Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Any NCT teachers here?

67 replies

Libra1975 · 01/10/2008 13:33

i would like to start an AIBU thread but before I do I would like to get my facts straight. I was told that NCT teachers are not permitted to give out information about bottle-feeding unless specifically asked about it, and by specifically asked I do not mean "I would like to FF" but "I would like to FF and need some information about ". The reason apparently they are not allowed to give out information about bottle-feeding is that they have signed up to the WHO guidelines over breastfeeding.

Is this really true?

OP posts:
StarlightMcKenzie · 03/10/2008 19:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

StarlightMcKenzie · 03/10/2008 19:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
Libra1975 · 03/10/2008 19:55

Starlight McKenzie - apparently the NCT anti-natal course teacher chooses how many of her sessions can be allocated to the breast-feeding counsellor. The teacher we had allowed the bfc to have 2 sessions, the first session was couples and the second session was women only with the men sent down the pub to bond. However it seems like most teachers only allocate the bfc one session.

"I do think ff parents need support and information - but the antenatal breastfeeding class is not the place for it."
I agree, but it could be covered in the anti-natal course as a whole. I am not sure about the whole making up the bottle demo debate going on here but I think FF should be at least acknowledged and information fact-sheets volunteered rather than being handed out only if asked about.

OP posts:
fabsmum · 03/10/2008 20:13

cupcake - I think NCT teachers should acknowledge at some point on the course that it's REALLY, REALLY important to prepare bottles according to guidelines. I do - I am very clear on this. I tell people how they can access information on how to do this - through their GP, their HV, the back of the tin, their 0 - 5 book. I just don't think it's necessary or helpful to actually demonstrate how to do it in class, for the reasons I've mentioned earlier. If parents aren't being told that a) it's very important and b) where to get the information they need to do it safely, then IMO there is something amiss......

tiktok · 04/10/2008 00:02

Men are not sent out of a bf class in an NCT antenatal course. A few of them occasionally absent themseves by simply not turning up on that night but it's a real shame, I think, if they think it's not for them.

I do think it is important that people know that bottles need to be prepared in a certain way and the fact there are milks that are definitely not suitable for a new baby - I have no objection to these issues being explained to a group, NCT or not.

Cupcake - I absolutely didn't say that the potential difficulties of bf should be avoided. I think the very opposite! People come to the class knowing, directly or indirectly, that these challenges exist. One of the point of the class is to recognise them, explain them, and build confidence that they can be met.

I do give information about ff - I don't do demos or, in fact, spend a lot of the very short time we have on it, though. I don't mind answering questions and it is fine by me if the a/n teacher at other points in the course brings in other points (not a demo). But in a breastfeeding class no one can surely complain that the focus is indeed on breastfeeding....

Bubbaluv · 04/10/2008 08:50

Fabsmum, Really good point. If it wasn't for MN I would have had no idea of the potential risks involved in incorrect bottle prep. I didn't start giving formula until about 6/7 months, and hadn't seen a HV for a good 3/4 months, so who was supposed to tell me about it? It really would have seemed pretty risk-free to me, and I'm an educated generally well informed person. It's no wonder so many people have no idea.

Bubbaluv · 04/10/2008 08:56

Tiktok, do many women come to NCT bf classes with no intention of bf? (Just wondering, no hidden adjenda).

Bubbaluv · 04/10/2008 08:57

Agenda! Sorry!

tiktok · 04/10/2008 10:01

Bubbalove, very, very occasionally they do. I am not sure why they do, but they're welcome anyway! It's not at all unusual for people to come who are not sure what they want to do longer term, but the vast majority want to at least do some bf.

cthea · 04/10/2008 10:34

fabsmum - I really like your approach. I wonder how you came to it or how widespread it is. It seems to me entirely sensible, while still adhering to UNICEF's guidance and to what the NCT is striving for.

MoonlightMcKenzie · 04/10/2008 13:20

tiktok My DH and other men were told to go into another room to meet new dads of newborns to discuss what it is like, whist the women stayed and listened to a bfc and watched a video. Perhaps that wasn't being 'sent' out, but it certainly wasn't being included.

rosmerta · 04/10/2008 13:55

tiktok have to say my dh & other dads weren't included in the bf session either. Plus our bf session wasn't with a bfc but just with the ant showing us the Social Baby video!

I'm currently training to be an ant and as someone who didn't succeed at bf for various reasons (mainly pn support) I'm feeling pulled both ways on teaching feeding. I understand and do believe in the NCT's approach to teaching feeding but ultimately feel that fabmum's approach is a good balance. I also have no doubt that when I am teaching I will use a bfc for the bf class as I in no way feel competent to talk to a class about bf outside of the benefits etc.

tiktok · 04/10/2008 14:17

I have never heard of men being asked to go elsewhere in the bf class - when bfcs are being trained, they are required to say in what way fathers will be included. It may be the bfc decided to give one activity to the women and one to the men, but if it's a feeding class then both activities would be related.

There are some parts of the country with no bfcs, so the ant might be required to do the session herself.

But dads should be there.

Excluding them is not good practice at all, and I hope very rare

MoonlightMcKenzie · 04/10/2008 14:33

tiktok The teacher ran the session and 'owned' it. the bfc appeared to be a guest and did what she was told iyswim. I don't think the bfc was NCT (or even human If I'm honest ). My area is very short of bfc, bf hcps AND NCT teachers, - so I dunno if we got some kind of mishmash!

TinkerBellesMum · 04/10/2008 15:35

rosmerta my trainer doesn't even have children and there were people on my course who either FF or were childless. The only requirement was that you are passionate about and believe in breastfeeding. I did the local NHS/ PCT course, not totally impressed with it and thinking of going on to do something else.

cupcake76 · 04/10/2008 16:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Mij · 05/10/2008 23:35

Wow, on my (short - 3 sessions) NCT course, one was BFing, and the dads had a go at positioning too! But I don't know of any national organisation, voluntary or otherwise, where every individual supposedly doing the same job does it exactly the same way. It's just a shame that the sometimes dubious variations those individuals embark can mar the reputation of that organisation.

I did the NCT peer support training last year and it was absolutely brilliant. But that was because the BFC/trainer is absolutely brilliant. I suspect she'd have been brilliant if her information came from David Walliams and Matt Lucas but it just shows how much variation there can be not just area to area but person to person within an organisation. Incidentally, I've also heard as many people bigging up and knocking down La Leche League, so I suspect they have the same issues.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page