.

I don’t speak to/meet up with any of the people I went with either.

2 babies and never been to an antenatal class, mainly because of illness and no invite the second time.

It's not like back in the day when women were kept in the dark and babies were delivered by stork! Everyone knows the options, vaginal, c-section, water. You'll know what the pain killers are.

My hospital had a couple of YouTube videos showing the maternity wards and birth suites. My guess is they don't have time / space to have women touring the hospital. I found them by accident but I imagine they point them out at ante natal classes.

I’ve really enjoyed my nct classes. Nothing hippy or pushy at all. Lots of useful informed information. I’m a first time mum to be so found it good. Also helpful for my husband too and he’s enjoyed them too. Our class leader is lovely as are the rest of the group.

I had a tour of the hospital not through NCT but because I knew the senior midwife. I don’t think it made much difference either way.

No, not necessary, they are more about making the right kind of mum friends. But do watch info or read up

I enjoyed my NCT classes too. I went to some free NHS classes too and the NCT ones were so much more informative and more inclusive for Dads.

We found it was really good for my husband, as he hadn't researched as much baby and childbirth stuff in his own spare time compared to me.

It's been really handy just to know other parents with babies within a few weeks of ours. Even if you don't meet regularly, it's handy to ask the others for opinions, recommendations, hints and tips as you need them!

I'm halfway through and similar to you very experienced with young babies with 8 under 5 year olds born in the last few years in my family. We decided to go for it as might help meet local parents. It's actually been good so far. Not hippy dippy or role play and actually helping us making decisions we wouldn't have considered despite all our knowledge. We are first time parents. You only know what you know. Our logic was other than a few hours of our live and some money, wont lose anything if it wasnt for us and hopefully gain from it. As pp its helped us spend time to talk about things and focus on the birth.

I never went to antenatal classes fo any of mine. I couldn't afford NCT classes with baby 1 although lots of my friends went. I lived in London and every penny was tight then so we swerved it. My thoughts on it are it seems a great way to meet other mums and make a few friends but that it's not vital to actually having a baby.

It is the support network that is invaluable, I talk to my group most days and see them at least weekly. The classes themselves made me more relaxed but the info is available elsewhere. I’d be lost without that as no local friends or family that are off work.

The advice they gave me was sound but not ground-breaking, especially as like you, I have a good relationship with my family, have always known people with small children and have heard various birth stories. I didn't really "gel" with anyone in my group so completely lost touch within the first few months, so completely useless in my casr, although some people have much better friendship experiences. I went to a couple of information evenings at the local hospital which were better - more specific and a chance to look around the facilities.

They are good to make a little mummy friendship group but I found the classes useless. Went on too late, lots of standing up (heavily pregnant ) lots of just reading things off leaflets. The only useful one was they had an outside lady come in to do a session on breastfeeding and she made sure the men could help and also told them the phrases not to say or to encourage us a long. I found that for all those classes the info didn't really help when you don't get the labour you plan for.

Yes for the support network
No for info - can read it all on the internet/ baby books

I found it useful and made some really good friends - our WhatsApp group was a life and sanity saver. Nice to have someone to laugh with at 3am with a baby clamped on your boob.

I think they were too focused on pregnancy and not enough on once baby is here. The information wasn't groundbreaking but the opportunity to talk with others was useful
The support was great and I've made some nice mum friends who can empathise.

It’s a good way to meet people who are going through the same things as you at the same time. However, I didn’t stay in touch with my NCT group after about a year. We didn’t have anything in common.

The actual classes were very useful, especially the ones on pain relief options and breastfeeding.

How do you plan to find out about what happens during labour and what your pain relief options are without doing any antenatal classes?

Thanks everyone - your advice is really helpful. Think I'm going to give them a miss - was just having a 3:00am panic that I'd be missing out on some sort of groundbreaking information that I couldn't find online or already know!

I wouldn't say they were essential and I don't feel we really gained a great deal of information / knowledge from them really. However, they are great for a support network after as you have an already made group around. We still all keep in touch now nearly 2 years down the line.