Anyone out there doing NCT alone?

[summerinthesun]

I'm just about to book onto the classes. I want to make friends but I'm single, and I still don't know who will come to the birth with me.

Just wondered if you know of anyone who has done NCT alone, or is it a totally unheard of idea?

A lady in my group ended up doing it mostly alone as her partner was not very supportive.

They have since split up but she has always been part of our group - the women tended to get together without the men in the first weeks after the babies were born anyway.

We are all still in touch 8 years later, go out for a meal from time to time, etc.

Can you ring your local branch and ask to talk to the class teacher about it? Explain your situation, check how it works etc?

I think you should definitely still do the class. Although most people go as couples, I am sure people do it alone from time to time.

Overwhelmingly, from what my friends have said, it tends to be the mums who meet up afterwards, not really the blokes. So, even if everyone else is in a couple, you will still meet people and create a support network for yourself for after the birth.

Thanks guys, I'm just dreading sitting in a room surrounded by smug couples, especially when the partners start massaging the womens' backs!

Ha ha - can just imagine it might be a bit cringey. But if you just go in there and brazen it out as if you don't care, no one else will mind either.

Good idea to contact the organiser - maybe you could be in a class with someone else in the same boat.

OR - can you book your place now, and then invite a friend or someone else later when you've decided who's best?

I would recommend doing a daytime weekday class too, much less likely to be partners there than at weekends or evenings.

I did a refresher daytime class this time with 5 other women and there were no blokes there, presumably because they would have to take time off work.

Don't feel you can't go, it can provide an invaluable support network for those difficult times after the birth.

I am due to do My NCT antenatal classes starting in November, out of the 7 classes I will be attending only 3 with my partner as he is in the Police and is working, I am abit nervous but am definately going I am sure we wont feel left out x Good Luck

I am 36 weeks and single. I just finished my NCT classes yesterday.

I was also anxious about it all being couples. I needn't have..

There were two other single mums, a lady who always came on her own as her partner was working and two lesbian couples.

You'll be fine!

There wasn't actually any massaging of backs in my NCT class, so you might escape that. And although my class was very samey, I know in another class there were 2 gay men attending who were having a baby via a surrogate. So your class leader will probably be used to pitching things for different sorts of parents.