NCT Antenatal teacher/ POstnatal group leader

[3andnomore]

So...how do I go about this...actually I would like both, iykwim...can you do these courses together, or just one after anohter...and whatever it is...which course is better and more succesful to do...or are both courses equally good and it's best to do both one after another?

Sue, thank you so much for all teh Info.
We are based here permanently now....dh has just gotten through his extension, so, will do 2 further years, and it could mean for him, that he might rejoins the regiment, which is going out to Germany now, however, as es is starting secondary school and we have bought a house, etc....he would go alone. So, no matter where he gets posted too it won't have an effect on me, iykwim.
One of teh reasons I would really like to become an Antenatal Teacher or even a postnatal group leader is, that I just feel very strongly about anything to do with Birth and motherhood. With my last child I had a traumatic Birth experience, and it really has made me more determined about the importance of antenatal support and empowering women with the knowledge, so, they can feel strong and won't be bullied into procedures etc...! The Birth experience is such an important part of becoming a parent.
Saying that, like I said I also think the Postnatal group leader training sounds good and so important, too....the right support when you need it does make such a difference.
Anywya, I am rambling!
Best of luck with your Essay, btw

3andnomore, have you considered becoming a doula? You could do this alongside your antenatal classes. Have a search around Mumsnet there's lots of doulas on here all passionate about their jobs, sounds right up street!!!!!

lol Sue

Donut...I ahve looked into becoming a Doula, and one day I would love to do that...but at this time I think the spur of a moment childcare that I might would need, etc...it just would be impossible....my ys is 3 today, and my other 2 are 4 1/2 and 11....once the lil ones are older, Doula is something I really would like to do.
Also, it depends on what dh will do once he is out of the army...if he does somehting where he could be at home etc...if needs be...who knows...might not have to wait to long.
Another thing I would like to become at one point is a BFC....but obviously that is purely volunteer work and at the moment I got to sort out what I want to do to help wiht the finances in teh future, etc...!
One thing I know is, that I am really not keen on going back into Nursing, lol.

3andnomore....I hear you about the nursing, I am a nurse (krankenschwester??) and I HATE it with a passion, I'm hoping to be a doula and I've looked into the NCT antenatal teaching course, I really, really need a change.....just too reliant on my wage at the mo though Good luck to you... you could do post-natal doula-ing for the time being??? by the way, your English is fab!!! You'd never know from your posts that your first language isn't English. Guten Abend...(am I right, am I?????? It's been 14 years since I last spoke German!!!)

you are right Donut...very good german...and thanks for the compliment on my english!

For me it's more of a confidence issue with teh Nursing and I just couldn't face working those sort of shifts.
If I was garanteed a JOb in a daysetting forinstance with the elderly, I would possibly consider going back to Nursing...I am weird like that, I love old people. BUt well, there are very few of regular working hour Jobs wihtin Nursing....sigh...so....hm...also....in our area you hvae to self fund your return to Nursing course, which is about £500 and well...it would really annoy me to pay for that course, seeing that I have done my initial training with all the "perks" a student nurse has, lol....am stubborn like that...I rather pay a grant for somehting I have not learned yet...also....I would feel more comfortable to start something new ratehr then worrying that I am now completely rubbish at somehting I onced did as a career...if that amkes sense.
Have also looked into becoming a Occupational therapist which would be an interesting working field...but not sure if I am up to full time study and part time it would just take to long, iykwim...!
Right now I have a Bank relief Job with residential care company for youngsters with behavioural problems...basically Kids in care...and it is interesting, but I think it's A jOB THAT YOU COULD BURN OUT REALLY EASILY (if you do it fulltime) AND ALSO (oops caps lock) the shifts are 24 h shifts, which is great to get lots of hours quickly, but doesn't always work well around your own Kids....I do enjoy it though. Great way to get crash-experience in teh care of Teenagers....
oh, am rambling again....sorry, lol....
It must be a nightmare to be so dependent on your current Jobs income, if you really hate it so much....if you were in germany you can work as a Nurse in maternity care...on teh postnatal and antenatal wards....you only have to be a midwife if you want to deliver Baby's

could you maybe do agency work which is paid much better and therefore you might have to work less and could fit study towards antenatal teaching in better?

The thing about Doula is, that it's more about passion then money...(I know that sounds horrible....because passion is very important in any Job where you work with clients/patients...if you loose your passion it's time to change fields...imo) as the income is just not very regular, iykwim....!

