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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

are NCT classes worth the money?

113 replies

bebejam · 03/06/2005 06:58

I live in an area of London where the charge for a two day course is 200 pounds (the longer course is past my dates, and is 400 pounds!)

We're not poor, just average folks, but we are on a very tight budget where 200 pounds is a lot of money. It just happens that the closest class to us is in SW1 which is why the high price I guess. We are trying to make wise decisions as the baby stuff bill seems to add up easily.

My husband is wondering if these will teach us anything that the hospital parent craft classes don't cover. A lot of people say that the reason you go is for the friends you make... but in two days I'm not sure you'd make that many bonds. And I certainly don't want to part with that kind of money just to hear someone spend two days talking about how scented candles work so much better than pain relief.

Any thoughts?

OP posts:
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hellomama · 03/06/2005 07:42

We did the 2-day course and I think it was worth it. They did teach us things we didn't learn at the hospital class and I know my DH found it particularly helpful to meet other dads. It is coming up for my DS 1st birthday and I still meet with 2 of the other mums at least a few times per week! Ours wasn't quite as expensive as that though. I guess you just have to decide where you think the money is best spent.

bigdonna · 03/06/2005 08:35

i did the parentcraft classes at the hospital i made lots of friends there.i also went to a group set up by hv meeting 10 mums with babies the same age we all stayed in contact until about age 5.i still am in contact with two of the mums my son is nearly 8.

sallycinnamon · 03/06/2005 08:52

I did mums only classes at our clinic that were ran by HV and community midwife. They had a dads evening which was hilarious- basically "ok boys this is what you're going to see and this is what you have to do". The mum's sessions were great and covered everything. I balked at NCT prices too.

acnebride · 03/06/2005 08:57

Nobody I know that went to NHS classes has thought that there was any problem. There are other ways to meet people - maybe check with your GP practice's health visitor whether they run a weekly postnatal group? I did go to NCT and enjoyed them but they were nothing like that price. I wd say it's definitely worth doing classes, that's all, if you like the thought.

bunny2 · 03/06/2005 08:59

I didnt think NCT were worth the money - I did them when pg with ds. Do Parentcraft instead.

hotmama1 · 03/06/2005 09:01

The antenatal classes in my area where mums only, so I booked on the NCT classes more for my partner. We also attended the parentcraft classes at the hosp where I was to give birth. The NCT classes were a couple of hours for about 8 weeks? - and tbh didn't think much of them - this may be because I was well informed - we found the parentcraft classes at the hosp more helpful.

The NCT classes were good for meeting other parents but the 'leader' was a bit crap. I think the NCT do give discounts if you can't afford the full price - but I think this is discretionery? HTH

Azure · 03/06/2005 09:03

I enjoyed the NCT classes and particularly liked the fact that partners go too - my DH was never going to read a book about pregnancy or childbirth. We did an evening course over a number of weeks rather than the intensive one, and our teacher gave us as much information on pain relief as on alternative methods. Our course was in W11 which was near to where we lived but pulled from a wide catchment area and wide range of due dates, and so I didn't find myself making the close friends I had hoped (this wasn't helped by the reunion being cancelled by the teacher). If you are not that close to SW1 you might find the same thing - which negates the idea of going to make friends.

WigWamBam · 03/06/2005 09:20

The only thing that NCT classes did for us was put us in contact with other couples. Our instructor was a lovely woman, but the classes left us all totally unprepared for chicldbirth - she was so busy pushing natural birth, breastfeeding and meditation techniques for pain relief that she didn't even get as far as covering second stage of labour.

Hotmama is right that they will do discretionary discounts in cases where money is tight; if you're interested then give them a ring and see what they can do for you.

Blondeinlondon · 03/06/2005 09:55

I went to NCT simply to meet other couples.
Didn't learn anything new but then I had read a lot of books. Our class was over 200 quid in SW12/17
If money is tight save your money and buy a book on childbirth and join the NCT - far cheaper than the classes and you can still meet people

handlemecarefully · 03/06/2005 10:01

I didn't go to NCT antenatal classes (in fact I didn't go to any antenatal class , but when first born was about 3 months old I contacted local branch of our NCT and joined a teagroup. So made friends via the NCT teagroup without having to go to the classes.

