Should I sign up for NCT membership?

[strawberrysundayss]

Hi,

I'm about to book to NCT antenatal classes and it offers membership with the booking.

Just wanted to know if everyone thought it was worth joining? What are the benefits. It mentions meetings etc but if you get to know people in your group I guess you can meet up regardless?

They also mention discounts at shops etc which I'm not that interested in so wanted to know if anyone found any additional benefit to joining?

I don’t really see the point, no. The classes are great but you’ll form you own friendships that continue after the classes end. You don’t need formal ‘meetings’. There are loads of free baby groups or meet ups that you can join, or classes you can sign up for as you choose. You really won’t need more.

Interested, I did sign up so hope people think it’s worth it somehow.....

I read the small print and also decided it wasn't worth joining. The only reason to join is to support them as an organisation essentially. You can still attend all NCT meet ups without being a member. Everyone else on my course signed up.

It’s a donation of a charity that’s all. Apart from getting to the NCT nearly new sales a few mins earlier that’s the only benefit apart from supporting a charity.

All the groups are for everyone to join in with. Members or non members makes no difference.

I say that as a committee member of my local branch.

It worries me people think they have to be a member to go to baby groups.

I literally could not see the point in joining when I looked into what you actually get for membership.

As far as I am aware the price of membership is included in the cost of the antenatal course. I found the course to be great and puts you in touch with a group of parents all going through the same things at the same time.

We have a mums group that we message on and arrange meet ups outside of the reunion that the NCT course leader organises. It's great to get other perspectives on parenting and makes you feel like you are not alone as you are often going through the same things as you.

I would say well worth the money.

Thanks everyone for input. Decided not to join and just paid for course.

@DobbyTheHouseElk strange but I feel like should just call it a donation, I'd be willing to give one off donations or consider regular donations of they clarified what the money went towards. I didn't sign up as a member because I didn't see any additional benefit. It's confusing on my books.

@OnlyLittleMissOrganised thanks but it's actually a separate payment to the cost of the course. I booked the course but still saw messages asking if I wanted to become a member.

@strawberrysundayss I totally agree. That’s why we always say it’s a charity donation. However, the help/support/advice I personally was given by the NCT BF practitioner was worth a donation in my book. If you want to donate at any time. Make sure you donate to your branch, then they can use the funds on support in your area, rather than getting swallowed up by Head Office.

The phone numbers etc you will get from the anti natal course regardless of membership.

Yes I agree it's very unclear- it's definitely marketed online as membership (for which you seem to get very little benefit!) than a donation!

Personally I found the local children's centre far more useful post baby than NCT so that's where any donations went from me... so devastated that they closed my local one down!