Nhs antenatal classes

[gertrudestein]

I missed my one and only nhs antenatal class today due to a bad case of pregnancy brain. We're not doing NCT, and we won't be able to get onto another nhs class until I'm at least 37 wks. I'm panicking!!! Was hoping to write a birth plan after the class this wkend (am now 33 wks) and suddenly feel very worried that I'm not going to be at all prepared! What have I missed? Any advice? This is my first (have read some books but dp isn't a reader and he was relying on this class for all his information)

We did both NHS ans nct classes with our first pg.
The NHS classes were focused on when to go into the hospital with contractions, they went through pain relief options, but were very g&a and anti epidural, nct was the same really. There was a feeding antenatal ass too, very much focused on bf, rather than bottle feeding.

Wrt the birthing plan, I just followed the questions on the form that the mw fills in. Like how you want to birth ie, on all fours, pain relief, if you want baby cleaned before handed over, if you want dp to cut cord, if you want skin to skin, cord blood donation, when you want cord cut, that sort of thing.

I did ask for a water birth with dc2, but did put on the form that if the pool was not available, then it wasn't a problem. Although I was 8cm when I arrived, so it was all very quick.

It's a shame they don't cover ff much in these classes and seem to put pressure on about bf. But, I bf both mine, and then ff, so would have been nice to get some sort of info on it, more the how to make a bottle up safely. What they don't tell you about bf, is that you can encounter problems feeding. That isn't covered, which is a shame.

I'd try and get another class if you and your dp really are unsure of it all. I did find the hospital visit useful though.

Thanks longdistance that's really useful. Sounds similar to some of the books I've read - perhaps I can ask my mw about bf classes, although she's always so rushed..... But good up know I've not missed too much

I don't think I learned anything from the NHS classes that I hadn't already read on Mumsnet / the internet.

DH found them useful because like yours he doesn't read much, but I've been drip feeding him information I think he needs to know anyway.

The classes in my area didn't cover writing your birth plan at all (and my midwife hasn't mentioned it either!) - luckily I'm not too fussed and happy to go with the flow as it's my first baby and all unknown.

The only thing that might be useful is the local information - the midwifes were able to tell me where the local breastfeeding cafe is, where I can go to baby massage etc.

There's loads of info about birth plans on the NHS website - have your taken a look?

Our NHS classes were mostly useful for hospital-specific info. You don't tally need a detailed birth plan, midwives will consult you throughout labour to ask what you want to do. I just wrote the basics, about 4 lines to be honest.