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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Antenatal Classes

9 replies

ginauk84 · 05/03/2013 16:01

I am 24 weeks pregnant with our first baby (girl) and several people have now asked if I am going to be doing antenatal classes. And the answer I don?t know! My midwife has suggested or said anything and looking online people have said the NHS ones aren?t worth attending.

Then I also don't want to be spending a fortune on NCT as people seem to just say they're good for meeting other new mums, that wouldn't benefit me really.

In terms of birth I am using a midwife unit where only gas and air is offered so labour will go how it goes and I think you could do all this breathing etc in classes but when the time comes it's all going to go out of the window!

What is everyone's opinions on them?

Thanks.

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PandaWatch · 05/03/2013 16:04

Like you, I was reluctant to fork out hundreds of pounds for the NCT ones so am just doing the NHS ones. I considered not doing them at all but know quite a few people who did the NHS ones and said they were useful.

Yannah2006 · 05/03/2013 16:31

I would do the NHS ones. They're free, and while the ones i went to were quite short and sharp, they had all of the info i needed for having my first baby. Even thought your planning to have your baby in a midwife-led unit, you really need to learn about your local hospital too and more 'medical' types of labour as you never know whats going to happen.

We're very lucky that PIL are buying us NCT classes for DS2 (start next month), but as you say, we're doing that more to meet other parents as we don't really know anyone in our new town. I'm very nervous about doing them as our town seems to be the home of the middle-class yummy mummy and a few of my friends have done them and said there was a lot of baby competitiveness. I'm hoping we'll lower the tone of the classes a bit

AnythingNotEverything · 05/03/2013 16:36

Why don't you want to meet other new mums?

I think that's a huge benefit of antenatal groups - you'll have someone to say hi to when you take baby to clinic to be weighed!

Even if you have lots of friends with kids already, it's really useful to know people who are going through the same things as you at the same time.

I'm still in touch with some of my antenatal group 13 years on, and will be signing up again once my tiny 8 week non bump becomes bigger!

Original poster

ginauk84 · 05/03/2013 16:42

It's not I don't want to meet them more that it wouldn't be the reason I would go to the classes. We live out in the country so classes would be a good journey from home and I don't want to do that every week of all I get out of classes is meeting other people. I would rather do that at our local baby/toddler group as at least they will be local and in the village. However I suppose I could try nhs and if I don't think it's worth it I don't have to continue going do I? Not like I will have lost any money.

OP posts:

ZuleikaD · 05/03/2013 17:26

I didn't do them and never missed them. I asked a dozen mothers what they'd got out of them and they said the only thing they were useful for was meeting other mothers, but I wasn't interested in that. I read up on some stuff about labour and was quite happy not to have done classes.

Fluffeh · 05/03/2013 17:26

I've done both and would say they are both worth going to. Nhs classes tend to be more crowded and the information is just given to you whereas nct is more interactive.
I think nhs classes were more informative but nct classes were more tailored to our (members of the small group) personal wants/needs.

birdbrain17 · 05/03/2013 17:38

I think it depends on what hospital you go to. I just attended nhs classes at the royal free hospital in hampstead as like you I didn't want to spend a fortune. I spoke to friends who had done both before coming to my decision and they all told me the nhs classes are just as good.
I really enjoyed my classes there was 10 couples and it was only 2 sessions so no going out for weeks on end which I find really hard now I'm 35 weeks pregnant. We covered everything about how a vaginal birth works, forceps/ventouse for emergencies, c-sections planned/emergency, being induced, newborn routines and tips....as my DH pointed out they didn't cover breathing or labour positions but I agree with you that you probably forget breathing once you're in labour (but this is my first so don't know that for sure) and labour positions doesn't need teaching, just do whatever is comfortable!!

Hope this helps and good luck with everything....

birdbrain17 · 05/03/2013 17:39

p.s I'm also going to a midwife unit...hoping for a water birth

ButteryJam · 05/03/2013 18:08

I would do them :)

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