In a nutshell, you don't need to do the classes to make friends and contacts

handlemecarefully · 03/06/2005 10:01

I've just pretty much said what Blondie has said below!

fifilala · 03/06/2005 10:17

Didn't go to NCT - just did the hospital and health centre stuff - hubby was studying at evenuing university so could not attend - was happy for info from me from Hospital and health centre groups. Postnatally went to health centre parentcraft, Breastfeeding support and also baby massage from 6 weeks, met a great bunch of girls (9 of us) and we religiously dragged ourselves to these classes and even managed to fit in a coffee afternoon at a local shopping centre - imagine 9 of us breastfeeding at the same time! Went to an NCT coffe morning but felt like an outsider, so didn't go again.

bebejam · 03/06/2005 10:30

All really helpful comments, thanks girls.

The thing is,we go to a great church in central london that has a tight knit "mums group" of about 8 or 9, so for me NCT classes would be more about gaining useful information more than the social aspect. As this is my first time at this, I feel that I can't possibly understand how tough childbirth is, and just want to be as prepared as possible.

The only woman I knew personally who went to NCT classes loved it for the 'meeting people' aspect, but she lived in an area where an 8 week class cost 100 pounds not 400 pounds. She said the leader was very 'earthy' and spent most of the time lambasting the evils of the epidural in favor of playing soft music. It's not that I'd mind learning fluffy alternatives to pain relief... just not for 200 quid.

I'd be more comfortable with the price if I knew I'd be learning some amazing techniques that would get me through birth, but like has been mentioned... maybe this info can be found in books or at parentcraft classes?

OP posts:
PiccadillyCircus · 03/06/2005 10:34

I went to NHS classes only - they were for partners as well. Didn't really make friends at those, but after DS was born, went along to the Health Visitor run group and made friends (some of whom were in my antenatal classes).

DS is 18 months now and we still meet up as often as possible.

Around 3 months after DS was born, I started going to the local NCT Bumps and Babes group and joined the NCT. I am still glad I didn't go to NCT antenatal classes; I think they would have driven me mad . And the cost element does put me off.

The price in our area includes a year's membership of the NCT (£36); and you can have the classes without becoming a member.

suedonim · 03/06/2005 10:52

I went to NCT classes when I had my fourth baby and found it really useful. By then, you'd have imagined I knew how to have a baby but I learnt lots of new stuff such as about cascade of intervention and I also decided to have a physiological third stage after hearing about how it worked. The NHS classes were pretty rubbish and very basic - 'First stage...cervix opens up, second stage...baby comes out, third stage...deliver the afterbirth. NCT was better, socially; I didn't get to know anyone at NHS classes, they weren't friendly.

Lantana · 03/06/2005 10:56

I went to NCT classes because my hospital only offered a one day antental course and then another half-day for breastfeeding, and my GP doesn't run postnatal groups. I was sceptical, as was my husband, but we both found them very informative and useful, as well as fun actually.

You really can't make a judgment as to whether the classes will drive you mad, as someone did below, without knowing what such classes cover! Our NCT leader gave us a list of topics she could cover and asked us as a group to separate them into categories re which topics we definitely wanted to cover, which we would like to cover if we had the time and which we didn't mind if we didn't cover. This meant that we set the agenda; very useful. MY NCT leader was very into natural childbirth and, to be honest, didn't have much of a sense of humour. However, she knew her stuff, was very informative and did cover at length C-Sections and intervention, which was just as well as 4 out of 7 of us - including me - had emergency C-Sections. I was much more prepared after the NCT classes than the hospital one, which hardly covered C-Sections. My baby ended up in intensive care and SCBU; my NCT class had covered this but the hopsital one didn't, and I was very glad that I knew a bit about it and what such experience could involve and had covered it in my birth plan (based on the sample one my NCT leader gave us).