Totally correct 3andnomore, but I can't even do agency (I believe that if anything were to go wrong the finger would be pointed at the agency nurse) but not even that, we're in a financial mess and I need to be seen to have a regular income, so would have to fit my doula-ing around work, would gradually reduce hours as doula-ing took off!

I'm the opposite to you, I love the hours in nursing! I work 3 nights a week which is full-time and I'm here for bedtime and the school run, I'm up by the time the kids are home from school, it's great!

I suppose if I could do night shifts, it would be different...but with dh not working regular hours, etc....I just can't commit to that...

Are you considering postnatal doula-ing then, rather then Birth doula...?
I suppose Postnatal doulaing would be more regular hours once you get a client...thing is, I really don't know how it would work in this area....Corby...basically a bit of a shithole, lol....or considered to be one, anyway...however, tis up and coming....they build so many new houses and once we get that railway station here, we will be an hour away from London St pancras, which will get Corby into the commuting distance to london, and hopefully make it more attractive.

Hi

I'm a recently qualified antenatal teacher - I did the course in 2 and a half years, which is about the minimum it takes (and it can take much longer). I don't think you'd be able to do both the ANT and PNL diplomas at the same time - apart from the sheer amount of work I doubt 2 tutors would take you on at the same time.

How much you earn and how often you teach depend very much on where you live - I'm in London and could work almost full-time if I wanted but some of my colleagues in more rural areas struggle to find enough clients at times

The NCT are supposed to be doing a big push for the postnatal courses, but at the moment, they're not very well-attended, or very frequently run in most branches, so I'd suspect running antenatal classes would be a better bet to start with

hth

I'd LOVE to be a birth doula but at the moment, I just can't not turn up to work should a client go into labour when I should be on duty, therefore, I could only offer my services as a post-natal doula, unless of course someone was willing to take the risk. I can't think of anything more exciting, emotional and such a privilige to attend! In about 4 years, things will be more settled financially and I'll be more free to doula!

donut, at least there is a end in site...
Mims, thank you for your reply...like i said before...everything info wise helps at the moment

Have gotten in contact wiht my local NCT branch, and because the funding changes, taking the pressure of the individual branches, I was told that there may well be a chance for me to train to become an ANT and also apparently it is a good thing that I live where I do, because they need volunteers from this area...
they have invited me to a bumps and Babies meeting on Thursday, so, I could talk to them in person, etc...

The Postnatal Doula thing has been going around in my head now, aswell.....don't get me wrong, if I get into the ANT training, I will do that most certainly...but might be something to do along side...must find more out about need in the area, etc....

Sounds like a good time then to get into this
Just also looked about on Doula training and costs and Babymessage and Yoga teacher training etc....oh there is soooo much that looks like good fun

lol Sue...yeah the bloody money...eh...if that wasn't an issue....sigh....
must say, midwifery, I don't think, would be for me...could quite imagine myself as a HV...but can't face going back into nursing and all that before I can even start the HV course....however, apparently they might start doing direct entry HV courses....now that would be cool....

hm...just come across this website...they say that they have people training even in the UK, etc...it seems a bit cheaper...can't really tell though if it is in depht enough, etc...
and of course it would mean I would afterwards have to set out completely on my own...which is kinda scary...but I try to work out if it would be a valid option incase I could not get he NCT funding...what do those in teh know think?

thanks sue!

3andnomore,
I'm starting my NCT AN training next month, so if you want any detailed information, please email me
jopowell1 at yahoo dot co dot uk

And.... I'm a Doula so if you want any help with that, just ask away!

Hi, I am just bumping this up out of interest.

FOr those of you who trained, are you still doing it?
How is it going?
Would you recommend the Antentatal or POstnatal Leader training? Do you think there is as much demand for the Postnatal Leader work?

there is pretty much zilch demand for postnatal leader work so if you're thinking of training and hoping to earn more than pocket money then I'd think of something else

there is more demand for antenatal teachers, however the hours are very antisocial/un-family-friendly (all evenings and weekends) and morale among teachers at the moment is at rock-bottom

Thanks for responding. Yes, I had wondered that about Postnatal Leader work - whereas most people do some kind of antenatal course, not so many people do a postnatal course. Or, they are sometimes provided locally by the NHS or childrens centres.

Why is morale so low at present among antenatal teachers? Do you think it is worth doing?