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Original poster

New mums/anyone who went on an antenatal class ... look over here ... would you have liked this??

48 replies

funnypeculiar · 27/01/2007 13:43

I'm involved with the local NCT, and am trying to set up a system by which

  • someone from the committee goes along to every AN class (to tell them about the branch/smile + demonstrate all committee members aren't lentil-weavers)
  • the same person would then call them 2/4 weeks after their due date to check how things were going/welcome the baby/invite mum & babe to a coffee morning.

I'm slightly concerned about the ohone calls ... would you have liked this, or wanted me to feck off? If you had a hard labour/are having a difficult time, would you expect an NCT committee member to have the answers?! Would you be unimpressed when all they could do was give sympathy & pass you on some numbers/mumsnet web address [smile}

Other thoughts, anyone???

Ta in advance....

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beansprout · 27/01/2007 13:46

I think it is a nice idea. I contacted NCT and never heard back after being told that the local contact person was "too busy" to organise anything!

I think the bottom line though, is that some people would like it and others would not so the trick would be to be able to make that judgement.

TheBlonde · 27/01/2007 13:46

I wouldn't have wanted the phone call personally - 2/4 weeks after due date is also pretty early

What about an email inviting people to post natal tea morning? Our branch supposedly does this and you can then meet other moms with similar aged babies

humpydumpy · 27/01/2007 13:51

Could the person going to the AN class not ask who wants to be contacted?

Personally I would have liked it.

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lulumama · 27/01/2007 13:51

i think it is a good idea...out group is supposed to do something similar..not sure how succesful it is

i would be ready with a list of useful websites and contacts

for BF support

PND

birth trauma

as that is more useful than a general chit chat

and definitely to encourage local mums to get together and support each other...do you have mums & tots groups?

Indith · 27/01/2007 14:00

I think it would be a good idea. My Ds is 16 days now. I got to know a fair few people by going to an aqua natal class but then of course people vanish one by one as they have their babies and after birth getting up and finding a new mum and baby group and meeting new people is very daunting. I bumped into one of the aqua natal mums in the shopping centre and found out a lot of them go to a certain group (which is NCT run) so I started going there but if I'd not met her I would probably still be plucking up the courage to go to one with Ds and missing out on being able to feel normal with lots of other new mums!

Weegle · 27/01/2007 14:23

I did NCT antenatal classes and I think I would have liked this but maybe at least 4 weeks after due date given most first timers are overdue and the first few weeks are usuall taken up with dad being on paternity leave and trying to sort out breastfeeding etc. I kept up with my class members and see them regularly but I never got in to the whole NCT coffee mornings because it was too daunting but maybe your idea would help bridge the gap. Also going to a coffee morning would be so much easier if you knew you would already know someone and not be a complete lemon in the corner! So yes, I think it's a good idea!

Original poster
funnypeculiar · 27/01/2007 18:44

Brilliant - thanks for this everyone.

We could certainly ask people how they'd like to be contacted - and of course give people an opt out. I'd prefer to go phone rather than email as I think an email isn't as personal, iykwim? I was like you, Weggie, and met up with MY NCT grp, but would never have dared go along to a general NCT coffee morning thing - and I think I'm pretty confident with that sort of thing...I reckoned (posibly wrongly?) that a personal phone call would make a connection in the way a general email wouldn't. As you say, Indith, it can be a bit intimidating ... glad you managed to find your local grp anyway

And, yes lulumama, we were going to have a list of numbers available - but hadn't thought of all of yours so thankyou . We do run a mums and bumps/babes grp, but also have monthly get-togethers at someone's house. These are pretty well attended, but often by people new to the areas rather than first timers, so far.

Interested you wouldn't have liked it, TheBlonde - any particular reason?

And realised reading your comments, realise that part of the reason I've thought about 2-4 weeks after due date is that my first was 4 weeks prem ... so by 4 weeks after his due date I was more than ready to be out in the real world- useful sanity check that this isn't normal!!

Any more thoughts, anyone??

OP posts:
lulumama · 27/01/2007 18:50

well, when you set it up/ get it going,,let us know how it goes ! i am hopefully going to be the c.s support person for our NCT...and really want to take a proactive approach

karenj1980 · 27/01/2007 19:24

Thanks for this info funnyperculiar - I have just become the NCT rep for my local as well as the Fundraising Officer. This type of information is priceless.

