First NCT class - what to expect?

[surreyhillsmumtobe]

We're off to our fist NCT class tonight and am curious about what to expect - have heard there can be quite a cringey opening section where you go around the room and introduce yourself, a bit like some sort of AA meeting... Is it taught like a class/lecture with handouts and flipcharts or more of a general discussion lead by the teacher? I guess I could just wait a few hours to find out, but would love to be a bit better prepared for what to expect! Thanks ladies...

most likely the leader will get you all to sit in a circle, introduce yourselves and then she will get you to talk about your birth expectations, find out if anyone is having a planned c-section/twins or multiples or other out of the ordinary issues. you will break for coffee and biscuits and then she might give you a run down of the local hospitals and run through the structure of the remainder of the course.

HTH. have fun

We broke into two groups, girls & boys & had to write on a flip chart what we wanted to get from the classes. We put sensible things like "make friends" & "form personal opinions about labour choices" the men put "someone to race the baby with"

Bless.

We sat in a semi circle, four couples, went round and introduced ourselves and birth partner had to confirm the due date to see if they remembered. We really enjoyed our classes and I practically had to drag DP to the first one. Great support and really informative, always ended up over running was we became more familiar with each other.

Let us know how you find it

We did a bit of an icebreaker where you had to talk to someone else there (not your partner!) and find out a bit about them + introduce them to the group.

Then we had to write down what we wanted to get out of the course + the group leader then used this to shape the sessions. I think we got into some discussion about labour itself but the classes have all blurred into one.

Was really good though, I've been reading lots about pregnancy, labour + having a newborn and I still learned lots more from the classes. Enjoy!

Thanks ladies - feeling much more prepared now for this evening's class! Will let you know how we get on...

Yes, it will be cringey. The whole thing will be cringey

Cringey, time consuming and relatively pointless...there's nothing you couldn't/won't get from a book.

But it does get you to discuss baby-related arrival stuff with a bit of focus, and it is nice to meet a bunch of other people in the same position as you (pregnant, probably feeling a bit shit, and not a clue whats about to hit them) and the only time in my life I have found myself discussing my piles less than 2 minutes after being introduced to a complete stranger!!!

People knock NCT (for good reason, sometimes) but it is nice to have a support group at this particular point in your life, who know exactly what you're going through. Even if they turn out not to be friends for life, they'll certainly be your friends for the next 6-12 months :)

Enjoy....

Get on YouTube and look up Dara O'Briain and NCT classes. Gold.