My classes were £130 for six two-and-a-half hour sessions and I thought that was good value. The other people in my class were fantastic and four months on, I still meet up with the other mothers every week.

How good NCT classes are depends on the teacher, so it might be worth seeing if you can find someone who had the same teacher you might be going to and sounding them out.

Having said the above, I do think in your case that it is a lot of money for two days. I deliberately didn't go on a two day course in my own area and found out about a longer class in a neighbouring NCT area. My advice to you - if you haven't already done so - is to consider classes in another area. They might well be cheaper for a start. I live in SE London myself, and £200 is a lot more than any of the classes I found out about, including the two day course. There is a great deal of info to absorb and I'm not sure how well one can do that in two days. With a longer course you had time to digest things and return to a topic if need be, plus you are more likely to bond if seeing people on a weekly basis. If other groups are available to you and £200 is a stretch financially, then I would not do the two-daycourse and just read lots of books. But I heartily recommend the NCT classes to other people.

Lantana · 03/06/2005 11:05

Postscript to my message below:

Although my leader was into natural childbirth herself, she didn't push this. Which was just as well as it really wouldn't have washed with my group, only one of which had a completely natural birth. She certainly didn't make any of us feel guilty about having intervention or C-Sections, but told us what we could do to try and avoid this if possible and gave us the confidence to not be bullied into things by medical staff.

Also, although your church might have a tightknit mums group, you really can't imagine until after the birth how useful it is to know mothers with babies the same age as yours. It makes you feel far less paranoid seeing that the other babies have a bald patch, for example.

CarolinaMoon · 03/06/2005 11:20

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KatieinSpain · 03/06/2005 11:24

With DS1 I did the NHS course - it was OK. I think for all these courses, the leader makes or breaks it and so, it is impossible to tell until you actually do one.

With DS2 - I did a "refresher" course with the NCT and TBH, it was brilliant, informative and empowering. It did what all good teaching does: makes you think, makes you question and presents lots of different options. Yes, IME, the NCT does push natural childbirth and breastfeeding but as an adult, this slant is easy to take or leave.

I went on to have an induction, pethidine, air and gas - and an absolutely good experience of childbirth. I didn't make long-standing friends at the group, but this was probably as I knew we were emigrating.

By the way, I had a good birth first-time round, without the NCT, too .

Rhubarb · 03/06/2005 11:29

I learnt a lot from them and would recommend them to everyone.
I went to NHS classes with my first and they taught me absolutely nothing, I had a long painful labour and ended up with an epidural.

For my second I wanted a home birth, so I went to ante-natal classes with the NCT. They were very supportive. The midwives at the hospital had not been very encouraging towards my birth plans, but the NCT managed to dismiss a lot of what the midwives had told me and gave me the confidence to carry on with my plans. When you are armed with information you feel more in control, and that's what they did for me.

They also told me things I didn't know and hadn't read in books, like how you can get yourself in a position so that your pelvis opens another 3cm and how you can help your baby navigate the slight bend in the birth canal. They told me the cons as well as the benefits of pain relief, and the whole birthing process was fully explained to me.

I got to know the others in my classes, we had discussions with the teacher, she gave us heaps of reassurance, and those who had previously wanted an epidural for their births, managed to subsequently give birth without one! Not that they dissuaded us at any point, we were just given the information that helped us make our minds up. Whatever we wanted to do they were supportive of it.

And the aftercare is great too. They have helped me so much with both of my children, from breastfeeding to finding friends. There are some things I wouldn't go to the NCT for, like advice about sleeping as I'm a Gina Ford fan, but as support goes for the hard job of parenting, they win my vote!

Laura032004 · 05/06/2005 19:17

We went to the NCT classes, mainly for dh, who couldn't attend the daytime NHS classes. We did the two day intensive course, and boy was it intensive! We left shattered both times, and it was a lot to take in.