Our coffe mornings are poorly attended so I was thinking of doing along the lines of what you have suggested.

I am interested in the mum and tots group run by the NCT???? Where and how does it work? Or am I reading this wrong, oops

x

lulumama · 27/01/2007 19:28

i run one...i took it over from another member..just making dinner, back soon ! x

Original poster
funnypeculiar · 27/01/2007 19:37

Karenj - our coffee morning attendance increased dramatically when we got a (wonderful!) new membership secretary, who rings/texts all new members/renewing members/anyone else she fancies really regualrly and asks them along - when they were just listed in the magazine we never got more than 2/3 people if we were lucky...

In terms of the mums & tots grp - ours is a bumps & babes (ie pregnant women & babies up to around walking) - I don't know loads about it as I never went but it's a weekly grp, basically like a mother & baby grp - ie drop in, pay £2 or something, have a cup of tea & a biscuit. It's run by 2/3 of mums with kids of the right age, so people in charge tend to change over fairly quicky ... think it works quite well, but tends to be quite separate to the rest of the NCT stuff, for some reason ... Sounds like lulumama may be more useful to you

OP posts:
karenj1980 · 27/01/2007 19:46

Hi FP

I will speak with the other 2 reps and speak about your experience with membership sec. We have just had two join as joint membership sec's so it will be great to suggest this now.

As I am Fundraising officer I was thinking of setting up a weekly group for the NCT.

Have a nice dinner lol x

lulumama · 27/01/2007 20:16

i took over from another woman..it is in a local church hall...we ask for £1.50 per family, for 2 hours or so.......the group got a grant a couple of years ago, so the toys are in pretty good condition..it is geared more to younger toddlers and babies....

we have a soft area with floor mats and baby gyms, beanbags, bouncing chairs and baby toys...

then down one side of the hall we have 5 tables and lots of toddler sized chairs for play do, colouring and jigsaws etc....

at the end of the hall , we have a big selection of books, a Thomas play set, dressing up clothes and a play kitchen....

we run it in teams, i roped in some friends/ acquaintances so there are 4 teams of us to open up and get the toys out, so not one person doing it every week. Having said that, as the 'named' person, i do go every week...

everyone helps put the toys away which is good...

we serve tea & coffee, biscuits , juice or water for the children, grapes & raisins...

we do singing at the end with rattles , shakers, tambourines etc..

i do ask for help with the drinks and washing up, and usually it is forthcoming !

the group is term time only

that is it really.....

Original poster
funnypeculiar · 27/01/2007 20:17

sounds fab, lulumama!

OP posts:
karenj1980 · 27/01/2007 20:19

lulamama - can i be cheeky and ask you to email me as I am really really interested in this.

I would love and I mean love to do something like this.

And about the grant???? Who with?

email me karenjackson317 at hotmail dot com

Thank you so much for all your info x

lulumama · 27/01/2007 20:21

will do karen...will need to speak to the sec about the grant as it was given before my time ! will email as soon as i know x

karenj1980 · 27/01/2007 20:39

thats brilliant thank you soooo much

what nct branch are you with?
x

lulumama · 27/01/2007 20:40

southport, formby & ormskirk...and you?

karenj1980 · 27/01/2007 20:57

aldershot, farnham and ash x

how did you find a church hall to take over, where can i start.... help?

lulumama · 27/01/2007 20:59

it was already up and running ! it is a local hall, they hire it out for all sorts of things

i;ve emailed the secretary about the grant, if you go through the phone book over the weekend, you can get a list of halls to phone first thing monday

health visitor might know about good places to have mums and tots groups

karenj1980 · 27/01/2007 21:00

brilliant thank you .... off to get the phone book now x

Original poster
funnypeculiar · 27/01/2007 21:07

I'm Walton & Hersham, Karenj - not too far from you . But you & lulumama are both making me tired with all your energy

OP posts:
TravellingontheClaphamOmnibus · 27/01/2007 21:07

Yes, I would have liked an email every so often letting me know what was going on. Not everyone is ready to go out after 2/4 weeks so I think several emails would probably do.

lulumama · 27/01/2007 21:09

come on FP....we are in on a Saturday night,..talking about the NCT..!!

Original poster
funnypeculiar · 27/01/2007 21:14

lulumama ... fair point

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