How much do you pay for baby groups?!

[blublub]

I was talking to a friend I hadn’t seen in a while who has had a baby. I asked her if she managed to get to any baby groups with them yet (3 months old, remember I was going potty at home alone at that age and they helped me) and she said she had been going to a class but couldn’t afford to keep it up because it was £12 a week! Now I don’t remember them costing this much, am I out of touch?! I only paid a couple of quid at most with mine 10 years ago, I’m sure I did. There’s inflation but that seems crazy! I felt sorry for her, I remember how hard it was getting out with a baby but it really kept me sane. Is this the new normal now for mums and babies?

There are a lot of childminders and grandparents at our playgroups but I’m not sure that is to do with the funding. It’s just that playgroups are better for toddlers than babies. Babies who are at playgroups tend to be there with an older sibling. Or MN babies, who wouldn’t dream of doing something as appalling as baby sensory!

The only paid for thing I went to was baby massage and baby yoga (both of which were something like £50 for 6 sessions for massage or like £60 for 10 sessions for yoga). Breastfeeding group and rhyme time at the library were free.

Yes, but I can buy my own bubbles, silk scarves, and lights for way, way less than the cost of a class and the baby will have the same experience. If you want to pay £15 a week for your own sanity then go ahead but don't dress it up as essential for the baby.

"Baby sensory" language etc began as a way of encouraging parents to do more than lie their child on a mat under a play gym. It's evolved into something it was never meant to be and has been commercialised beyond all recognition.

Of course you can.
You can also sit at home, avoid cafes, cook your own food, make your own coffee and never pay for anything outside your home but your experience would be unusual.

The poster said some sensory experiences are nicer than others, no that an experience sensory class is essential. No need to have a chip on your shoulder.

I've been going to playgroups for the last 20 years so yes I have seen this.

If you have just seen a lack of mums at playgroups that doesn’t actually mean they all go to expensive classes instead though? How have you come to that conclusion?

Why do you think the 9 month funding specifically would be relevant?

Yes but there don't tend to be babies & siblings there with mums as they're in childcare now.
It's more often just a 9 month maternity leave now so mums are doing short term classes, rather than going along to church hall groups with the aim to make long term mum friends.
It's just a very noticeable shift at playgroups now where I live compared to a couple of years ago (even more so since before COVID) and I've noticed lots more baby classes popping up locally.

I talk to a lot of new mums and recently they all seem to do a lot of paid classes, and lots of new classes have popped up in the last few years which simply weren't available previously.

The 9 month funding is relevant as more babies are in childcare at that age now (where I live).

You seem very put out that someone has a different experience or knowledge to you?

£2-£3 for church playgroup.

there’s a singing class near me that’s £8 to sit in a circle and sing wind the bobbin up for an hour, no toys. I couldn’t get out there fast enough

Well, the nine month funding hasn’t been around for that long!

I don’t think people do longer maternity leaves to get rich, it’s to spend time with their baby.

Not sure what you mean by to get rich?

I'm just saying what I've noticed in the last 18 months-ish. Nurseries have doubled their baby rooms. Church hall playgroups tend to be mostly childminders and grandparents. Lots more baby classes popping up.

Your pov just isn’t making any sense, you’re blaming something on the 9 month funding yet discussing things going back several years! The funding for 9 month olds has only existed for less than 18 months.

It's very different from 5-10 years ago where I live, playgroups were mostly mums and there weren't any baby sensory, messy play franchises here.

Nothing. Sing a long at the library- free
baby group at the children’s centre- free

There are some around here that cost money but I think I’m already doing enough. I wouldn’t pay for something I can do for free

When I had my older child I was 16 and there was another baby group for young parents which I’m apparently too old for now! I’m only 23! That always felt unfair on the older mothers and their babies.

I'm not blaming, I'm just noting - times change.
Church hall playgroups have definitely been in decline for the last few years and baby classes have increased. But definitely over the last year or so more babies are in childcare and the mums I speak to seem to be choosing more baby classes.
The lack of mums at playgroups and it increase in baby classes is really noticeable to me now.

Baby sensory was definitely a ‘thing’ 5-10 years ago.

I can only talk about my personal experience of the area I live in I'm afraid.

I think that’s the point though - just because children over the age of nine months have vanished from your area, it doesn’t make it universal!

On the one hand you’re claiming the babies are all in childcare due to the 9 month funding and on the other you’re claiming they’re all at baby classes.

Either way does it matter? It sounds like you live in a very unusual area which only had one single church playgroup and as more choice has opened up mothers get to pick something that actually suits them, either in terms of content, structure, location or time of the group. It’s hardly a bad thing.

Ok but I've said multiple times I have noticed, in my area etc.
Are you experiencing this as a criticism? I'm wondering why it's bothering you so much?

There are lots of church play groups here, but no it doesn't really matter. For me it's just a change I've noticed.

We charge £2 per family for our church group, you don’t have to be a church member to come along. The music class that rents the hall is £7.50 and the train play session is similar. Both struggle to get enough clients so I think they over charge.

We're in an expensive bit of north London and I did Gymboree, swimming, music, Hartbeeps, Little Gym, and some private playgroup sessions where you needed to enrol for the term. Gymboree worked out at £16 a class but then you'd get open gym sessions and an extra music class at no extra cost. The playgroup cost £650 for a term for 2 sessions a week, but I can't remember how many weeks were in a term so not sure how much per session. Swimming was £28 a class, which was particularly expensive as the nearest venue was a 4 star hotel (they did lessons in school pools which were cheaper but a pain to get to). I never added it all up as a weekly cost, everything was paid per term. I'm a sahm and I took DD to all her classes, but the majority of other dcs were taken by their nannies, so the parents were paying for childcare on top of all the classes. All of them went on to local private schools, money isn't an issue for many families here.

I did enjoy attending the classes with DD and I found them more engaging than free stay and play sessions or church playgroups. Everything was very well-resourced, clean, with all equipment/toys functioning well, lots of attention from the teacher, and classes were separated into narrow age groups so everything was appropriate for her level. I liked having the structure and there were other places to visit for unstructured play as well.

My daughter goes to a mix ranging from about £18 a lesson for water babies to free story and play sessions at the library. My favourite is rhythm class. That’s £21 a month and you have a set class you are allocated to but you can go to any of the others on another day if there’s space and there always has been when I’ve asked.

Zero. I'm phenomenally lucky ib that respect, our local council invests heavily in early years and there are many baby groups and classes, every day of the week to choose from. All free. The only thing I've paid for is swimming lessons.