I found that the classes focussed mainly on the birth and techniques for dealing with the pain and getting the baby out. They also stressed the evils of any form of intervention. We didn't really learn anything practical for afterwards - which is quite important really. NHS classes did cover this.

I personally left the classes wanting a hb with no pain relief. I was scared to death when I found out that I would probably have to have an epidural due to pre eclampsia. I was terrified when my birth ended up being about as 'interventional' as possible, and there was absolutely no need to be. It was all fine. I didn't get a UTI from the catheter, I'm not paralysed from the epidural, my c/s was not the worst thing on earth.....

I blame the classes for building up my hopes for a 'perfect' birth, which ultimately weren't possible, and making me think that anything else was terrible.

The class didn't really bond, mainly due the intensity of the classes, and then the leader didn't get around to arranging a reunion.

So, if you do go, please go with an open mind, I'd hate anybody else to end up with the guilt that I had about not being able to achieve a natural birth.

Worth the money? Not IMO.

Gobbledigook · 05/06/2005 19:48

Personally I didn't learn all that much from them in terms of facts (but I have a medical background anyway) but for me they were worth the money because of the friends I made there. 4 and a half years on, I still see the friends every week and have made other friends through them. As a SAHM, I know I'm extremely lucky to have this network of friends - I dont know what I'd do without them.

I didn't go for 2 days though - we one night a week for 8 weeks or so. Towards the end we decided to meet up for coffee etc as we were on maternity leave and it's just carried on from there - most of us had our 2nd babies at teh same time too and then a few of us have had a 3rd as well. It's been invaluable.

kama · 05/06/2005 19:50

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HannahMoomin · 05/06/2005 20:03

Hi, DP and I attended a course of NCT classes, including a bfing workshop. We have very mixed feelings about them really. On the one hand they were incredibly informative, and we both felt that the gradual build up of info leading up to the birth was a great way of preparing ourselves mentally, and making informed choices about our birth plan. However, I would have loved to have done more to do with the physical side of things - we talked about breathing only briefly and did a bit of relaxation to soft music, but I think next time I'll definately opt for Active Birth classes as I think they combine both informational and physical prep. The bfing workshop was inspirational, although I'm very pro-bfing, so I suspect for anyone undecided about bfing/ffing, the style may have come across a little too pro IYSWIM! The teacher was very positive though and didn't EVER say anything bad about ff. I have kept in touch with the mums from the course, although I haven't really found a kindred-spirit amongst them. DP and I both found this a little distressing during the classes, everybody seemd to have very different ideas to us and we were made to feel like weirdos at times (it was in good humour) Things we felt were important to us like co-sleeping, cloth nappies, exclusive bfing, were treated like rose-tinted ideologies amongst the other couples and consequently were not discussed much. I have to say that I don't think this is representative of the NCT as a whole however lol! To sum up this ramble, I'd recommend NCT classes, especially for first time parents. They were a little beyond our budget, but we were able to pay in installments
Hannah xxx

Franniban · 05/06/2005 20:41

We went to NCT with ds1 and I did feel that it was worth it, the cost was expensive, but as someone has said, they can contribute towards the cost. My course was over 6 weeks in the evening and then 2 all dayers for the girls only. The best thing about it was the friends we've made. 17 months on and 7 out of the 8 couples still meet on a weekly basis (well the girls do) They really have been fantastic as friends and support over the last few months, and three of us have gone on to have 2nd children, (due in 2 weeks) and that has been great too. The only thing I would say is that over two days, how likely are you to bond with people, as you suggest. I also think we were very lucky, as I recomended NCT to a friend in SE london and she didn't like any of the people in her group!
Other comments about the teacher has been interesting and I think that would make alot of difference. One thing I would say is that I did the NCT post natal course and that definately wasn't worth it. I paid to do what I do with my anti natal friends anyway, go round to other peoples houses, talk about things and drink coffee. As someone else suggested, you might be better crashing a NCT coffee morning once the baby's been born and meeting friends that way. Either way, good luck

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