NCT Antenatal Classes vs NHS - can't decide!

[sarahseager]

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to decide whether to go ahead and book NCT Antenatal Classes however the expense is making me question whether they are really worth it or whether NHS ones would be just as good.

I'm in Ipswich (just in case any of you have experience of the NHS ones) and we have many friends who have chosen to go with NCT classes and thought they were really good but we also have a friend who chose the NHS ones and thought they were perfectly adequate.

Any thoughts on this would be much appreciated!

Thanks,
Sarah

I think what the nhs offers can really differ. My hospital used to offer 10 weeks x 2 hour sessions but now offer only 2 x two hour sessions and hospital tour. The nearest 2 hospitals (not the ones I am using) offer the 10 week course which everyone rates. So some of you may be luckier than me.

Mine has the 2 sessions plus a hospital tour. The tour is supposed to be good as we have a brand new midwife led unit.

I really enjoyed NCT and am glad we did it, but much more for the social side of things than the real birth/childcare prep.

I also went to NHS antenatal and breastfeeding classes - they were great, esp as they were all run in the hospital (UCLH) so you got to meet more midwives and they could answer all the "what will happen" questions in far more detail than the NCT lady could.

So, I would say, if you're entering into antenatal stuff with a real keenness to meet people and make friends, or if you have a very strong natural childbirth preference / home birth, NCT would be best. If you just want some general prep, then NHS is quite adequate and agree you should save your money.

While being very supportive and excited about the pregnancy and being a Daddy my DP is not interested at all in antenatal classes. He bascially wants to turn up at the labour ward and deal with it then, bury his head in the sand as long as possible and let me make the decisions on the birth etc. He says he doesn't want to go to something he sees as a group therapy session and he would be embarrassed doing breathing exercises etc. He is an outgoing person so I thnk its just nerves. Has anyone else experienced this?

Also, if it comes to it, do women go to these classes on their own? I am new to the area so don't have any close friends here to ask and I SHOULD be going to the classes to meet new people and find some close friends! He is sympathetic to this but thinks I can make friends with other mums without the classes. Last ditch class partner may be the MIL!!

I have decided to opt for NCT because it is something that many friends have done and have found invaluable as support after the birth. To be completely honest all of them have said that the actual content of the classes wasnt anything newsworthy (but i should qualify this by saying that my friends are all people who would have been reading and researching on everything pregnancy, birth and baby related which not everyone does to the same extent), but they really have benefitted from the close knit groups that they have become as a result of sharing this daunting experience.

I've recently completed NCT classes and would recommend them. Not for the content- we ladies agreed that there wasn't much that we hadn't read about. The best thing was meeting other expectant mums in the local area, it's a very nice group and now that we are all on mat leave, we're meeting regularly. The men have also been out for drinks and they seem to get along very well. There are great local events and opportunities to socialise which I guess you wouldn't get with NHS. It is worth noting there was a strong bias for natural birthing and breast-feeding which may irk some.